Coat Closet Organization: 21 Amazing Ideas

Coat closet organization ideas + 21 must-see real-life examples!

I know this is a bold claim, but it’s true. These coat closet organization ideas will change your life!

Leaving the house (on time) can be a very stressful experience! A proactive way to calm the craziness that happens while everyone is rushing off to school or work? Keep your coat or entry closet organized. 

Think about it. No more looking for hats, gloves, jackets, purses, backpacks, or shoes! You’ll finally know where everything is.

And, even better? Your kids (and you!) will know exactly where to put things back at the end of the day. Amazing, right? 3 cheers for the coat closet!!!

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21 Coat Closet Organization Ideas

Ready to get your coat closet in check once and for all? Here are some ideas to get you started!

Don’t forget! You can break your decluttering and organizing tasks down into simple, easy chunks. Grab a copy of 60 5-minute decluttering wins and start the process without the overwhelm!

1. Hanging Organizer for Hats & Gloves – Tag and Tibby

I’ve already added this over the door “pocket holder” to my Amazon cart. I like how the clear, plastic windows won’t hide any secrets. The slim width is also more ideal for coat closet doors, which often tend to be a bit more narrow than traditional ones.

2. Lower Shelving for Shoes – How to Nest for Less

If your shoes are lost in a basket of chaos, consider giving them a new place to call home. Check out how the lower shelf was cleverly put a few inches above the floor. That extra space is perfect for storing reusable shopping bags or out-of-season shoes.

Hanging totes on the door (love me some command hooks, holler!) is also a very doable project for anyone hoping to bring a little order to their coat closet!

3. Hooks for Bags & Purses – Best Friends for Frosting

Are you guilty of having totes, bags, and umbrellas jumbled up together – probably on the floor of your coat closet? Ask me how I know! 😉 Check out this clever way to use the hanging rack space above the shoe storage! 

The space isn’t long enough for jackets, but it’s the perfect size for purses, umbrellas, and totes! This way, nothing is “resting” on the shoe boxes, either! Perfect planning – since this could quickly become a game of Jenga, otherwise!

4. Boot Trays – House for Six

These functional, plastic boot trays are the perfect landing spot for shoes that tend to be all-weather and all-terrain! Look for trays that don’t have any metal accents, as they can be prone to rust.

5. Coat Closet Organization Idea: Add a Mirror Inside the Door – Nesting With Grace

Heading out the door in a hurry? If your coat closet is as orderly (again, love all the hooks!) as this one, you won’t have trouble finding the right shoes or jacket. Because you’re so organized, you’ll even have time to check out your face in the mirror. Yep, still the most beautiful one in the land. Seize the day and slay, friend.

6. Stackable Drawers for Storage – Blue i Style

Here’s a clever coat closet organization idea to maximize storage space in a small entry closet. The white modular drawers on the bottom are from The Container Store. They have TONS of dimensions available, so you can really customize your unit for what works for you!

Keeping everything labeled is another way to make sure your new area stays organized, too.

7. Wire Shelving – KelleyNan

You can’t go wrong with the Elfa shelving and storage system from The Container Store! Believe it or not, this closet holds MORE after the system was put in than before. Paring down is always great, but sometimes you just have to have all the stuff – especially in those colder months!

8. Upper Storage Bins – Blesser House

Okay. The coat closet isn’t exactly a glamorous place, but the right organizing products can easily elevate it – giving it both function AND beauty. The cute baskets showcased here are from Target so they won’t break the bank. The labels are classy, too!

9. Easy Hat and Glove Organization – Two Twenty One

Here is a unique way to use Command Hooks to create a custom hanging rod inside the closet door. I love the idea of using drapery hooks for gloves and other winter wear. Socks and gloves are always trying to go rogue in our household, so I think using clips would definitely help them stay together!

10. Glove Drying Line – Delia Creates

If it is winter where you are, here is a quick way to add some vertical functionality to your entry closet! This simple rope on a hanger is quite smart. Throw some clothespin clips on the rope – and it is ready to serve your family! Wet or not, this is a perfect place to stash gloves

Having a place for everything—including gloves!—is really one of the great organizational mantras.

