DIY Organizing Solutions

Do you feel like your home is like a holding ground for everything you’ve ever owned? Does it seem like the junk just seems to grow and grow? You’re not alone! Most people have a hard time keeping things organized. It can be even more of a challenge if you’re dealing with limited space or a limited budget. Use these tips and ideas to come up with organizing solutions that work for your home.

1) First, you need to tackle one area at a time. Trying to take on the whole house in one day can be a real nightmare. Getting frustrated generally leads to giving up. Letting things stay disorganized can lead to a lot of stress, anxiety and even depression. Try to set yourself up for success instead of failure. Decide on one area or one pile that you will tackle. Give yourself a time limit so that you don’t wear yourself out. For example, if your computer desk is littered with old mail, magazines, receipts, notes to yourself, dishes and junk, take on that one area first. Don’t worry about getting the whole room clean in one fail swoop. The smaller the task, the better your chances are of finishing it.

2) Concentrate on the areas that affect you most. If you work at your computer at home, then that should be where you begin. If you wake up to get ready in the morning and have to face a disorganized messy bathroom, it’s time to get it in order. You don’t want to wake up to disarray, or go to bed at night staring at it. Clean your bathrooms, your night stand, your coffee table, your computer desk, and your kitchen counters as often as possible, because these are the areas that are typically hot spots. Getting one or two areas completely clean and organized will give you a positive outlook, reduce stress, and motivate you to do more.

3) Don’t backslide. Once you get an area clean, focus on maintaining it. Do this before you tackle new areas that need cleaning. You can create new habits for yourself that help you to keep things organized once you get them that way. For example, if you’re bad about leaving the cap off the toothpaste and leaving it on the counter, concentrate on keeping that area clean. Make a special place for your toothpaste to go that is really easy to access. If you have to go half-way across the room or open an organizer, you aren’t very likely to use it.

4) When you get more and more areas organized, it’ll get easier and easier. Those first few piles are the hardest because you have to come up with places to put things. But after you get to your fourth or fifth area, you’ll be a pro. You will find yourself going faster and doing a better job.

5) Use your closet. Closet space is great for storage because it keeps things out of sight. Waking up to an organized closet is a great way to get your day started. Use special hangers to get everything where it should be. A wood hanger or coat hanger is best for heavy items, while specialty clothes hangers can help you to coordinate outfits or hang things like ties. Get your home organized and your life will get that way, too.

About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com.

Get your Closet Ready for Summer

Well, the weather has warmed up and the shorts are coming out! It’s time for some spring cleaning and your closet is a great place to start. You can make sure that your laundry rotation isn’t interrupted by summer and winter clothes getting mixed together. When that happens, it’s just so hard to find a place for everything. Make your closet a neat and clean area by organizing it at the same time that you switch out your winter for your summer wardrobes.

First, you need to take all of those winter clothes out of the closet. You can use a rolling garment rack with a cover for storing your winter coats and suits. Or, you can store them in another closet, like a spare bedroom closet. Keep them from becoming musty while in storage by using a cedar hanger or cedar closet accessories when you pack them away.

Make sure that you have durable containers for your clothes. If you are going to keep them in the garage or basement, make sure that they have a lid that seals well. You wouldn’t want moisture or pests to invade your investment! Cedar helps to absorb moisture from the air, deodorize, and repel insects. So, use cedar in your storage and you should be good to go next winter.

Now it’s time to clean the closet. While you have it completely empty, go ahead and vacuum, dust, paint, whatever you want. Now is a good time to add shelving, hooks, shoe racks, hat racks, extra hanging bars, or even line the walls with cedar planks. Right now, it’s probably fresh in your mind what didn’t work about your closet with your winter clothes, and you have your summer clothes ready to go in, so you can assess what extras you may need for your closet.

Categorize the summer clothes and take a look at what you have. If you have more shorts than you remembered, you may want to install a deep drawer or invest in some new clothes hangers, like pants and skirt hangers, that will allow you to keep your shorts organized. Tank tops and shirts with spaghetti straps can even hang on hangers that have notches or clips.

Make sure that everything has a special place to go. You can have a special drawer or bin for pajamas, special hangers or bins for organizing smaller items, like swimsuits, and maybe even a towel bar for drying beach towels. When your closet is ready for your summer clothes, you’ll be ready for summer!

