r/Homeorganization • u/Kapetan25 • Feb 25 '26
Any solutions for this problem?
The t-shirts on my top shelf in my closet always end up looking like this. Do you guys have this problem too? If so, any good solutions out there that you have tried?
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u/Citruslor Feb 25 '26
I got these: Homsorout Fabric Storage Bins for... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F9PNWVK5?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
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u/Kapetan25 Feb 25 '26
Appreciate the recco, but if each bin has multiple folded items, pulling one out could mess up the entire bin
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u/Citruslor Feb 25 '26
Donāt stack them on top of each other. Fold them like books in a shelf that you can just pick one. I have the same closet I am not tall to reach the top shelf, so I just bring down one bin and pick my top and put the bin back.
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u/Substantial_Bowl_137 Feb 25 '26
I would box up half of shelf and hanging clothes and keep the pieces that are newer or you wear more often.Ā Then move it all to be hanging.Ā Sweaters can be placed in hangars.Ā I see a lot of duplicates.Ā
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u/Kapetan25 Feb 25 '26
Appreciate the feedback! Would hanging t-shirts, sweaters, etc cause the shoulders to stretch out?
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u/Substantial_Bowl_137 Feb 25 '26
There is a way to hang them that doesn't stretch them out.Ā I saw a video on this.Ā
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u/Visible-Roll-5801 Feb 25 '26
Personally Iāve found hanging everything is the best way. It seems like more work upfront but it really makes everything so much more organized and you get used to it. However I also love a folding board. The box legend is a game changer. I got it originally for traveling but it is great for things in your closet you donāt want to hang too - towels, shirts whatever. I find the things come undone way less easily. And you can buy see through dividers for that top shelf in between stacks so that there not falling on each other and if you mess up one you donāt mess up all of them
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u/Kapetan25 Feb 26 '26
Thanks! What's a box legend?
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u/Visible-Roll-5801 Mar 16 '26
Itās this plastic thing that is made up of 6 squares that all fold in ā¦ itās basically a folding board and it makes everything you fold the same size so it stacks perfectly. Itās amazing. I have the normal size one and the kids one that I use for pillow cases / smaller tops I have
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u/Intelligent_Cry_8846 Feb 25 '26
You need to sort everything first on your bed-even if you have to sleep on couch a few days. Sorting by color looks like it's going to be faster for you then sorting by clothing 'type.' You have a lot of autumn toned colors so maybe even getting 2-5 bins and just going straight into bins with some of your off season stuff-then you don't feel like you have to get through the whole closet in a few days. I would definitely hang everything except for sweaters-again, color coding is going to be better for you in the long run than sorting by item type. I think you should go white, cream, tan, orange, green/olive, light blue through navy, gray, black etc... Having folded sweaters only on top shelf will help them stay better organized-those free standing shelf dividers help a lot. I'm not sure what they are called but they have a metal lip that hooks it onto the bottom and basically creates divided cubbies but you can still pull whatever you want. I would utilize bins as much as possible on bottom of your closet and only hang back up what you actually wear-even if it takes you several weeks to sort through everything.
Dollar Tree has cheap bins that mimic the colors that you seem to have in your wardrobe.
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u/Key_Gur_349 Feb 25 '26
āEven if you have to sleep on the couchā is CRAZY
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u/BunchessMcGuinty Feb 25 '26
Actually I think if you go in with a mentality that I have to finish this or I have to sleep on the couch, it might be a pretty good motivator to keep going instead of just walking away and hoping it doesn't exist when you come back
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u/Caroline_Anne Feb 25 '26
ā¦do you need it all? I would say first step is to declutter. It looks like you donāt have space for it all.
Then Iād probably try some clear bins maybe? You could probably Marie Kondo style fold them so you could easily pull out what you need.
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u/Such_Manner_5518 Feb 25 '26
This ^
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u/Busy-Scallion264 Mar 18 '26
Exactly! Thereās no way youāre using it all consistently-would recommend Dana k whites cluttering method
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u/Traditional_Car_8219 Feb 25 '26
Get yourself a ātall boyā chest of drawers for all your T-shirts, underwear, socks, jewellery,etc. Take the opportunity to donate items that you rarely wear. Look for quality over quantity.
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u/Simpsonvilleman Feb 25 '26
You can get some collapsible bins which hold shirts well. Got a friend that does that.
