Separate everyday access from occasional storage
Put the coats, shoes, or bags both people use this week at heights and locations they can reach comfortably. Store seasonal items or guest gear outside the prime spaces when possible. This creates a fairer starting point than dividing every physical shelf into equal areas regardless of what each person needs.
Test the closet with both people getting ready
Ask each person to retrieve an ordinary outfit without moving the other's belongings. If one person needs a reachable low shelf or uses bulky equipment, design around that need. Fair use means both people can get ready, even when their storage footprints differ.
Ask each person to take out a normal coat and bag without moving the other's belongings. Check whether the door opens fully, whether a long coat blocks shoes, and whether one person's items fall when the other reaches in. A space that looks balanced from across the hall may still be difficult to use.
Agree on overflow before the season changes
Choose where an additional coat, sports bag, or visitor's shoes can go temporarily. If one person regularly needs more accessible storage, agree on that explicitly rather than treating it as a permanent imbalance. Revisit the arrangement after the weather changes or a new activity adds bulky equipment.