How to Organize a Closet with ADHD Friendly Solutions

A CLIENT’S STORY

The best way to organize a closet— especially if you have ADHD— is to create a space that’s tailored to your unique needs.

This is the story of how I helped one client organize her wardrobe, and while the solutions were custom to her, the process we followed can be applied to any closet. Here’s how we did it— and how you can too.

Together, we worked through three core steps: assessing her needs, zoning her space, and sorting and decluttering her clothes. These steps form the foundation for every project I work on. By walking through this, I hope you’ll see how the same process can be applied to organizing your own closet— whether it’s a small wardrobe or a walk-in dressing room.

Plan view drawing of the original 'ell shaped room' showing the shape of the space and closet before removal — The space is roughly 13 feet long and about 5 feet wide (the original closet doors marked in green).

Step 1: Assess your Closet: What do you need?

The first thing we did was talk about what was working (and what definitely wasn’t). Organizing isn’t just about making things look nice; it’s about making your life easier. So, the thing to do right from the start is to think about what you want to accomplish.

Before photo showing the entry hallway into the 'ell shaped room — Taken from point A, this is the entrance to the area.

Take a good, hard look at the space and ask yourself: What do I need this closet to do for me? We rarely organize just for the sake of being organized. There’s always a deeper reason— whether that’s creating a smooth morning routine, making it easier to find things, or just feeling calmer when you open the closet door.

Before photo showing shelves stacked with off-season clothing — The client started using this area to store off-season clothing here. When trying to find homes for items, consider creating them right where you are already using them.

For this client, her current setup just wasn’t working. She had outgrown the space she was using and needed storage for different types of clothing. Some things worked well— her PJs, socks, and scarves were already in the bedroom and didn’t need to change. But she was struggling with her seasonal clothes, like heavy winter sweaters, and had no dedicated space for her long-hanging items like dresses. And shoes? They were everywhere!

This client also didn’t want the hassle of rotating her clothes with the seasons. Instead of packing up her winter clothes in the spring, she wanted everything accessible year-round.

Before photo showing clothes stacked on shelves next to a bifold closet door and a desk with shelves overhead full of clothing. — Taken from point B, the small closet was difficult to access. The area was originally used as a small library/study.

As you can imagine, this is a challenge in a smaller space, especially if you don’t want clutter to take over.

Tip for you: Think about what’s not working in your closet. Are you losing time every morning looking for things? Do you struggle with rotating out clothes seasonally? Do you have a “shoe situation” that needs sorting?

Step 2: Zone the Space

Next, we moved on to zoning. Zoning is all about deciding what goes where based on how you use your clothing and what you need to access easily. For this project, we had a unique space to work with— a small, “L”-shaped hallway leftover from a renovation, with an awkward closet at the end.

We knocked down the old closet and used the entire hallway to create a functional, flowing wardrobe system.

Concept plan for the new closet space showing wardrobe units and shoe shelf placement — A concept plan for the new closet. Always measure and measure again! The shoe shelves were tucked into a space left after taking out the closet.

Because the client needed her clothes in sight to remember they exist (classic ADHD!), we opted for simple wardrobe units from IKEA and didn’t bother with the closet doors. No doors meant easy access and fewer steps to putting clothes away— always a bonus when you’re trying to create ADHD-friendly systems.

After photo of the entry hallway showing a desk repurposed as a vanity with lamps and a mirror — Taken from point A, the desk was repurposed as a vanity and used to store her accessories.

We also zoned specific areas for different types of clothes.

For her sweaters, we created a “sweater tower” putting them clear zippered shoe boxes two to a shelf. This turned into a brilliant solution for her sweater collection. It kept them dust free while maximizing their visibility and accessibility.

After” photo of sweater tower with zippered fabric shoe boxes used to store and protect sweaters. — The client came up with a unique year-round solution for storing her sweaters so they could be visible but also protected from dust: zippered, fabric shoe boxes.

Ikea units were designated to hold short hanging items and her jeans, pants and sweat suits.

Another area became dedicated shoe storage. Every zone had its purpose and served her unique needs.

After photo showing Ikea Pax wardrobe units on the left and a shoe shelf alcove on the right, with a Trumeau mirror on the back wall. — Removing the old closet left this small area (back right) perfect for storing the shoes!