About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com.

Getting Organized and Staying that Way

Everyone has to take the time to get organized once in a while. When your closets and living areas overflow with junk, it’s time to take control. Using these professional tips, you can get your most bothersome areas organized and keep them that way!

First you need to identify areas that are the most trouble. Most people have a “pile it on” spot, like the kitchen counter, an end table, or the bathroom counter. Sometimes we clean in a hurry, throwing everything into a laundry basket, bag or box, and then never get around to sorting it out. Places like these make our homes feel cluttered and disorganized. Tackle projects one at a time and come up with logical solutions to the problems.

A clean counter is very alluring to someone looking to set something down. Identify what type of items are constantly being put there so that you can provide a space for them. If it’s papers from work, try a wall file. If it’s keys, wallet and pocket knife, place a small basket there, or hang a shelf with hooks. It helps if you arrange your organizational products in the area where your family is used to putting things. We are, after all, creatures of habit. If you normally come home and drop everything in the kitchen, putting an organizational set of baskets, shelves and hooks in the living room will only work for so long.

Use this same principal for controlling other things, like laundry. If your child’s laundry basket is in their closet, but they always leave their clothes at the foot of the bed, then you need to move the basket to the foot of the bed. You can slowly move the basket closer to the wall, and even back into the closet after they get the hang of using it all the time. Getting them to have some successes in the beginning is the key to making it a habit for them.

When you get around to the biggest job, the closet, be ready to make a real plan. Don’t just go out and buy a bunch of baskets and bins without planning for the space that you have available. Sort out and separate everything that you have in your closet. Get rid of what you can, and then plan on which containers will work best for you.

Arrange things according to how often they are used. The things that you need the most often need to be easily accessible. If they’re not, you’ll end up keeping them in a more convenient spot, eventually. You want to make it easy to keep things where they go. Get some high quality clothes hangers, like a good wood hanger or coat hanger for your dress clothes. You may decide to go with some space saving hangers or specialty hangers to help improve the organization of the space. Home organization is an ongoing process, so don’t get discouraged if it takes a few tries to get it right.

About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com.

How to Update Closet Style

Does your closet make you say, “Blech”? It’s time for a closet make-over. Organizing and making space for your stuff is one thing, but updating your closet to make it a place you’ll love is another. You can make your closet reflect your personal style, without sacrificing space, usability, or breaking the bank.

Start by surfing around and taking note of closet styles that you like. Pay particular attention to certain aspects of certain closets that interest you. Narrow your search by looking for closets that accommodate the types of items that you have. If you own a lot of purses or shoes, check out celebrity closet designs and see if you can incorporate their ideas into your own closet. You don’t have to spend 100K to create a shelf with dividers for storing purses, or a cubby system that goes up the wall to store your favorite shoes.

You can install shelving, drawers, cabinets and more in your closet. You will want to empty it out to decide how to most effectively use the space. Efficiency is key. You don’t want deep drawers to store loads of junk. Compartments make better use of small spaces and help you to keep organized.

Here are some ideas for making an inexpensive project look like a professional job. If all you can afford is wire shelving but you’re not crazy about the industrial look and feel, consider making it look more inviting by disguising the wire.

You can cover the wire shelves with interesting fabric to really make your closet your own. You can look into building a wooden casing for the shelves so that your closet has a wooden cabinetry look with the wire shelving inside. You can take attention away from the wire by using high-end accessories. There are now baskets and drawers that fit into the wire systems, giving them a warmer and more appealing look. A good wood hanger or coat hanger will draw attention away from the wire and toward the sleek organized look of your hanging clothes.

While we’re on the subject of clothes hangers, think about this. Using space saving hangers or high-end specialty hangers will give you more ways to organize than building a lot of shelves, cabinets and drawers. Tie hangers, scarf hangers, cascading hangers, suit hangers, and hangers with clips all give you options for hanging things that would normally need a special place to go. Hangers that allow you to cascade items or hang multiple garments on one hanger will free up even more space for you, opening up your options and budget for some of those high-end accessories that will make your closet special.

About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com.

