Closet Organization in College Dorm Rooms

I have a son away at college and he now resides in an apartment he shares with a roommate. However, like many college students, his first year was spent in a dorm room that required lots of ingenuity when it came to the closet organization. I came across this article the other day that has lots of helpful hints when it comes to storage in a college dorm room and I thought I would share it with you. My thanks go out to the author for allowing me to republish it here on my blog.

Easy Track RB1448 Closet 4 to 8-Foot Expandable Closet Organizer Starter Kit

Closet Organizers Perfect for College Dorms

Organizing dorm room closets can be tricky. Because they’re so small, college dorms pose challenges that are unique and can seem expensive to solve. Many college students have a hard time transitioning from living in their parents’ big houses to these tiny, shared rooms. It can seem impossible to find adequate space for all their belongings.

Luckily, you don’t have to leave half of your wardrobe behind to move into a dorm. And you don’t have to spend a fortune on complicated, space saving products. With a little creativity and the right closet organizers, you can whip your dorm closet into shape without spending a fortune.

Clothing Organizers

The major problems with dorm closet organization stem from the overall lack of storage space. Since students live in these little rooms for multiple seasons, they need to store clothes for warm, temperate and cold weather. Mom and dad’s basement or attic isn’t an option for summer or winter clothes.

Students may also need to care for a few pieces of formal attire. Though it will seldom be used, it’s important to bring formal and professional clothing to school. Award ceremonies, banquets and interviews can pop up at any time. Beyond that, there is the issue of dealing with shoes and clothes that get wet or dirty frequently — this is especially true for college athletes.

Your dorm room closet needs to accommodate all of these issues while also handling your day to day needs. Some major organizational work is in order.

Space saving products like the Stack Max and Hang Max are great for storing seasonal items or formal items that are rarely used. These two products store clothing and linens in a special plastic bag and then use a vacuum system to remove all of the air and compress the item. You can then stack these small bags in the closet to save space. It will likely cut the space taken up by the clothing in half. The Stack Max is also great for folded items such as extra blankets, jackets and sweaters. By compressing these items, they take up minimal space in the closet. This not only protects the items, but also prevents toppling stacks of sweaters and blankets. Hang Max works with clothes that need to be hung in the closet, and does a great job of keeping them wrinkle free and safe from dust, dirt and moisture.

Another great product that cuts down on closet space is the Wonder Hanger. These products let you hang four or more articles of clothing on just one hanger, which saves a great deal of space without breaking your budget. This simple product can double or even triple your amount of closet space.

Shoe Organizers

Shoe storage is another dorm closet challenge. Even at college, you will need a significant selection of footwear, so efficient closet storage is important. An over the door shoe organizer is a great storage solution. You can also hang these organizers off the end of a bunk bed if you have the right set up. Purchase a model with plastic or easy to clean pouches, and you’ll be able to neatly hold all of your footwear in the same place.

If you need a good place to store muddy footwear, consider a rubber shoe mat that you can keep by the door. This is a great way to keep your tiny room clean. If you need additional footwear storage, an under the bed shoe rack has an even bigger holding capacity and can keep your footwear safe from dust, moisture and dirt.

Accessory Organizers

It can also be hard to store and organize your jewelry in a college dorm. These fragile items need to be kept safe and out of sight in your dorm. As much as we want to trust fellow students, stealing can be a major problem in some dormitories. Keeping your door locked at all times helps, but investing in a jewelry armoire with a simple lock is good insurance. Mirror armoires are also handy. The dual function of this item makes it extra convenient, since many dorm rooms do not have enough mirrors.

With the right products, you can find effective storage solutions for all of your clothes, shoes and accessories. Tackling dorm room organization requires some creative strategies, but the payoff can be well worth the effort. With a neat and organized closet, you’ll be able to focus on schoolwork, friends and fun. Make your dorm room a haven for efficiency, and comfort by purchasing quality products to keep the space organized.