Tip for you: Start thinking about how you can zone your closet. Where will shoes go? How about long-hanging items versus shorter ones? Do you need easy access to everything, or can some items be stored away?

After close-up photo of shelves in the alcove with shoes arranged heel to toe to maximize space — Removing the old closet left this small area perfect for storing her shoes. They are arranged heel to toe to maximize space.

Step 3: Sorting, Decluttering & Letting Go

This is where the real work happens! Decluttering is a process, and it can take a few rounds to sift through the stuff you don’t want to find the nuggets you do want.

The first pass is always about getting rid of the no-brainers— things you don’t wear, clothes that don’t fit, and items that are damaged.

Photo shows a large room full of clothing to about waist height — When you have a lot, collecting all of your clothes in one spot is not for the faint of heart!

The client found it tough to part with some items, especially those from her former career. She had kept her old work blouses and suits, even though she had retired years ago. These items had formed part of her identity.

It’s normal to hold onto things we’ve invested in emotionally or financially. One way to make it easier to let go is to find a new purpose for those possessions. Donating them to a charity that means something to you or to someone in need makes it feel less like a loss and more like a purposeful decision and a contribution— a gift, if you will.

During the second sort, we categorized her clothes by season. We could have also sorted her clothes by garment type (pants, skirts, blouses, jackets, etc.) or by use (work, dressy, casual, athletic), or any other category that aligns with the goals for the project.
For adhders its helpful to collect all the items that belong to one category before deciding what to let go. Seeing all the knee-high boots together makes it easy to pick out the favourites (and let go of the rest).

Then, on the third pass– and this was unique and new to her— we sorted everything by color. She realised that she loved dressing head to toe in the same hue, and organizing a closet this way made getting dressed more enjoyable and easier for her.

A quick warning about micro-sorting: Resist the urge to overdo it with categories like “work socks” and “gym socks.” Broad categories are fine—dark socks, light socks, colorful socks— that’s plenty! Keep it simple and practical.

Emotional Attachments and Decluttering

Letting go of possessions can be hard, especially when there’s an emotional attachment. It might feel like you’re saying goodbye to memories or admitting you’ve moved on from a phase of your life.

If you’re struggling with this, remember it’s normal to hold onto things we’ve invested in emotionally or financially. (I wrote about it in this post). One way to make it easier to let go is to find a new purpose for those possessions. Donating them to a charity that means something to you or to someone in need makes it feel less like a loss and more like a purposeful decision and a contribution—a gift, if you will.

This way, you can feel good about where your things are going, and you’ll create more space in your closet for what you really need.

Tip for you: If emotional attachment is making it hard for you to let go, try to reframe the process. Think about how letting go of these items can benefit others and simplify your life. Ask yourself: Is this item serving me, or is it holding me back?

Your Closet, Your Needs

At the end of the day, there’s no one-size-fits-all way to organize a closet. Whether you’re dealing with shoes, sweaters, or something else entirely, the key is to create a system that works for you. Ask yourself what you want from your space, zone it in a way that makes sense, and let go of the things you no longer need— especially those items that clutter both your closet and your mind.

Key Takeaways

Assess your space and needs: Think about what’s working in your current closet and what’s not. Identify what you need easy access to and how much space you have.
Zone your closet: Designate specific areas for different types of items, like long-hanging, short-hanging, and folded clothes. Keep frequently used items within easy reach.
Sort and declutter in stages: Go through your wardrobe multiple times, first removing obvious items to let go of (like damaged clothes), then gradually refining your choices.
Limit the seasonal clothing switch: If possible, keep your clothes accessible year-round to avoid out-of-sight, out-of-mind pitfalls. Focus on rotating within your space, not packing items away.
Avoid micro-sorting: Don’t get too granular with categories like socks or accessories— broad categories are more manageable.
Address emotional attachment: It’s hard to let go of items sometimes, but finding a good home for them— whether donating to a charity or giving them to someone in need— can make it easier.
Create systems that work for you: Organize based on how you actually use your space and clothing. Think about your own habits and preferences to create a closet that feels natural to maintain.

So, what’s your closet situation like? Are there things you’ve been holding onto, or spaces that just aren’t working for you?

If you’ve been struggling to organize your closet—or any space in your home—remember: it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With the right process and a bit of teamwork, you can create a space that works for you.

Need help getting started? Let’s chat and see how we can make your closet chaos a thing of the past!

The Joy of Home