Top 5 Tips for Organizing a Guest Room Closet

Mike Beard • Dec 16, 2019
Does your guest room ever get overrun with clutter? If so, you are not alone. Any room that is not used regularly can become a dumping ground for items that don’t have any other home. Worst of all is often the guest room closet, which is seldom used and located behind a closed door. That’s a recipe for clutter and chaos! The good news is that we have some tips that will help you gain control of your guest room closet just in time for the holiday hosting season. Spend a few hours in this room getting organized and you won’t hesitate to have your friends and relatives come to spend the night.
Guest Room Custom Closet System

Section Off an Area That You Won’t Use

When friends and family come to stay at your house, they understand that you probably use the guest room and the guest room closet for things other than simply hosting visitors. This means that they won’t be offended if they see that you’re storing items in the guest room closet. Unless you have a lot of storage space, it would not make sense for you to leave this closet completely empty unless you host a lot of company.

What you should do is ensure that there is room in the closet for your visitors to put their items away so they don’t have to live out of a suitcase. For most stays of a week or less, their belongings will consist of 10 or fewer outfits (they are probably going to do laundry at your house at some point) as well as a few pairs of shoes. They won’t need an entire closet to store this amount of clothing. Set them up with some hangers and enough room on the hanging rod to hang up several dressy outfits. In addition, if you have the space, clear out a drawer or two for them to use. That will be adequate for all but the longest stays.

Purge a Lot of What You’re Not Using

Now that you’ve decided how much of the closet area you will use for your own storage, it’s time to think about what you have in there currently and how likely it is that you will continue to want and use those items. Many times, the items that end up stashed away in the guest room closet are things that you are not using regularly. If they are holiday decorations (and you take them out each year), then that’s one thing. If you don’t even remember what you have in that space, then that means it might be time to purge.

Go in with a ruthless eye (or a ruthless friend) and find items to donate to your local thrift shop. Look at each item and ask yourself whether you love it. If you don’t love it, ask whether it’s important to keep for sentimental reasons. Can you take a photo of it instead? Or pass it along to a family member? If the item is something you don’t love or use and it holds no strong sentimental value, let it go. Pack up these items in a box and put the box in your car immediately so it doesn’t sit around. Then, drop it off the next time you pass by your favorite charity or consignment shop. Doing this might open up a lot of room in your guest room closet.
Closet Storage Box

Use Containers With Lids for Storage

Since you will be hosting company in this room, it makes sense that you want your guest room closet to look neat and tidy even if you are storing items that don’t really stack together well. This is where containers come in. Look for boxes and bins with lids that will hold most of your things. You can label them so you know exactly what is inside. Hat boxes can be a pretty way to hold small items, and large plastic totes are good to keep on the floor for seasonal clothing, decorations, and many other types of larger items.

There are other ways to add storage that won’t keep your belongings in full view. Baskets placed on the top shelf of the closet look cute and will keep your things organized. You could also get a small chest of drawers to slide into the closet. If you don’t want your visitors seeing those items, you could turn the drawers toward the wall and place a few decorations on top as though it’s a simple table. A file cabinet (with or without a lock) is another good piece of furniture to have in the space. Keep your important documents inside without having them strewn around on the shelf or, worse, on the floor.

Stock the Closet With Guest-Friendly Essentials

Once you get the space organized, you’ll want to make sure you have what your guests will need. Nice hangers are a good investment; choose those made out of wood or perhaps covered in velvet. If you are on a budget, pick plastic tubular hangers over wire hangers; the latter can stretch clothing and even make holes in delicate fabrics.

Also, consider keeping a basket of toiletries to help your guests feel more at home if they have forgotten anything. Single-wrapped toothbrushes, sample-sized toothpaste, small bottles of shampoo and shower gel, a couple of sample-sized deodorant sticks, and a nice body lotion would be appreciated if forgotten. You should also keep essentials like a hairdryer, a curling iron, and/or a hair straightener in the space if you have them. Finally, make sure you have a towel or two as well as washcloths and a hand towel for each person staying overnight.
Custom Guest Room Closet System

Hire a Professional Closet Organizer to Help

The professional closet organizers at Memphis Garage & Closets are experts at creating closet storage systems in all types of rooms. If you are having trouble getting your guest room under control, they might suggest double hanging rods, drawers, closet shelves, accessory racks, and more. Your closet designer will create a custom closet for you based on your specific needs. Call us today to schedule a free in-home consultation appointment
Mike and Christy Beard
Company Owner

Mike Beard has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and career history in Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management. Combining his passion for organization and design with his experience in business management has allowed Mike to realize his dream of helping Memphis, TN homeowners organize their homes with effective and unique storage spaces.

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Memphis Garage & Closets

Lakeland, TN 38002

Phone
(901) 446-1832
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