About the Author: Nick Kakolowski is a freelance writer who writes about staying organized, often discussing specific products such as closet organizers.

Shoe Closet Organizers Save Space

When opening a closet and finding a cluttered mess, one of the items that contribute the most to this disorganization are our shoes. For many years women contributed the most to this problem by having to have one pair of shoes of every color imaginable in order to match each outfit in their wardrobe. But now men also have numerous styles and types of footwear including but not limited to walking shoes, basketball shoes, sandals, golf shoes, dress shoes, bowling shoes, hunting boots, cowboy boots and hiking boots. With this many pairs of shoes and boots in our collection, it is no wonder that they find their way to the bottom of the closet creating a jumbled mess. However, there are ways to eliminate the clutter caused by that pile of shoes and that is to acquire and utilize shoe closet organizers.

The first step in getting your shoe collection under control is to remove all the shoes from your closet eliminate the shoes you no longer wear. If any are completely worn out or have broken straps or other issues, do not hesitate, toss them in the trash can. Now locate the ones that are still wearable but you know you will no longer wear and set them aside to be donated to charity or sold in a yard sale. When you have sorted your shoes down to usable pairs, place them in groups for dress, casual, etc. Further sort your shoes into groups that you often wear and pairs that are seldom worn. The shoes you seldom wear can be put away in a less accessible place which now leaves you with the shoes you most often wear. You should now have a much more manageable situation and will require less storage area for these commonly worn shoes.

Next we need to determine how much space we will need for the shoes we have decided to keep. The simplest way to accomplish this is to count the number of pairs of shoes and the number of pairs of taller footwear such as boots. We need to separate these two different types of footwear because they each require different types of closet shoe organizers. Now that we know exactly how many shoes and boots we need to store we can turn our attention to where we will store them and the types of organizers we would like to use. Like so many other things, shoe closet organizers come in many different styles and choices.

There are shoe trees, floor racks, over the door racks, expandable shoe racks, stacking shoe racks, under the bed shoe storage and plain clear plastic boxes just to name a few. Some of the more common ways to store shoes are on racks on the closet floor. Consider purchasing the stacking shoe racks in order to take advantage of your closet's vertical space. If possible, raise the closet rods in order to gain some added space. For shoes that will not be worn as often, clear plastic boxes will help keep your shoes neat and dust free. Again, get the stacking type in order to maximize space. An over the door shoe rack is a must have if your closet door is the hinged type. The back of a door is like bonus space and is an ideal spot to hang a rack for storing shoes. Now for those boots, again clear plastic containers are an excellent choice because of the multitude of available sizes. These boxes can them be stored under the bed which will save some valuable closet floor space for other items.

Ultimately, the types of shoe closet organizers you choose will depend on the type footwear you own, your available storage space and any other circumstances of your particular situation. However, no matter your situation, by taking a little time to organize your favorite shoes, boots or other footwear and seeking out the perfect shoe closet organizers, you can most definitely find a solution that will improve your storage needs.

Closet Organizers for Small Closets

While the organization of any closet is important and will benefit from some major reworking, installing closet organizer systems in a small closet will definitely provide some serious bang for your buck. There is nothing worse than having to sift through everything thrown haphazardly in the bottom of the closet looking for your golf shoes or some other important item. The hall or coat closet is a prime example of a small closet that seems to always be the spot that collects everything that does not fit anywhere else.

