This area is simple to organize and get in order. As always, begin by taking everything out of the closet.  Go through all your coats, jackets, hats, scarves, gloves, etc. and set aside those you do not want and do not wear. The ones you want to keep, air them out for a while if they’ve been in the closet for a long time. The ones that you don’t want and that are still in decent condition – give to goodwill or to a homeless shelter where they’ll hand out coats to those who need them.  If they aren’t in good shape (filled with holes, stained, etc) throw them in the trash.  If you wouldn’t wear them, why would someone else want to???

After setting those things aside, go through everything else and remove things that are not needed (old phone books for example).  Vacuum the shelves and floors of the closet.  Wash the top of the shelf to remove any dust and dirt build up.  If you have dog leashes and bags you hang in the closet, place nails or hooks inside on the wall or on the inside of the door to hang those things up instead everything being thrown on the floor or on the shelf.  If you have many ‘pet’ items, put them all in one bag and place them on a hook.  If you store boots and roller blades and other large items in the coat closet, place the ones used the least in the back of the closet and the ones you use more often at the front.

Use a large basket or box to place on the shelf to hold your smaller items such as your hats, gloves, scarves, etc.  This will help so you aren’t constantly losing gloves and hats by just tossing them in the closet.  If you have children who put their own things away, have a step stool nearby so they can put their hats and gloves in the basket as well (when you feel it’s appropriate for them to do so).

When hanging your coats back in the closet, place all the long coats on one side of the closet instead of in the middle.  Hang all your winter coats together and the lighter jackets together.  It will be easier to find your jackets when they aren’t hiding between two large winter coats.

To keep your items smelling fresh and to avoid the ‘musty’ smell that often accompanies small, closed in areas like closets, there are a couple things you can do. You can place a stick up air freshener in on the wall or place about 7 new pieces of charcoal in a mesh sachet bag and hang in the top of the closet – this will absorb odors from the closet.  Replace every couple months to keep fresh.  You can also place a sachet of cedar or lavender in the closet, which also keep the air fresh in the closet.  To keep your coats from acquiring the musty smell, air them out every few months to allow the fabric to breath.