The Solutions for a Kid's Closet

• Children need adult help finding the best closet solutions. Thomas Northcut/Digital Vision/Getty Images

  Kids' closets must grow with the child to remain useful. Given the ever-changing needs of a child from infancy to adulthood, your child will outgrow what her closet offers in a matter of time. A closet that is accessible and functional for your child is easier to keep clean.

Adjustable Shelving

• Install adjustable shelving in your child's closet. Look for shelving units that offer adjustable hanging bars and baskets. Adjustable shelving allows you to rearrange the layout of your child's closet as he grows. Select multiple levels of hanging bars as a small child's clothing does not hang low enough to warrant only one bar in the closet. Allow a toddler to hang her own play clothes on a low hanging bar, place clothing that does not quite fit on a middle bar and nicer clothing and outerwear on a top bar that only a parent can reach. As your child grows, so does his clothing; remove the lowest bar, and place a low shelf in its place to allow for more storage space in the closet.

Baskets

• Place baskets on shelves and on the floor of your child's closet. Label all the baskets with pictures for young children and with words for older ones. Baskets allow children to easily put items away and hide any unwanted mess that accompanies children's toys. Label one basket for donations, and place it in the top of the closet. As children outgrow clothing, place the item in the donation basket, and donate the items to a local charity once the basket is full. Baskets come in many sizes, so write down the amount of clearance space you have between shelves before purchasing. Rotate baskets of toys in the closet so that your child does not become bored with the toys available to her. Use baskets on the top shelf to store clothing that is too large for your child.

Shoe Organizers

• Place a shoe organizer on the floor of the closet to store older children's shoes. Ensure that you have enough space for all your child's shoes. If your child does not own many pairs of shoes or a shoe organizer will not fit in the closet, purchase enough clear shoe boxes for each pair of her shoes, and stack them neatly in the bottom of the closet to eliminate the need for another piece of cabinetry in the closet while still keeping shoes together and easily obtainable. Parents of younger children will benefit from a shoe organizer hung over the door. With small children, you can place both shoes in a single pocket and leave other pockets open for additional small item storage.