In order to get a handle on the clutter in your coat closet, the first thing you must do is empty the closet and get all the coats and other items out of the way. Now that everything is out of the closet, the first thing to do is go through your coats and other stuff item by item and throw away the things that either no longer fit or you simply do not intend to wear or have use for any longer. Once this agonizing part of the project is done you can move on to other things. Since the closet is empty, you might as well give it a good cleaning. Start by vacuuming out all the corners and wiping down the walls with either a pine cleaner and water solution or a vinegar and water solution. Finally, after everything has been wiped down, give the closet floor a good vacuuming.
Now consider the items that you will be putting back into the closet and the type of rods, shelving or containers you will need for their storage. Take some measurements of the closet for reference and take a trip to your local home improvement or department store. My first choice is always to check out the available closet organizer systems that come as a kit. These kits will normally have everything necessary for the installation and if you can locate one that will fit your needs your project will go much smoother since the basic design work will be done. Otherwise, you will need to gather the individual rods, shelving and containers necessary for the construction of custom small closet organizers for your individual closets.
Once you return home, gather all the items together that you intend to place back into the closet and sort them into groups of like items. Coats with coats, shoes with shoes, etc. Hang the coats and any other item that will hang on the rod. This will now allow you to see exactly how much space you have both above and below the hanging items. Now place shoes or other items that you may use often below the coats utilizing whatever means of storage you chose for these items. Then do the same above.
Now that all items are in their place and neatly organized, you should more easily be able to locate them thus saving you time. As you come to know, the little amount of time spent designing and installing closet organizer systems will pay dividends for many, many years to come.

The Closet Organizer That Saves My Sanity

With the change of seasons come many different projects around my house. Thankfully for me, one I would dread taking on the most usually falls upon my wife to accomplish since it primarily effects her way of life. Removing the clothing from the closet that was worn last season and replacing it with the clothing to be worn this season appeals to me not at all. But thanks to a functional closet organizer this project seems to be completed with minimal interruption to my life style.

When we moved into our home, we found the closet in the master bedroom much in the same way I am sure many of you found yours. There was a long rod running the length of one wall with a shelf above. I am still amazed that no more thought is put into the design of a closet when these homes are built. Since this would simply not do, one of my first projects upon moving in this home was to install a closet organizer that would allow my wife to store her seasonal clothing in such a way that it could be easily accessible.

I first took measurements of the closet and along with my wife did a rough sketch of how she would like her newly designed walk-in closet to be. Armed with this information, I was off to my local big box home improvement store in hopes of locating a closet organizer kit that would fit our needs. These kits are usually easy to configure and install and come with most, if not all, the necessary hardware. Once I entered the aisle containing the materials for organization, I found a plethora of different style closet organization systems. There were wire units, laminated units, as well as wooden units. There were units with a variety of different shelves, rods, drawers and other storage bins and containers. The possibilities for different configurations are limited only to your imagination.

Once getting through the initial feeling of being overwhelmed with all the choices, I was able to locate a system that would fit my wife's needs almost perfectly. Since the closet we were redoing enabled clothing to be hung on two sides, I purchased two kits and headed home for an afternoon of what I hoped would be a relatively smooth installation. The kits I purchased contained laminated dividers and shelving as well as enough rods to allow upper and lower rods on both sides of the closet. In addition, there is a section with a rod that allows the hanging of long items such as dresses and robes. The closet also has a section of shelving on each side with six shelves each allowing for the storage of folded sweaters and other items.

If we had attempted to utilize the closet we found upon moving into our new home, my wife would spend each morning digging through what I am sure would be a jumbled mess of unorganized clothing and I would have to incur the wrath of an unhappy lady. Those of you that have witnessed such a spectacle will surely agree that the time I spent planning, purchasing and installing that closet organizer was indeed time and money well spent.

Custom Closet Organizers

While we all have closets, we don't all have organized closets. Well, by utilizing custom closet organizers, all that can change. Closet organizers not only enhance the organization of your closet, they also serve to increase the actual storage available in a closet space. Yes, these custom options do require somewhat more of an investment, but if your situation is such that off the shelf organizers will not function adequately or the appearance just will not fit your decor, then custom closet organizers can overcome these issues.

By choosing to utilize the custom approach, you will be able to design a closet organizing system that will fit your specific needs and desires. A custom closet system can be designed for walk-in closets, reach-in closets, pantries, linen closets, stand alone closets, or even office shelving, thus turning any of these cluttered spaces into functional storage areas. If your decor is such that you require a certain type material or shade of finish, this can be easily incorporated into the design since the system is being custom built. Also, if the space you are working in is an unusual size or shape, custom closet organizers can be easily designed and adapted to your unique situation.

