How to Gain More Closet Space Without Renovating

You need to dedicate only two-thirds of your closet to hanging rods. To maximize that space, mount two of them—one well above eye level for longer garments and one a little more than three feet off the ground for shorter (or foldable) ones. Position both at least one foot from the back wall. READ: TOH Guide to Garage Storage (Illustration: Arthur Mount | ThisOldHouse.com)

Designate a container (a bowl or bin on a shelf, or a pouch that hangs on the inside of the door) to serve as a catchall for loose change, receipts, or other items that accumulate in your pockets. (Illustration: Arthur Mount | ThisOldHouse.com)

Closets should be wired for lighting. If yours isn't, use battery-powered stick-up LED pucks, such as Sylvania's Dot-its along the top and under shelves so that you can find what you're looking for. (Illustration: Arthur Mount | ThisOldHouse.com)

Avoid jumbled piles of folded clothes by limiting shelf stacks to a height of 10 inches and partitioning them with thin bookends, like Highsmith's steel versions. Highsmith.com, $9 each (Illustration: Arthur Mount | ThisOldHouse.com)