Most people want to keep the contents of their closets a closed matter. However, the majority of closets are in need of a serious makeover. You may be surprised to see just how much of your precious closet space you’re wasting. As you settle into your new home post-move, use these seven closet organizing tips to keep your closet from becoming an unruly mess:

1. Out With the Old

Your closet is probably full of old sweaters, jeans and other clothes that you will never wear again. As a good rule of thumb, if you haven’t worn it in the past 12 months, you aren’t likely to wear it again. While there are always exceptions to this rule, it’s a great guideline. When deciding which clothes to toss, ask yourself if you would buy it again. If the answer is no, then it’s time for it to go. This Las Vegas moving company recommends downsizing your wardrobe prior to your move, if possible. Movers typically charge for their services based on the weight of the things you’re moving, so in this case, less is better. With all the money you’ll save on moving costs, maybe you can treat yourself to those new heels you’ve been eyeing.

2. Maximize Your Door Space

Even in small closets, one prime piece of real estate is the door. While most people don’t consider using the door for storage, over-the-door shelving and storage are the perfect place to store belts, shoes and other accessories.

3. Garment Division Labels

One easy way to organize your closet is to put similar items together. Using garment dividers, you can organize your hanging items like stores do. You can divide your shirts by length, separating long-sleeved and sleeveless shirts. You can also categorize your clothes into seasons. Once you’ve organized your clothes into categories, you may also want to arrange by color, so its easy to see what you have in each hue.

4. Storage Bins

Does your closest have a high overhead shelf? While it doesn’t seem practical to store much up there, overhead storage bins turn this hard-to-reach area into manageable space. This is the perfect storage spot for items you don’t use on a daily basis like extra handbags and out-of-season clothing.

5.Add Hooks

Another way to free up space is to add hooks to the side of your closet. This is a great area to hang jackets or other bulky items that typically take up a lot of hanging room. You can also use hooks to hang belts and other accessories for quick, tangle-free access.

6. Move Items Out of Your Closet

If you have a small closet, sometimes removing items is your best bet. Using storage containers, you can store out-of-season items under your bed. Professional movers and organizers recommend using clear, shallow containers so you can still see the contents of each box and they’ll easily slide under the bed.

7. Clear Shoe Boxes

Shoes take up the majority of a woman’s closet space. By using pull-out bins, you can stack your shoes while still making them easy to get to. This not only looks better and more organized than a cluttered shoe rack, but you can also put labels on the front of the drawers to easily find a certain pair of shoes.

Everyone’s closet is different, so not all of these tips will work for you. However, you can take back more of your closet space by taking advantage of the tips that do work. Organization isn’t something that just happens; you have to make an effort. If you take the time to organize your closet effectively after you move in, you’ll have a better chance of keeping it that way.