Monday 25 January 2010

Walk in Closet Design - 10 Closet Organization Tips to Make You Closet User Friendly



If you are lucky enough to have a closet design that is a "walk in" congratulations! However, sometimes closet organization in a generous space can be as problematic and troublesome as one that is very small. With all that space sometimes "stuff" just starts to pile up and your walk in closet becomes just another cluttered space.

Here are 10 closet organization tips to help make your walk in closet design user friendly.

1. Install small hooks for your shoe horn and lint brush so they are always available and ready for use. If you have a wire shelving system use "S" shaped hooks, if you have a walk in closet organizer installed simply screw "L" shaped hooks into the cabinetry.

2. Install wall mounted coat hooks for robes.

3. Use open storage for clothing items that are accessed frequently such as folded t-shirts and shoes.

4. Get storage baskets to contain small items such as socks or underwear. Not only do they look attractive in open storage but getting at your clothing items is easy and so is putting them away. Even pajamas or nightgowns can be rolled up and put in storage baskets freeing up a lot of drawer space.

5. Keep a small sewing kit and shirt buttons available for on the spot repairs

6. Set up a ironing center. If you cannot actually iron in your walk in closet at least store your ironing board and iron in there. A wall mounted storage unit can keep the ironing board and the iron out of the way and ready for use when you need it. Make sure you have a spray bottle and a container that can be used to fill the iron with water when needed.

7. Keep a can of the spray static cling remover in the closet. You can spray your clothes just before you put them on.

8. Keep a small container of stain remover or the pre-moistened stain remover towelettes in the closet so that stains can be treated before the clothing item goes into the laundry hamper.

9. Clear a space just for hanging empty hangers. You will be amazed at how easy it is to hang up your clothing and keep your closet neat if there are no empty hangers mixed in with the clothing. Whenever you take an item off a hanger place the empty hanger is this designated space and there will always be an empty hanger right where you need it when you need it!

10. Install a valet rod - What is a valet rod? This is a small closet rod that installs perpendicular to the wall. Usually it telescopes out so that it can be recessed and not be obtrusive when it is not in use. The valet rod is for temporary use and is great for when you need to hang:

* wet clothes that need to air dry
* freshly pressed clothes that need to cool down
* tomorrow's outfit
* a shirt or a pair of pants while you sew the button on

If you love your walk in closet design you will love it even more when you implement these user friendly closet organization tips.




Closet Organization Tips - Closet Clutter is Not Your Closet's Fault

Who doesn't need closet organization tips? You will be less frustrated when you can find what you need every time you want to get dressed and ready for the day.

Closet clutter will confuse and frustrate you but closet organization will create a sense of order and control at least once per day because if there is one thing that we all have in common it is the process of getting dressed at least once every day.

No matter what closet design you have, here are some organization tips that can help keep clutter to a minimum and restore a sense of order.

- Make use of vertical space. Use the higher areas in your closet for storing items you do not need to access on a regular basis. There is no rule that says you can only have one shelf above your hanging rods make that two or even three shelves if you have the room and are storing smaller items up there.

- Get serious about shoe storage. Stop tripping over loose shoes. If those shoes are not firmly fastened to a foot they should not be on the floor! Shoe storage ideas are plentiful and range from shoe racks to clear shoe boxes that allow you to see every pair of flip flops, platforms, or loafers that you own!

- Use open storage such as baskets for multiples of single items such as sports bras, socks, underpants, scarves, belts, purses, ties, even jewelery. If you prefer to use a closed storage system for these items such as a drawer then invest in drawers organizers or separators so you can have like items kept together.

- Establish a system for organizing laundry and dry cleaning. Have a place for your laundry basket and if possible go vertical with a longer taller basket rather than a short wide one. If you have clothing that regularly goes to the dry cleaner designate a spot for that outside of your closet if you cannot spare the closet space.

- Protect when necessary. Use garment bags to keep dust off the shoulders of seldom worn items. They will also provide protection for the fine fabrics of evening dresses or tuxedos.

- Get out of season items out! If you have the ability to store everything in one closet congratulations, but most people will not have that kind of room which means out of season items have to be stored elsewhere. Use your empty suitcases. You are just storing air in there!

- Store your clothing safely. Even if you are lucky enough to have enough space in your closet so that your clothing does not have to be seasonably rotated you should make sure the items you are not wearing are protected if they are vulnerable. Wool is vulnerable to damage from moth larvae, and silks can be faded by exposure to light so keep your out of season clothing protected from potential damage. Use vacuum bags to store clothing that is vulnerable.

- Sort your clothes by color and/or functionality. Use double hanging rods for shorter handing items like shirts and jackets and group them by color.

- Gradually replace your wire hangers with something more substantial. Clothing is made to hang from your shoulders. How many people do you know of that are shaped like a wire hanger? Use those wire hangers for taking items to and from the dry cleaner but for nothing else.

- Find a separate place for hangers that are not in use. When you take an item off a hanger take the hanger off the rod and put it in a designated space. You will be surprised at how this small action can keep things more organized in your closet and you will always be able to find a hanger when you need one!

- Fold if possible. Don't hang items that are lightweight like t-shirts, as you will only create "shoulder nipples". When you hang a garment that has no structure, the garment will stretch out. Instead, [http://www.organization-makes-sense.com/t-shirt_folding.html ]learn how to fold and stack the folded items where you can get at them easily such as in a large drawer or even in open storage such as shelves or "cubbies".

- Purge regularly. This is probably the single most important of all closet organization tips. You must regularly get rid of clothing you are not wearing. You can make sure that your closet only holds regularly used items by following the one in - one out rule which is, every time you bring one new clothing item into your closet something should go out.

A bigger closet is not necessarily a better closet! If you have clutter closet it is not your closet's fault! Even a small closet can be functional and orderly if you follow these simple closet organization tips.