Closet organization is crucial to maintaining calm and order in
the home. Organized
closets naturally contribute to a neater home. This progression can be explained by the advice passed down from generations of mothers to daughters--a place for everything and everything in its place. Whether your you’ve outgrown your current closet organization system or you’ve never organized a closet at all, there are three things you can do to get your cluttered closets under control.
Closet Organization Begins with Deep Cleaning
Organized closets begin with a serious purge of the closet clutter. Get rid of the seldom (or
never) used things that occupy precious storage
space and you will free up significant storage space to implement a closet organizing system. Get the
biggest box you can find and
challenge yourself to fill it as much as possible with closet clutter you don’t need. Drop the box off at a local charity who will share your unwanted closet clutter with people
who will truly appreciate (and need) it.
Having a hard time parting with your stuff?
While the professionals will frown against
this idea, pack rats can ease
into a new closet organizing system by reassigning the clutter. You still need to get all of the extras out of your way
in order to organize
closets, but perhaps you can store it all elsewhere instead of giving it all away. If you just can’t say goodbye, purge the closets
and put the fallout
in Operate at Maximum
Capacity Begin solving your closet
mystery by figuring out how much and what kind of space
you need. A tape measure
and graph paper will come in handy. Group your clothes by season, length or style. Next, measure the length and width of each group of items.
The best way to maximize closet space is to use two rods, one
above the other. You will eliminate wasted space between clothes and the floor. In a man’s closet, most items
can fit in this double-hung space. Pants will have to be folded over a
hanger Women’s blouses, jackets, slacks and short
skirts can
also hang on the doubled-up rods. Longer items,
like dresses and long skirts, will need to hang on a single,
higher rod.
For a typical closet, the upper rod should be about 82” from the floor. The lower rod should be about 42” above the floor. For exact spacing,
measure your longest
items, including
the hanger, and add 4”.
If possible,
shift coats, formal dresses and other long items that are not worn every day to another closet.
That will
allow you to install full-width double rods in your primary
closet for maximum storage. In many cases, though,
you will need a combination of single and double rods. You may also want to put in a narrow shelf or two to store sweaters, shoes or other accessories.
For a child’s closet,
the bottom rod should be placed
low. The upper rod, which
will probably be out of the child’s reach, can be used to store
out-of-season clothes.
With measurements in hand, go to your local Lowe’s store.
Look at all the styles of
shelving and components available to see which one will suit your needs. You will likely be
choosing between three
materiaIs: coated wire, wood and melamine.
Wire products are less expensive
and are easily customizable with accessories and add-ons.
Solid wood shelving wins accolades for aesthetics, but it costs
more and can require more skill to install. Melamine
is similar to wood, but is less expensive.
Examining all the choices
may even give you some creative inspiration, prompting
you to regroup your things and measure
again.
Putting It Together
Prepackaged kits are usually more economical than buying individual components. These kits
typically include everything you need to do a 5 to 8-foot wide, reach-in
closet. You can also buy extra components and shelving, if you need
it.
If you do not want to us a kit, you can buy wire shelving
by the
linear foot. The store will cut it to the size you need.
Be careful to buy all the components from the same manufacturer, because many are not interchangeable.
Look for wire shelves
with continuous sliding
rods. Known as “SuperSlide” or “FreeSlide” these allow your hangers to move uninterrupted across the entire bar. You will also find some without rods called line shelves. These sometime come in a style with closer mesh that is great for kitchen pantries and other places that might house small items.
Installation for
all types of closet systems requires only a drill screwdriver and hammer. Read Installing Wire
Shelving for in depth instructios
If you need flexibility in
the use of the space, consider
using adjustable-height rods and shelves, As fashions change, so do
hemlines, and you might want to rearrange your clothing storage. Or a bedroom
may become a home office, with a closet that once stored clothing now housing
paper, supplies etc.
If you closet has only a single door, consider
enlarging the opening and replacing the door with a pair of wider bi-fold or
sliding doors. They allow easier access to the entire closet.
Organization is not just for small closets where every
inch counts. Larger, walk-in closets can also benefit from more efficient
space.
Utilization. Double rods, built- in drawers, and
pullout baskets can all provide more convenient storage in any size closet.
There are many different ways to store shoes.
Over-the-door shoe hangers and floor units are two common solutions. You can
also organize your shoes din cubbyholes or shelves. Get creative! Some people
have built shelves all the way around an entire room for shoes. It’s functional
and interesting and interesting décor at the same time.
Cut it out
Give your new closet a fresh start by ridding yourself
of the clutter. Just because it came out when you started organizing does not
mean it has to go back in.
Consider potential use, rather than past, in deciding
what to keep. If you have not worn it at least once in a the past year, odds
are you will never wear it again. If your weeding process results in a small
discard pile, you probably were not ruthless enough. Get a friend who is not
emotionally involved to help. He or she might even volunteer to take some of it
off your hands.