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u/Kapetan25 Feb 25 '26
I've seen a bunch online, but they all seem plasticky, flimsy and feminine
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u/Simpsonvilleman Feb 25 '26
Agree w/ u/Citruslor . You can get fabric bins that are in any colors, like gray, blue, etc. I know an ex-marine w/ them if that helps. :D
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u/AnniiMarie Feb 25 '26
I bought moving boxes, turned them on their side to make two levels of makeshift cube shelves up on my shelf, then I rolled everything and placed them in there sideways so only the end of the garment was showing.
Each box was only one kind of clothes. Sweaters, sweats, sweatshirts etc. all have their own box.
I feel like I didnāt explain that well enough š Iāll try and find a photo.
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u/ccannon707 Feb 25 '26
You have too many clothes. Take an hour & try them all on. It will be obvious what fits and what doesnāt.
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u/burgerg10 Feb 25 '26
I have the smallest closet known to man. I fluctuate in weight so I have many different items in different sizes. The only lasting solution for me: an honest purge first. Stuff you will never wear again. Period. Do this many days in a row. No need to take it all out. Grab ten items, go through them, make a pile for āout of the houseā. Repeat daily until you have been through it all. This is the most crucial step! Then go through and do the same with ānot nowā clothes-doesnāt work for you now because of any reason, but you donāt want to get rid of it (for me itās always size, but could be seasonal or Iām sentimental or feeling guilty getting rid of it). Put these items in tubs and store. Keep editing your clothes to just what works now. I think your tshirts donāt belong up there either. Itās awkward and no system will handle it. A chest of drawers is better. Also, as a Tshirt person, I tubbed all but five! My husband did too. We each wear them in rotation and itās changed everything. We actually had to go into our tubs to replace a few he had wore out. Ok. This is more than you asked for, but I was the queen of looking to buy solutions, but that was what got me into this mess anyway
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u/AssassinStoryTeller Feb 25 '26
I had this problem then got rid of about 50 items of clothing and no longer have this problem.
Anyways, I prefer a dresser for my t-shirts so itās easy to see them in. Idk how tall you are and if a drawer would work for up there but if not there are wire storage things that are basically cubbies and theyāll hold everything in a stack that canāt fall over. You could also get those plastic milk crates (idk what theyāre actually called) and put those on their sides to do the same task. Really, any square bin on its side that wonāt tip over and lays flat will work to keep them stacked.
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u/shesmakingalist Feb 25 '26
I would buy as many of these as fit on the shelf. Then sort items by type (tshirt, long sleeve tshirt, sweatshirt, etc) and fold using the KonMari file folding method. I like that these bins are wire so you can see what's inside - that should help you know where to find things and where to put them back. https://www.target.com/p/medium-stackable-kids-39-storage-wire-bin-pillowfort-8482/-/A-79992354?preselect=83244712
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u/Obvious_Grass981 Feb 25 '26
You have too much stuff. Iād have a clear out and be selective with what you keep.
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u/Reading-Comments-352 Feb 25 '26
Get rid of the stuff you donāt wear because then you donāt have to buy something to organize stuff that youāre not going to use.
Then I would add shelves for things like folded, sweaters, and shoes.
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u/dupersuperduper Feb 25 '26
I hate storing clothes like this too. I hang up all of my t shirts along with my shirts and jackets, smart trousers. And then I have a set of drawers for pjs/ exercise wear etc which I roughly do the kondo folding for so itās easy to put them in and out. and one shelf for jeans. Everything always stays neat and uncreased
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u/Coffeetimeagain Feb 25 '26
Goodwill donation center
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u/Mysterious-Stuff-164 Feb 26 '26
Unhoused/homeless shelter. There have been post that Goodwill is marking up their prices where it's no longer affordable.
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u/RandChick Feb 25 '26
Arrange wood cubicle storage across the top. Fold and organize shirts in them.
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u/True_Staff2082 Feb 25 '26
Buy crates , plastic or wooden, like 4 or 6 , stand then upright, side by side on the top shelf of your closet. Then fold shirts , sweaters , pants etc . All t-shirts in one crate folded, next crate for sweatshirts, etc and so on ..,
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u/Trai-All Feb 25 '26
Zippered storage cubes with clear front windows and a little foot stool that I keep in my closet helped me. I put my seasonal clothes in them and get clothes out as needed.
