Sort by how you dress, not just by type
Many men's wardrobes fall naturally into three groups: work, weekend and active. Hanging those groups separately, with work clothes nearest the door, means getting dressed on a weekday morning takes seconds.
Within each group, order by type and then color. Dress shirts go from white through blue to darker shades. Polos and casual shirts get their own run. Trousers fold over trouser bars or clip hangers in one row.
Give suits room and the right hanger
A suit crushed between other garments wrinkles and loses its shape. Hang suits and blazers on contoured wood hangers sized to the jacket shoulder, usually 17 to 19 inches, with an inch or two between each one.
Rotate suits so each has a day to rest between wears, and use breathable garment bags only on pieces worn rarely. Our guide to the best hangers for a luxury closet compares hanger types in detail.
| Item | How to store it |
|---|---|
| Suits and blazers | Shaped wood hangers, spaced apart |
| Dress shirts | Slim hangers, top button done, by color |
| Polos and tees | Folded on shelves or in drawers |
| Jeans and chinos | Folded in stacks of 6 to 8 or on trouser bars |
| Sweaters | Folded on shelves, never hung |
| Ties | Rolled in a drawer grid or on a slide-out rack |
Step by step
- Pull everything out
Group items into work, weekend and active piles.
- Edit
Remove anything that does not fit, is worn out or has not been worn in a year.
- Hang work clothes first
Put shirts and suits nearest the door, ordered by color.
- Fold the rest
Shelve sweaters, denim and polos in neat stacks.
- Set up the small-items drawer
Add trays for watches, belts and accessories.
Build one drawer for small things
Watches, cufflinks, tie bars, sunglasses and wallets tend to end up on the dresser top. A single shallow drawer with a velvet-lined watch tray and small compartments gives them a home and makes the counter easier to clear.
Belts can roll into a grid in the same drawer or hang by the buckle on a side-wall rack. Keep a small valet tray on top for whatever is in your pockets at the end of the day.
- Watch tray or watch pillows for each piece
- Small compartments for cufflinks and tie bars
- A sunglasses tray with soft dividers
- A valet tray on top for keys, wallet and phone
Give golf and activewear their own zone
In a valley with dozens of golf courses and community fitness centers, many men own as many golf shirts and activewear pieces as office clothes. Put them in one section, ideally near a lower shelf for golf shoes, so it is easy to pack for an early tee time.
Keep golf clubs and bags out of the closet, though. They belong in the garage or a dedicated storage area; our golf equipment storage page covers keeping clubs safe from summer heat.
Shoes and sneakers deserve a shelf, not the floor
Men's dress shoes stay in better shape with cedar shoe trees and a dedicated shelf. Sneakers often outnumber dress shoes, and stacking them on the floor crushes the toes. A shelf spacing of about 7 to 8 inches fits most pairs.
Our guide on organizing shoes in a closet covers shelf heights and storage by type.
