“Go vertical” is tried and true organizing advice. Usually we are talking about bookcases and shelves, but there might be space in your closet above your head that you can use for organizing.

This example of organizing vertically is a quick and easy way to get a little bit more space. In a home with 9-foot ceilings, there is plenty of space up high to be used, even though the storage spaces like this pantry are relatively small. Look how much further the ceiling extends above the door frame.

Use Tall Closet Walls to Organize Table Linens

What this homeowner lacks is a closet to hang her table runners. The dining room is right next to this pantry. We don’t have any more regular closet space or drawer space, so we had to get creative.

By hanging hooks up high on the wall, we can hang runners completely out of the way. You can walk in and out of this pantry all day and never bother the space they hang in, because it is all overhead.

You’ll notice that I hung the hooks a little off-center to accommodate the width of the hangers and the slant of the ceiling. It might look like it’s hung crooked, but I promise you that it’s not. It’s just incredibly hard to photograph small spaces.

With four hooks, I can easily hang 4-8 runners on hangers.

This isn’t the most compelling photography you’ve ever seen, but I hope it’s inspired you to look for storage space overhead that you aren’t using.

Is there some vertical space in your home that is going wasted right now?

(The overhead space in the garage is another “hidden” organizing opportunity.)