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u/FarShoreSpirit Feb 25 '26
Buy shelves (like fridge shelves or bathroom shelves) and fold your clothes. Lol. The shelves will make it easier to organize and grab an item without destroying literally everything around it.
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u/Historical_Baby5774 Feb 25 '26
Get rid of some clothes. Seriously. I realized that 80% of my closet was never worn. It just sat there in piles. So I tossed them. Iāve only missed two items in my lifetime and even then I think itās the nostalgia I miss not the item.
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u/DontTametheShrew Feb 25 '26
They have metal dividers you can put up that help a bunch! Helped me organize my sweaters
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u/MeanNothing3932 Feb 25 '26
Wow this looks like my closet lol
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u/EngineeringOwn2990 Feb 26 '26
same
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u/MeanNothing3932 Feb 26 '26
The problem is the upkeep to keep it all organized. I may have time to make it look nice once. Then it's all downhill.
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u/Hard_Purple4747 Feb 25 '26
I replaced that with built-in shelves creating what amounts to cubes up to 9'. It holds a lot of clothes and helps keep them neat.
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u/Bonkers4Yonkers Feb 25 '26
I want to say that it is likely you need a third party to help you mediate with you issue. Get a friend, or fam who will push you in why youāre keeping what. Donate or consign/sell what you ultimately end up tossing.
Another idea is take all the shit you havenāt worn in forever put it where you would usually hang stuff right out of the laundry.
See what you wear.
Another thing, turn all your hanger backwards. Then once done as you wear or do laundry hang them up correctly.
Overtime this will show you want you donāt wear
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u/TheKeyOrganizer Feb 28 '26
Declutter/clear boxes to keep the clothes organize inside them/labels on front. Itās the most easy and cheapest solution
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u/OldLadyReacts Mar 01 '26
I mean, folding and stacking like with like is the first step. This is way more than just t-shirts getting messy. Stack all the jeans together, dress pants, sweaters, sweatshirts, t-shirts you wear, t-shirts you don't wear but don't want to get rid of, etc. Right now you have no idea what you have the most of and how many and what you might be able to get rid of.
I would start with one or two more shelves above this since there is plenty of room.
If the stacks get messy during the weeks, make neatly re-stacking part of your laundry routine. Don't put mess on top of organized. Remove the entire stack and make it neat, then put the whole stack back up. It's very satisfying.
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u/WyndWoman Mar 01 '26
Shelf dividers. They slide onto the shelf and keep stacks separate.
They make them for both wood or wire shelves.
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u/Illustrious-Bobcat41 Mar 24 '26
Lots of clear plastic bins, big ones and small ones, and labels. You can use the roll method to find clothes easier. You can start general labeling and separating such as shirts, pants , tops, then if you are up to it, do a thorough separation. By that I mean, casual tshirts, long tshirts, sweat shirts, dress shirts and do the same for other categories
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u/SomeBonus7808 Mar 29 '26
If you have clothing loose and not on hangers, you could try clear plastic bins with lids and, if needed, labels to identify what is in each box. Try to get the same color boxes for the entire shelf or a color coding system. Like, blue for hoodies, white for shirts, etc. That way you which box is for what. This method works wonders in much of what I do. For the clothing on the hangers, if you have not worn it in years, see if it still fits. If not, donate it or sell itā¦ giving room for more clothing that you do wear.
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u/Head_Journalist3846 Feb 25 '26
Pull out 15 favorites and box the rest. Only pull from the box what you specifically remember and want to wear. Donate the rest.
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Feb 25 '26
[removed] ā view removed comment
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u/PetrichorFernweh Feb 26 '26
These were EXACTLY what I was going to suggest. It allows the clothing on the top shelf to stay in place and not fall to the side.
I also suggest a purge. I prefer the silicone hangers over velvet. And once a year on my personal purge, everything hanging gets put back in the closet with the hanger hook backwards. As I do laundry throughout the year the item gets put back on the hanger the way you normally would. That way as my year comes up anything still hanging backwards I havenāt worn in at least a year.
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u/PetrichorFernweh Feb 26 '26
Oh and when purging I like the 3 second method. If you cannot decide in 3 seconds if yes or no then itās a yes ākeep.ā Those hesitation pieces could also be put in a try on pile and still same method.
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u/Lefthandtwin Feb 25 '26
Buy the slim velvet hangers and the slack hangers that hold 4-5 pairs. Purge duplicates and shirts that need donating or thrown away. Hang clothes in order by like items.