Custom Closet Organizers

The need for closet organization is high for most people. It can seem impossible to get things in order if your closet doesn’t work with you. Everyone has different needs and no organizer has a one-size-fits-all design. Utilizing custom closet organizers can give you the versatility that you need to truly make your closet your own.

There are a few ways to go about customizing your closet. First, you really need to take an objective look at what types of storage you need. Some people can get away with a hanging rod and a shoe rack, but most people have more specific things that they need to store and organize in their closets.

Narrow down what you want to keep by giving clothing and other household items to charity. You may want to have a yard sale to make money for investing back into your closet. Most of us have way too many clothes that we seldom or never wear. By narrowing the field, you can get a clearer view of what you actually need to do with the closet organizer.

Once you’ve determined what you will keep, imagine the ideal storage and location for each category of clothing. The things that you wear or use most might be best off in the center of the closet. Things that you don’t use often can go further back. Things that you are storing for an entire season can go up high on a shelf.

Next consider what type of container or apparatus would best house the items that you need to organize. Would you rather have your socks in a drawer or a basket? Do you want to hang your t-shirts or stack them on shelves? Do you have room for a tie rack or hat rack on the wall of the closet, or would you rather just use a specialty tie hanger or hat hanger for these items? Take a look at your shoes, too. Do you want all of your shoes front and center, or just the ones that you use the most?

Customizing the closet will help you to use it more efficiently and more consistently. Staying organized is sometimes the hardest part. With the closet set up to meet your specific needs, you are more likely to keep it up.

After you have your design, think about the other seasons of the year. Does your winter wardrobe work as well with the system as your summer wardrobe? Don’t forget that you might need to make more space or provide different storage once the seasons change. Invest a little in some high end clothes hangers that can be used for multiple types of items. Not only will nice hangers make your closet look great, but something like a wood hanger or coat hanger can keep your coats and suits from ending up on the floor.

About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com.

Tidy Your Closet

Closets can get to be a real mess. Having the right arrangement of shelving paired with the right closet accessories can help you to get your closet straight. If you are starting from scratch, then there are really a lot of things you can do. Use these tips to determine which steps should work best for your wardrobe and your closet.

1) A system that consists of different shelf levels, bars, cubbies, and hooks is generally most useful. Smaller spaces mean that you will be able to categorize items into smaller and smaller piles, making it less likely that you will end up with one giant heap on a shelf. Keeping the spaces small is key. You may need to categorize your clothes and measure how much space you would like for each category before you begin. Varying the heights of the shelves and bars will actually make your closet appear neater. Not only does it break up the lines, but it keeps varying sizes of piles from looking like they should be uniform, making the look more solid.

2) Don’t forget to account for your out-of-season wardrobe. If you arrange your closet system to be perfect for your summer clothing, you may be terribly disappointed when the time comes for winter clothes. If your space isn’t accommodating enough to leave both wardrobes out year-round, then you will need to make sure that it works for all seasons.

3) If you have a reach-in closet, here’s an idea that you may not have considered. You can buy organization systems consisting of shelves and rods that are mounted on casters. You can roll the entire system into and out of the closet. Before you start thinking that this is a silly idea, consider this; you can load one system with your summer wardrobe and one with your winter wardrobe. When it’s time to make the switch, simply roll the current one out, place a cover, like a garment rack cover, over it and store it in a spare room or corner of the room that you don’t use. Roll the next on in and you’re done!

4) The right closet accessories can make your closet look great, but it can make it more usable, too. Once you have the baskets, shoe rack, hooks and racks that you need installed in the closet, take a look at your clothes hangers. Most people have a varying assortment of wire and plastic hangers that just look terrible. You can make your closet look great with a nice wood hanger or sturdy coat hanger. When your closet is done, you’ll be so happy that you decided to make this change! An organized closet makes for a happy owner.


About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com.

Gain Control with Home Organization

Keeping your home in order can be like a full-time job. However, you can get it done over time by spending only a few minutes each day organizing and cleaning. Set goals for yourself and schedule out times that you will spend tackling one project at a time. Following this strategy can help you to seamlessly transition from a cluttered messy house to an organized, manageable home.

