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.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
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.
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.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
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.
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.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
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.
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.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
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.
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.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
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.
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.
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