When selecting a material for your application, it is wise to keep the following general guidelines in mind. If you are organizing a bathroom closet, consider plastic since this material resists the mold and mildew which can be caused by bathroom moisture. Wire organizers are ideal for the pantry as this material is strong enough to hold a large number of canned goods. Wood, or most any material for that matter, can be used in the bedrooms since there are no special conditions to consider. However, in a bedroom, incorporating cedar in custom closet organizers is a great idea.

The many design choices available to you when choosing custom closet organizers can turn your closet into a show piece that reflects your needs and personality. Available options include floor mounted, wall mounted or combined systems; cedar bottomed drawers; angled shoe shelves or pull out shoe shelves; pull-out pant racks; accessories such as belt racks, trays for storing jewelry, tie racks, various hooks, and of course your choice of custom knobs and handles.

As you can see, you choices in closet organization are only limited by your imagination when you choose to go with a custom design. Some companies have design software available on the Internet allowing you to enter your closet dimensions and then incorporating the many available options in order for your custom system to be built and shipped to you in a modular package that you can install yourself. Or if you want to spend the additional money, you can enlist the aid of a closet design company that will come to your home, design your custom system, build the system, and provide a contractor for the installation.

Whether you decide to design the system yourself, or you choose to hire a professional, custom closet organizers will make you a better organized person, as well as save you a little time when looking for that item that used to always find its way to the back of the closet.

Wire Closet Organizers Save Space and Money

When it comes to closet organization, you can do a lot worse than wire closet organizers. I have never understood why you can walk into a new home that has all the modern amenities such as salon master bath suites, media rooms, back porches with retractable motorized screens and most anything else you can think of with the exception of closets built to maximize space. Almost without fail, the closets will have one shelf and one closet rod running the entire length of the closet. The only possible exception to this is the master bedroom. But you can bet no attention to detail is given to the remainder of the closets in the home.

Well fortunately, there is a simple and inexpensive solution to this problem. By purchasing and installing wire closet organizers in all your closets, you can easily increase your storage space by 30% to 50%. These closet organizers are available in a variety of colors to match almost any room decor and also in chrome if you desire a more classy look to your closet. Most are constructed of plastic coated wire and are strong and sturdy enough to hold even the most heavy garments in your wardrobe. You can purchase these organizers as stand alone closet systems or you can get systems that are modular in design thus making your closet system a unique system designed according to your needs even if you choose one style one week and two weeks later you want to change it up. It's easy and simple to make any necessary or desired changes. This makes it extremely convenient to be able to change the layout and functionality at little or no cost, just by switching around a few parts, or by buying that one perfect thing that will serve your new purpose.

In addition to being inexpensive, sturdy, attractive and functional, the installation of these wire closet organizers can be accomplished by most any homeowner with average do it yourself skills and a free afternoon. The few tools needed for the installation such as a cordless power drill with bits, level, and stud finder are usually already in most people's tool box. If necessary, they are easy to cut with a metal blade on a small jigsaw or with a hack saw. While you're putting the system together, it may seem flimsy and shaky, but once all the pieces are assembled and locked together, it will be solid and stable.

While you can spend a lot more money on particle board or real wood systems, you will likely be just as satisfied with your wire closet organizer if your needs require you to stay within your budget. Once all your closets are done and you realize how much additional space you have, how much better organized the closet is and how much easier it is to locate the items you are looking for, you will be glad you took the time to research and install your new wire closet organizers.

Huggable Hangers Save Closet Space

I know there are people in this world who have more than ample closet space and are not in need of a home improvement idea like Huggable Hangers. I also know that I am not one of them. I have taken a walk-in closet and built shelving, raised the top rod and added a rod below in order to double the space for hanging items. However, it is still not nearly enough space to enable me to neatly organize my closet. Now along come Huggable Hangers. At only 1/4 inch thick, these hangers are extremely thin and are said to give you 30-50% more space in your closet. They are available in a multitude of colors thus providing you with the means to color coordinate your wardrobe if you so desire.

