High closet shelves, especially for those of us who are on the shorter side, can pose several challenges. Whatever goes up there runs the risk of being forgotten for good, pushed to the back beyond our reach, or creased to oblivion. Not to mention, if you're grabbing for your go-to's most days, they certainly won't be the items placed up high in your closet.
It's taken me a number of years to figure out the closet organization ideas that work for me, and how to use the highest shelf most effectively, so I decided to talk to professional organizers to see what advice they would share with someone suffering the same problem.
Here, professional organizers will teach you how to maximize your top-shelf closet storage to make it as easy to use and as approachable as possible. Regardless of whether you have a small closet, or a large deep closet, these tricks are bound to make a difference to the day-to-day experience of shopping from your wardrobe. Here's what the experts had to say.
1. Keep a step stool nearby
It's a handy idea to keep a step ladder or stool somewhere close by if your high shelves are significantly out of reach, potentially in under-stair storage or under your bed.
Mary Jo Contello, professional organizer and founder of Organized by MJ, says, "You can keep a step stool close by to your closet to ensure you can always reach your items. Make sure the step stool gives you the amount of extra height you need to reach the items easily.
Target's Cosco 1 Step All Steel Step Stool is incredibly affordable, neutral and collapses for easy storage. But there are plenty of models out there coming in varying styles and materials if you'd rather have something to match the aesthetic of your home.
Price: $34.99
An inexpensive buy to make reaching high shelves easier.
Price: $128
Chic, teak and not earth-shatteringly expensive, this is the upgrade model for your closet.
Price: $316
This cool modern step stool from brand Case is expensive, but you won't have to hide it away when not in use.
2. Use your top shelves to store seasonals
If the higher shelves of your closet are going to be some of the least convenient spaces to access, it makes sense to turn them into an area to store items you won't be frequently reaching for. Rotating your seasonals into the space is an ideal way to do this, giving your bulky jumpers somewhere to live in the summer and providing your swimsuits with a place of much-needed respite come winter.
Mary says, "High closet shelves are the perfect place to store seasonal items. If you're rotating your winter gear for summer gear, the winter items can then be stored up high. These high up selves are also a great place to store items like luggage cases that can be lighter weight and not used that often."
To maximize space further you could store your bulky sweaters inside of your empty luggage cases. Just don't forget to consider bringing your sweaters down soon if you're keeping them up high: your high closet storage filled with fall essentials is definitely one of the places to organize in your home this September to welcome fall on the right foot. It's time to store away summer clothes, instead.
3. Use labeled containers or bins
Whatever you store right at the top of your closet shelving has a higher risk of getting lost, especially if the items aren't large in size. Storing your clothing in transparent bins or boxes with lids, such as the Sterilite 66 Quart Clear Plastic Latch Box from Walmart, is a great way to keep everything together, as well as free from dust that may gather on these typically lesser-used high shelves.
Brenda Scott, professional organizer and owner of Tidy My Space, says, "Storing like items together in stackable boxes with lids is a great way to always know where your items are. I recommend sticking a label to each container as well so you really know what's inside every box."
Mary adds, "I always recommend labeling your bins and, if possible, using clear bins so you can see items well. For some people though clear bins give them visual clutter, so combat this by sticking nice big labels onto your storage containers instead. You don't want to forget what is up there."
4. Invest in pulldown shelving
A pulldown shelving system can be installed into your space and take up the same amount of room as a regular closet. However, it comes with the advantage of being able to be pulled down, lifting out of the unit and coming towards you. This makes your high closet shelves lower, reducing the impact of issues that could arise due to their usual height.
"Pulldown shelving is a great idea for closet organization, especially for people confined to wheelchairs," adds Brenda.
Rev-A-Shelf's Pulldown Closet Rod is a small black and silver clothing rail, perfect for hanging up your clothing items. But if you prefer the thought of having baskets in your space, the Rev-A-Shelf Pull Down Shelf unit will offer you a different configuration of storage space.
5. Don't overpack your high shelving
You can't make the most out of any space if it is so filled to capacity that your items are getting creased or impossible to find. Before seeking to shuffle around your closet organization, take a moment to evaluate what's inside of the space and reflect on whether everything you're putting back into your closet is worthy of the volume it takes up in there.
Mindy Godding, a certified professional organizer, owner of Abundance Organizing, and president of the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals (NAPO), says, " I learned very early on in my journey as a professional organizer that the difference between collection and clutter is care and keeping. If items are haphazardly stored and are becoming dusty or damaged as a result, it’s a sign that you should think about how to declutter clothes out of your life."
Just because you have the closet space on those top shelves doesn't mean it all has to be bursting with excess. Enjoy your more spacious, efficient shelving!
