Storage Solutions from Stylish Women

Joy Booker, principal at a human resources consulting firm

When Booker moved from a house to an apartment, she waved goodbye to her walk-in. "I had to be creative with space since I had so little of it," she says. That meant installing a rod along the top of the closet from which she suspends boots from hooks. And gluing photos of 50 pairs of shoes (stacked by type) onto their boxes. Finally, she mounted a jewelry organizer and a tie rack. "Every time I open the doors, I smile," Booker says.

Joy's Closet Credo

Use Matching Hangers
"The uniformity helps clothes hang nicely and saves space," says Booker. "I like polished wood hangers, with swiveling hooks, to avoid snags."

Don't Overstuff
"If everything is squeezed in tight, you'll spend 20 minutes trying to find things instead of spending that time accessorizing. Plus, your clothes get wrinkled!"

Find Multitaskers
"The storage ottoman I keep my stockings in also gives me somewhere to sit when I'm putting on my shoes in the morning. When I'm finished, I just push it back into the closet."

Dress, Tory Burch, $328. Watch, Hermès. Bracelet, Diane von Furstenberg by H. Stern.Shoes, Casadei.

Brooke Cundiff, divisional merchandising manager at Gilt Groupe

After lining her 125 pairs of shoes four rows deep around her bedroom, Cundiff knew she needed a better system. One day she noticed a curio cabinet at a furniture store. "I had an epiphany on the spot," she recalls. "I could visualize my shoes in it." After a quick rehab—the paint was peeling and the piece needed more shelves—the velvet-lined cabinet now neatly corrals the 40 pairs Cundiff wears most. The best part: a streamlined process of selecting the 12 pairs she takes on monthly business trips. "This cabinet fits my space constraints and my lifestyle better than anything else," she says.

Brooke's Closet Credo

Add Storage
It sounds counterintuitive, but if you're short on space, try incorporating a piece of furniture. "I got my floor back when I put my heels in the cabinet," says Cundiff. "It looks nice and adds functionality."

Make Signature Items Accessible
"It's easier to wear something more often when you don't have to search under your bed or dig through boxes." Cundiff puts infrequently worn shoes (rain boots, gym sneakers) in a hall closet.

Rotate Quarterly
"This cabinet forces me to play favorites," says Cundiff, who keeps off-season shoes in a storage facility.

Cashmere T-shirt, Christopher Fischer, $175. Skirt, Marc by Marc Jacobs, $498. Necklaces, Circa Sixty Three. Shoes, Brian Atwood.

Monica Rich Kosann, photographer and jewelry designer

Showcasing personal treasures is a way of life for Kosann, the author of Living with What You Love. She can't imagine a bedroom without favorite photos, knickknacks, and the jewelry she designs and wears every day. To curate this dresser-top tableau—forever a work-in-progress—she browses flea markets and antiques shops. "I'm always looking for inspiration," Kosann says. "When I found these brass hands, they were just calling for rings and bracelets."

Monica's Closet Credo

Forgo a Traditional Jewelry Box
Kosann uses stationery boxes, music boxes, and mesh bags.

Mix Vintage with New
That goes for the jewelry as well as the display. "I like layering old pieces with modern ones," Kosann says. "Charm bracelets never go out of style. They're a great way to tell your story and pass something down to the next generation."

Sort Ruthlessly
It's the only way to prevent things from getting jumbled. "I try to separate silver from gold. Put rings in one container, earrings in another. Pick a dedicated place for necklaces. I lay them down or hang them."

Blouse, Tucker, $335. Jeans, J Brand, $158. Jewelry, Monica Rich Kosann. Watch, Cartier. Shoes, Sergio Rossi.

Elena Agostinis, painter and sculptor

For Agostinis, hanging a three-tiered scarf display on her bedroom wall was a chance to create a contemporary-art installation. Agostinis thinks life is more fun when you live with stuff instead of tucking it away. "I couldn't see why I'd store 300 scarves in plastic containers," she says, "so I mounted curtain rods and layered the scarves on top of each other. They're so beautiful to look at."

Elena's Closet Credo

Shop the Hardware Store
"I hang anything with laces or straps—including espadrilles and sneakers—from L hooks or cup hooks screwed into the trim around doors. It transforms plain old stuff into usable art," says Agostinis.

Adorn the Unexpected
"You can attach clip earrings to venetian blinds or, for pierced earrings, punch tiny holes in the slats. When you look beyond the closet, you'll find that you have way more room than you realized."

Be Fearless
"If you store things a certain way and it doesn't work out, remember that nothing is permanent. Just try it!"

Blazer, Tory Burch, $498. Tank, TSE, $250. Jeans, Escada, $490. Pin, Karin Wagner. Shoes, Isolá.

Claire Chambers, owner of Journelle lingerie boutiques in New York and Miami

For Chambers, installing four retail-inspired racks on her bedroom wall was a no-brainer. "I live and breathe lingerie, so I'm very matter-of-fact about it being a part of my life," she says. Her goal: a chance to show off her collection of 50 matching bra-and-underwear sets, and easy access to her favorites, which she organizes by color. (Everyday pieces are stored in two dresser drawers.) "Lingerie doesn't have to be taboo," she says. "Unless my parents come to visit. That's the only time I'll take everything down!"

Claire's Closet Credo

Display Collectibles
"If you love hand-painted kimonos or vintage rock T-shirts, consider hanging them where you can see and enjoy them," says Chambers. "Determine what you love and go from there."

Take Time to Organize
"Lining up your underwear by shade makes it easier to find the right pair for the outfit you're wearing."

Buy Neutral Colors or Matching Pieces
"I feel more put-together in a set. If a bra doesn't go with a particular bottom, I'll wear a flesh-toned seamless thong that disappears under clothes."

Cardigan and skirt, J.Crew, $158 and $128. Tank, Banana Republic, $45. Necklace, Nicola Yoon Design. Belt, Ann Taylor. Shoes, Edmundo Castillo.