Some Product Features

Velvet flocked material which prevents clothes from slipping. Some say they hold too well causing it to be difficult to get clothes on and off the hangers. Perhaps some folks don't like good quality hangers that really do their job.
Long chrome hooks which allow large turtlenecks or scoop necks to be hung.
Gentle curves that preserve the shape of your clothing. No more shoulder bumps.
Color fast flocking allows you to hang wet garments with no concern of colors running.
Hangers earned the Good Housekeeping Seal.
These hangers also come with a manufacturer's 1-year limited warranty.

The pant hangers are probably the most practical. They allow you to hang shirts or pants separately or if you see fit to, you can hang your pants or skirts on the lower section of the hanger and shirts on the upper section. This is a great way to match things you wear together often and will save you time matching your clothes when you are rushed to get to work in the morning.

Accessories

Cascading hooks easily slide over your huggable hangers and allow you to hang multiple garments, while only using minimal space. Again, by using the huggable hooks you can match items commonly worn together for better organization in your closet. You can also hang these hooks over the top of a closet door allowing you to hand long coats, scarves, or any other accessory items you would like to keep easily accessible.

Finger clips are another handy accessory you can use to hold skirts, pants, men's slacks, shorts and children's clothing. They securely hold fine fabrics as well as heavy jeans. Finger clips are made with no metal, so you will never fear rust stains on your garments. These practical clips slide along the bar of your huggable hanger to the desired width for adjustability and provide the ultimate in versatility.

Huggable Hangers finger clips and cascading hooks link up to five hangers together to make a cascading hanger. This utilizes vertical space and saves you a lot of horizontal space in your closet.



As I stated earlier, some people have more than ample closet space and would have little use for this product. But, for the rest of us, Huggable Hangers may be just the thing to help us gain a vital amount of added space and allow us to better organize our wardrobe in order to prevent some of the aggravation we encounter when looking for that perfect outfit to wear on that special occasion.

Using Closet Organizers Requires Organization

While there are several closet organizers available to help you reach your goal of a really neat and well organized closet where everything is readily available, like most good things, nothing comes without a little bit of preparation and hard work. Before closet organizers can be installed, you need to clear out the closet. While everything is out, you might as well do a little inventory and evaluation prior to putting the items back. Professional organizers advise you follow a few rules that will help you with the reorganization of your closet. We will discuss this process using a bedroom clothes closet as an example, but you could use the same process for a food pantry, kitchen cabinets, garage storage areas, etc.

Sort and give away. Closet organization begins by removing everything from your closet and placing the clothes on the bed. Separate the items that you wear often and those that you do not. The items that you no longer wear should be further sorted into a pile that you will throw away (worn out) and a pile that you will give away. Place these items in bags or boxes and immediately remove them from the area.

Sort and group. Go through the remaining items and group like items together. Place pants with pants, tops with tops, skirts with skirts, dresses with dresses, etc.

Group by color. Now sort each group of items by color and place together. This places all your color choices together which will allow you to choose a matching top and pair of pants for example much more quickly.

Inventory and sort small items. Sort your small items or accessories such as belts, shoes, ties, scarves, etc. into groups of like items. These items will be candidates for over the door organizers, shelves, boxes or other types of closet storage containers.

Now that you have taken the time to dispose of items you no longer utilize and to sort the things you will use, you are now better able to visualize what type of closet organizers will allow the most efficient use of the space you intend to use.

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Welcome To Ideal Closet Organizers

Welcome to Ideal Closet Organizers. It is our goal to provide you with information you can use to gain or save space through closet organization. If you ever feel the need for additional information not found on this site, email us at admin@wetwaterfountains.com.

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