11. Over-the-Door Organizer – Little Bits of Home

Using an over-the-door shoe holder is a great way to add some extra storage space to your coat closet. Choosing a clear (or semi-clear) fabric is a good idea because you can easily see the contents. 

12. Simple Coat Hooks – Holly B Baking

There’s something kind of nostalgic about these old-school double prong coat hooks. This entry closet definitely gives off an industrial school-house vibe, too.

Using the hooks along the perimeter keeps the center visual space open. It’s so much easier to see all of the shoes with jackets along the boundary walls, too. (*Link has been removed as site is no longer active.)

13. Wood Crate Storage – Anikas DIY Life

There are a lot of storage solutions out there for purchase. But, sometimes, you can’t find EXACTLY what you need in a store. If you are hard-core DIY, you may look for opportunities to create custom storage solutions. So, why not build something?

Wood scraps were used to build this yoga mat storage bin. Not the building type? No problem! The other wood bin that’s corralling all those backpacks is from Amazon. Simply add casters to keep it mobile and protect the floor from getting scuffed up.

14. Coat Closet Organization with Large Floor Bins – LeDuc Lane

For all those renters out there…this amazing entry closet is 99.9% rental-friendly! All of the upgrades and custom touches can be taken with you when you leave. The only “loss” would be the three rolls of black washi tape used to create the custom design on the back wall. But I think it’s worth taking that hit – I love the clever design elements. (*Link has been removed as site is no longer active.)

15. Umbrella Holder – Average Inspired

What will the closet gods think of next? This small umbrella holder is designed to hold both those large umbrellas and the itsy, bitsy ones, too. What a smart idea!

16. Coat Closet Organization Hack: Use Matching Hangers – Anderson and Grant

The most put-together closets seem to always have matching hangers. Something about the uniformity keeps it looking classy and well-organized.

17. Added Lower Closet Rod – Remodelaholic

I loved how Remodelaholic used wood scraps and other remodeling leftovers to add a lower shelf and hanging rod to the entry closet. Little ones can easily grab a jacket when it is on their level. PLUS, you get double the hanging space! I’d probably have to keep a sturdy step stool inside the closet to reach the highest rod, but it would be worth it to gain that extra vertical space.

I like the unique touch of painting the door’s interior, too. 

18. Personalized Baskets – Neat Little Nest

Hangers or hooks – can’t decide? Use both. Your nicer, heavier jackets will probably fare better when they are hung properly on a hanger. But those everyday jackets? Hooks are perfect for them, and children are much more likely to use the hooks, too!

And, while we are talking about kids and closets, check out these cute baskets personalized with names! If everyone has their space, it is easy (well, easier) to keep that coat closet organized.

19. Cubby Storage – Tag and Tibby

Measure your closet’s floor space before finding the perfect cubby for your closet! Remember – you can always pivot the shelf to its side, creating more vertical space within the cubbies. This is extra helpful in keeping tall boots organized.

20. Hooks for Dog Leashes – The Borrowed Abode

The coat closet has to serve lots of functions! One of those may be to house dog-walking paraphernalia. Using hooks in the “dead space” of the closet is a clever storage idea that keeps leashes handy and organized.

21. Plastic Bins for Keepsakes – Made 2 Make

Do you need to use some of the space in your coat closet for other types of storage? Sometimes there are not enough drawers in your house, so you have to create “drawers” with plastic storage bins. Nothing wrong with that!

To keep items from getting lost (and to help life stay organized,) it’s always a good idea to buy clear bins. Labeling the boxes along the side facing out is super helpful, too.

I hope you’ve enjoyed our deep dive into some of the most inspiring (and yet attainable) coat closets out there! Let me know if you decide to tackle your own!

Pin this project for later! And if you decide to try it, leave a comment on the pin! That helps others know whether they want to try it, too!

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