Scheduling things helps you to gain control, mentally and physically, of the tasks that need completing. If you constantly feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of things that must be accomplished, then this system will help you. You should only have to worry about the very next thing on your list, not a house full of chores that you never seem to have time to tackle. The mental load is lifted and things seem much more manageable.

Start by figuring out what you really have to do daily. This is usually something like laundry and dishes. You have to eat, and you have to have clothes to wear. So, put these down as your first priority. You may also want to add in other things that need to be done around your home, like get the kids’ backpacks ready for school, fix lunches, or other things that occur daily. Set certain times to do these things each day.

Example: Fold clothes and put them away at 7:45AM. Move wet clothes to the dryer and start the next load washing. Leave for work, 8:00AM.

Scheduling in this way will help you realize how little time it actually takes to accomplish the task. Don’t worry about the laundry mountain that you haven’t conquered yet, do the one load that you have scheduled and move on. You can schedule another fifteen minutes before bed if you feel behind. Don’t try to do it all at once, or you’ll get exhausted and feel pressured to finish. If you’re really motivated, go ahead. But, it will eventually get caught up and your daily routine will get easier and easier to manage.

The next thing to put on your list is your long-term goals. Is there an area of your home that just constantly gets cluttered? You may want to put it as a top priority. People usually have a flat surface, like a table, desk or countertop that just constantly piles up. Papers, mail, magazines, school work, keys, cell phones, wallets, and more can be piled in one place daily by your family. Come up with an organization system for these things so that they have somewhere specific to go.

Further down your list will come monthly chores. Organizing your closet is a great thing to put here. The first time you do it, you will probably want to schedule a full hour. Then, schedule a quick five to ten minute straighten-up session once a month after that.

Start by getting some good clothes hangers, like a wood hanger or coat hanger that is sturdy enough to hold your heaviest clothes. Specialty hangers can help you save space and keep the closet more organized. Buckets and bins can be used for smaller items, and don’t forget to use the space on the back of the closet door. Making a place for everything will make your monthly organization task simple.

About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com.

How to Organize in a Jiffy

Getting your home organized can be a quick and easy process if you follow these simple steps. Learn how to take care of problem areas, get an easy to follow system going, and keep your home organized. People that are notoriously organized usually do a little bit at a time on a regular basis.

1) Set an easy goal. Give yourself five or ten minutes to work on a problem area and see how much you can get done. Start with five minutes on the kitchen counter, then the entrance to your house, the bathroom counters, and your table tops. Next, move on to making the beds, doing one load of laundry, straightening your living room, and so on. You’ll be surprised how much you can get done in five minutes and what a difference it will make in your home and in your view of housekeeping.

2) As you go, plan on getting rid of excess junk. Carry a bag with you around the house and throw away whatever you can for ten minutes. If you do this once a week, your home will stay less cluttered and the things that you need to keep will be easier to keep up with.

3) Go to problem areas and organize them one at a time. One day you can tackle your computer desk. The next day, go for the entertainment center. Work your way around the house spending just a few minutes in each area. Designate a time or a spot each day that you will get organized. Go ahead and spend more time if you’re motivated. Otherwise, set a timer and only do the designated item for that set amount of time.

4) As you go, you’ll determine what areas are problems and ways to figure them out. You may decide to make a monthly or daily schedule for yourself so that you can keep up with the things that need to be done regularly without getting that overwhelming feeling that everything needs to be done.

5) Getting the daily tasks in order will help you stay on top of things. Laundry is a big one. If you can wash, dry, fold and put away one load of laundry each night as part of your bedtime routine, it will seem easy and like less of a hassle than normal. If you dread this job, time it and see how long it actually takes. Most people can fold a load of laundry in five to ten minutes. When you see how quickly it can be done, it seems like less of a chore.

6) Getting your closets organized will make the task of putting laundry away a lot easier. You can even use a hanging bar and hangers in the laundry area for drying and hanging clothes as they come out of the dryer. Use some sturdy clothes hangers, like a good wood hanger or coat hanger, for drying items that may be heavy as they come out. Getting your house in order will get easier and easier as you follow your schedule.

About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com.

Home Wardrobes and Other Closet Solutions

There are many closet designs for walk-in closets and reach-in closets. But sometimes it’s just not enough. A home wardrobe or “closet outside of the closet” can help you to create extra storage and give you the versatility that you need.

