An Open Closet Could Be the Answer to Keeping Your Bedroom Clutter-Free

I’ll admit it: I was born messy. The struggle of putting things back where they belong is very real for me, especially with my wardrobe. My original closet “organization” system involved stuffing everything in, shutting the door, and hoping for the best. One tug of the wrong sleeve though, and everything would come tumbling out. So I resorted to the clothes chair system — y’know, the chair that ends up with more clothes on it than what’s in your closet.

Not anymore though. I’ve since embraced a closet-free life with what I like to call an “open closet” — two wall-mounted hanging clothes racks I fabricated paired with a dresser in a corner of my bedroom (as pictured below) — and I’ve surprised myself at just how easy it is to keep this setup organized. I know, I know… this sounds completely counterintuitive. You’re probably thinking an open closet will, well, expose more of your mess. Turns out, for me, that’s just not true.

I was sold on an open closet when I moved into my current apartment a few years ago. After months of browsing Pinterest-perfect ones, I knew I had to have a slice of that. Thankfully, I glossed over the how-was-I-ever-going-to-keep-it-tidy part because it turned out to be the best decision I ever made. Here’s why.

First off, simply not having to open up a door to hang stuff up has been a revelation. Who knew a door could be such a big obstacle to putting things away? Opting for airy garment racks, especially wall mounted ones, saves space and can make your room look bigger in the process. Tiny or not, overflowing closets can make any room feel crowded. Of course, the first step to creating an open closet is editing down your wardrobe; you’ll have to be okay with getting rid of anything that doesn’t fit on your racks or in your dresser. Keeping my clothes front and center has forced me to be ruthless, but, I think, in the grand scheme of things, that’s a good thing for staying tidy. Take this from someone who would rather watch paint dry than declutter. 

Custom closets are expensive. Open closets are not. They can be ridiculously budget-friendly if you can DIY your way to one. If not, shop freestanding racks, which will do the trick and are renter-friendly (and fairly inexpensive) to boot. Your racks will become part of your bedroom decor just as much as they are storage for your things. I’ve found that people tend to dress like they decorate their homes, and I’m no exception. Chances are your clothes will match and even enhance your decor — you can probably guess that I’m Scandi minimalist-minded by taking a peek at my setup here.

The icing on the cake? People love wearing clothes that they feel good in. Now imagine that was every single piece you owned. Yup; that is exactly what having a considerably smaller but far more curated wardrobe has done for me.