A Speedy Storage Closet Makeover

Using my 5-step decluttering method, I cleared out my decor closet and made it practical, efficient and even pretty!

While all of my home projects feel stuck in limbo, I've been organizing our behind-the-scenes spaces. The house is about to be painted, sod is going down, and a garage organization makeover and finished kitchen makeover are on the way.

But while I wait on all of those, I decided to do some spring cleaning and declutter a closet that had been neglected since we moved in a year and a half ago!

Storage space was one of the things that sold us on this house. After living somewhere with very little storage, I just wanted to be able to toss our junk in a closet and shut the door. #homegoals

So when I spotted this storage closet off the loft area upstairs, I knew it would be the perfect home for my decor. Some people might need that space for something else, but I have a good amount of decor that I rotate through my home all year, and I need a place to keep it! (I built some shelves for a walk-in closet in our old house and stored my decor there. But I had to keep other things in there too, so it was always bursting at the seams.)

When we moved, I labeled quite a few boxes for the "decor closet," and we dumped things in and walked away. I could reach some of the items I needed, but it was truly a mess, and I could barely walk in there!

I decided it was high time to clean it out and whip it into shape. If you want to see how I did it, step by step, I share my decluttering method in this post: How to Declutter a Room in 5 Simple Steps.

When I took stock of the 10′ x 4′ closet and how our family needed it to work, I realized the old wire shelving system with a long hanging rod did NOT meet our needs.

I really needed lots of shelving. So I found some affordable bookshelves and measured my space. I figured I could fit 5 bookshelves in there, with 4 along the left wall and one on the back wall.

I placed the two corner bookshelves so they meet at the front. That leaves a small, hard-to-reach gap in the corner. To keep anything from falling back there, I screwed thin plywood across the top of the corner between the two shelves.

While everything was out of the closet, I got rid of any decor I didn't want or use anymore. We're having a neighborhood yard sale this weekend, so it's the perfect time to declutter.

And here it is now! Ta-da!

I can walk in there now, and I can see everything! No more tripping over things on the floor or getting frustrated because I can't find what I need. It's all there!

I'm a big fan of using every available inch, so I hung my larger framed pieces on the wall across from the bookshelves. I even tucked some faux stems into the small gap between the bookshelf and the door.

There's still room on the shelves, so my plan is to bring my spring, summer and fall seasonal decor down from the attic and store it in this closet. I've always kept my seasonal things in boxes in the attic, so this will be a nice change. I'll be able to see it all in one spot and can get rid of anything I never use.

Frames and Small Decor in Decor Closet — I love having all of my extra frames in ONE place!

And while I wanted plenty of room to hide our extra "junk" in this new house, I still want it to be organized, efficient and easy to reach.

As I always say, having things organized saves you time and money. Everything has a home, which saves you from hunting for things you can't find. It also reminds you what you already own and keeps you from buying things you already have. Win-win in my book!

What needs to be decluttered in your home? Tell me in the comments below!