17 Deep Cleaning Tips To Finally Reset Your Closet For Good

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Imagine finally:

  • Less stress getting dressed because clothes are easy to see and grab
  • More control over what you own when shelves and rods are cleared and wiped
  • Less waste from keeping items that do not fit or get worn

Here’s how you start…

1. Take Everything Off The Closet Floor Before Putting Anything Back

Closet floors collect dust, stray shoes, and random bags that make the space feel smaller.

Do It Like This: Remove every item from the floor and vacuum fully before placing anything back.

It will be way faster if you use a cordless stick vacuum to clean tight closet corners quickly.

2. Wipe Down The Closet Shelves Before Restacking Clothes

Shelves gather a thin layer of dust that transfers onto folded clothes.

Try This Way: Clear one shelf at a time and wipe it before stacking items neatly again.

This gets easier if you use microfiber cleaning cloths to grab dust without spreading it.

3. Vacuum The Closet Corners Where Dust Collects

Dust settles along baseboards and corners where air barely moves.

Consider This: Vacuum along every wall edge before putting shoes and bins back in place.

4. Wash Or Wipe Down The Closet Rod

Closet rods collect dust that falls onto hanging clothes.

Start This Way: Run a damp cloth across the full rod before rehanging clothes.

It will feel less stressful if you try multi surface cleaning spray to remove grime fast.

5. Sort Through Hangers And Remove The Broken Ones

Bent and broken hangers crowd the rod and make clothes hang unevenly.

Here’s What To Do: Remove any hanger that is cracked or warped before rehanging items.

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6. Wipe The Inside Of The Closet Door

Closet doors collect fingerprints and small scuffs that dull the look of the space.

Begin With This: Wipe the full inside surface from top to bottom before closing it.

7. Clear Out Shoes That No Longer Fit Or Feel Good

Shoes that hurt or no longer fit take up space and rarely get worn.

Use This Simple Trick: Keep only shoes worn in the last year and remove the rest.

8. Fold And Restack Sweaters Neatly On One Shelf

Stacks of sweaters get uneven and fall over easily.

Give This A Try: Refold each sweater and stack them evenly before putting anything else on the shelf.

You could get it done faster if you try a folding board tool to keep stacks even and neat.

9. Toss Empty Clothing Boxes And Old Shoe Boxes

Empty boxes crowd the top shelf and make it harder to see what is stored.

Start Small With This: Break down and remove empty boxes before rearranging the shelf.

10. Wipe Down Storage Bins Before Placing Them Back

Storage bins collect dust on the outside while sitting on high shelves.

Here’s A Quick Way: Wipe each bin fully before stacking it neatly again.

This takes less time if you use all purpose cleaning spray to clean plastic surfaces quickly.

11. Clean The Top Shelf Where Seasonal Items Sit

The top shelf collects thick dust that falls onto lower shelves.

One Thing That Helps Is: Wipe the full top shelf before storing seasonal bins again.

12. Vacuum Under The Hanging Clothes

Dust and lint gather under long hanging items.

Here’s A Low-Stress Way: Move the clothes slightly aside and vacuum the full floor area.

13. Remove Clothes That Have Not Been Worn In The Last Year

Closets feel overfilled when unworn clothes stay packed on the rod.

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The Less Stressful Way Is: Pull out anything not worn in the past year and set it aside to donate.

14. Wipe Down The Light Switch Near The Closet

Light switches near closets collect smudges quickly.

If You Want To Keep It Easy: Wipe the switch and surrounding wall before turning off the light.

It will be so convenient if you use disinfecting cleaning wipes to clean small high touch spots quickly.

15. Clear Out The Drawer Or Basket For Accessories

Accessory drawers fill up with tangled belts and random items.

Start By Doing This Instead: Empty the drawer fully and return only the items used weekly.

16. Clean The Mirror Inside The Closet

Closet mirrors collect fingerprints and dust that block clear reflection.

Instead, Try This: Spray lightly and wipe from top to bottom before stepping back.

This gets easier if you use a window cleaning tool with a squeegee to prevent streaks.

17. Reset The Closet With Only Clothes That Fit And Are Used Often

Closets feel calmer when only current, wearable clothes stay on the rod.

The Easy First Step Is: Rehang only the clothes that fit well and are worn often, then box up the rest.


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Lily Thompson

Hey, I'm Lily! I'm a mom who's really good at two things: making life easier and sharing what works. I created ''Like Mom Said'' after one too many moments of realizing: "My mom was right about this." Turns out, a lot of that old-school wisdom still holds up... it just needs a modern spin. Think of me as your friend who's always got a tip (and coffee in hand.)