8 Tips For Organizing A Shared Closet For Kids

Since I found out I was pregnant with Violet, the goal has always been to have all three kids in one room. It is going to be a little bit of a transition. We are currently waiting out a hitting phase Zander is going through. He is in the playroom temporarily. While we transition, I decided to work on creating a shared space for the three of them that will be cohesive, clean, comfortable and chic. The beds were an easy set up. I shared that in their bedroom design post. The closet… has been a bit of a nightmare. Finally, I have it designed to perfection. I thought I’d show off some closet before and afters, and share eight tips for organizing a shared closet.

8 Tips for Organizing a Shared Closet

1. Start with the shelving.

The foundation of an organized closet is the shelving unit. Without that in place, it will always be chaos, no matter how many times in day you organize and put things back. We did eight months with a makeshift collection of drawers, baskets and shelves (pictured below). The closet always looked a mess. After two months with Modular Closets, there has not been one day that the kids closet didn’t look pristine. No lie.

There are lots of options out there, but I like Modular Closets for a few reasons. For one, they designed the closet for me. I told them the measurements. I told them I needed three different sections for hanging, at least 6 drawers, and at least 10 cubby’s. Less than 24 hours later they got back to me with a design I loved.

A second reason I love Modular Closets is because I tried design programs from several other closet companies. No other system was able to so highly maximize my small space. They got me 12 small cubby’s, 6 big cubby’s, 4 large drawers, 4 medium drawers, a couple shelves, three hanging areas, plus storage space above and below the unit!

2. Divide the space evenly, and in sections.

As best as you can, divide the space evenly between your kids. Don’t forget to leave space for things like diapers, wipes, baby blankets, and anything else you might want to keep in your closet.

3. Gather baskets, hangers, etc.

If you want your shelves to look clean and organized grab some baskets and hangers. Make sure you measure the size of your shelves before heading out to choose baskets. I used pretty baskets for everything that is in my sight line when you look in the closet. On the higher shelves, where I store extra diapers, wipes and clothes for next season, I used plain white baskets that kind of camouflage into the background.

When it comes to hangers, spend a few extra dollars and get something nicer than cheap plastic hangers. I love these beautiful velvet hangers because not only do they look stylish, the texture holds clothes in place so when kids tug and pull the closet stays cleaner.

4. Plan for room to grow.

Kids grow, and their closet will need to as well. I originally had wanted a short hanging space for Violet’s dresses. Then I thought about it and realized in a couple years her dresses would be too tall for a short hanging space! I love that Modular Closets allows you to take sections of shelving in and out, and adjust them to multiple levels. This helps accommodate reorganization as your kids grow.

5. Clear out stuff you don’t need.

Part of the process of putting in our new closet was emptying all the kids clothes out onto the bed. The mountain of clothes was INSANE. It is easy to not fully fathom how much you actually have in a closet, because you just keep adding and stuffing and shifting to make everything new fit. Cleaning out regularly is so important.

As I put clothes back into the kids closet, I also sorted out everything outgrown, worn out, or that we don’t use. The thrift store pile was huge! It made the whole closet feel lighter and more functional when we have only what we need.

6. Organize it in a simple enough way that your kids can understand, and use labels.

When you are organizing a shared closet for kids, keep your kids in mind. Make the organization simple enough that they can understand. We have one dresser for Zoey, one dresser for Zander, and the small cubby shelves for Violet. They each have their own separate hanging wrack. We are also planning to add labels with pictures to make it simple for the kids to quickly identify what they are looking for.

7. Place items your kids get themselves lower, and things they don’t higher.

Think about height when you are organizing a shared closet. If you have a kid who can dress themselves, use the bottom shelves for their clothes. Zoey got the lowest hanging wrack and set of drawers. This is great because she is able to hang up and put away clothes by herself. The medium height shelves are for Violet and Zander. The very highest, that even I need a stool to reach, are reserved for storage.

8. Add a step stool and laundry hamper (or two).

Last of all I added a step stool, Zoey still can’t reach her top drawer, and I can’t reach the top shelves. I can’t tell you how often I throw something in the closet saying I will put it away later, because I don’t want to reach the high shelves. Having a step stool always there leaves no excuses.

I also find it very useful to have the laundry hamper right in, or next to, the closet. This helps remind kids to keep dirty clothes off the floor.

Do you have multiple kids sharing a closet? What are your best tips for organizing a shared closet?! Let me know in the comments!

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