Closets are supposed to help keep your life clean and orderly, yet they can get chaotic and messy from time to time. If you’ve invested a lot of time, effort, and money into creating a custom organisation system, you shouldn’t let it go to waste. So, if you’re having trouble keeping your closets clean and tidy, try some of these closet cleaning and organisation tips to get things back in order.

To begin with, make cleaning your closets a habit. When cleaning closets, avoid using heavy-duty cleaners that are known to be abrasive or acidic, as well as oven and rust cleansers. Additionally, products containing a lot of oil should be avoided because they can make closets difficult to dry and leave streak markings.

It’s great to have a clean closet, but it’s even better to have a clean and organised closet. The first step in organising a closet is to take everything out so you can analyse how much space you have to work with and what you previously stored there. This will also make it easier for you to get to all of the areas that require cleaning. After you’ve taken everything out of the closet, divide it into four piles: keep, donate, laundry, and toss. Sort the items in the “keep” pile so that related items are kept together.

You may need to get creative with your storage space depending on how much you decide to donate or throw out. Using over-the-door shelving to generate storage space out of thin air is a great idea. Look for empty places on the wall to add hooks or pocket organisers on rods.

Although you won’t be able to create an entirely new space, these closet cleaning and organisation tips will help you make the most of the space you have.