Keeping your closet organized becomes a lot easier if you don’t have to switch out summer and winter wardrobes. Using a stand-alone or built-in wardrobe closet can help you to do that. You can keep summer clothes in one and winter clothes in the other. Never having to move anything around eliminates your need to rearrange the closet every few months.

Changing out wardrobes for the season rarely goes as smoothly as it sounds. You will usually need to get out your winter clothes in the fall when you start needing jackets and long-sleeved shirts at night. Then you’re back to your summer clothes during the day. What this does, is it creates a need to have both wardrobes available for a few weeks. The closet gets crammed and disorganized pretty quickly.

More and more people are turning to exterior home wardrobes to take care of this problem. You can alternate between the wardrobe and your closet from season to season, like we mentioned above, or you can use the wardrobe to store your out of season clothing. By using a wardrobe instead of boxes, you keep the clothes neatly hung and folded. So, when those in-between seasons like spring and fall sneak up on you, you can simply go to the wardrobe and get what you need.

Not having boxes to deal with not only frees up storage space in your home, but also eliminates the need to wash, iron and hang everything that comes out of storage. Sometimes clothes in storage will get a musty smell. That is actually mold that you are smelling. Even if you can’t see it yet, it’s there. You can help to eliminate mold and mildew in stored clothing by using cedar sachets or other cedar products.

In a wardrobe, your clothes won’t get as musty and wrinkled. However, if the wardrobe will be closed for an entire season, you will want to use cedar products anyway, just to be safe. You can hang the clothes inside on cedar hangers to eliminate odors, protect the clothes from pests, and to eliminate moisture.

Your clothes hangers can help you to keep things from getting wrinkled and they can also help you to make the most of the space in the wardrobe or in your closet. A good wood hanger or coat hanger can help coats and suits keep their shape. Then, you can use slim hangers that are designed to save space for the rest of your clothing.

Selecting the right hangers and storage space for you is essential in keeping a closet organized. If it holds the things that you need it to hold, it can be one of your greatest assets.

About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com.

DIY Closet Techniques

There are millions of ways to organize a closet. Everyone is different, owns different things, and has different needs. We can look at the different closet plans that are out there for days without seeing the same thing twice. So, if you want to organize your closet, doing it yourself is the way to go. Only you know your tastes and how you would prefer things to be stored. Use these organizational ideas to help you decide which closet storage techniques will best fit your style and your closet.

1) Baskets are very useful for most people. They hold little things, keep them organized, and eliminate the need to install drawers. Baskets, buckets, and bins are great places to keep socks, underwear, mittens, books, camera equipment, mementos, and more. They give the closet more texture and break up the monotonous look of ordinary closets. They help you to stay organized while making things look nice and neat.

2) Special compartments can be put in your closet to hold things that need somewhere to go. You may want to store a laptop, some tall boots, your manicure/pedicure supplies, your child’s schoolwork, or a multitude of other things. Creating little spaces in the closet that are designated for these things will help you to keep your whole house in order.

3) Shelves are really useful. They allow you to fold some of your clothes instead of hanging everything. You can fold sweaters and t-shirts to leave room on the hanging bar for bulkier clothes, such as coats and suits. Shelves can sometimes help you to make better use of the space in the closet and give you storage areas as well.

4) Storage is important in any closet. A high shelf that goes all the way around the closet can be really useful. You can keep luggage, out of season clothing, purses, sports equipment and more on a high shelf so that it is safely stored away.

5) Specialty racks for shoes or baseball caps can keep the clutter to a minimum. Use the back of the closet door to keep the bulk of the closet area clear. You may decide to move your hanging bar up so that you have more room underneath for shoes or laundry baskets. A tie rack, belt rack, scarf hanger, and some heavy duty hooks can help you keep your closet organized.

6) Hangers make all the difference in a closet. There’s nothing worse than having your clothes ruined by a shotty hanger. Use high quality hangers, such as a wood hanger or coat hanger. Another option is to go with some sturdy clothes hangers that maximize space. These can double or triple the space that you have on the bar!

Getting your closet organized and keeping it that way is a snap when you use the techniques that work for you and your closet.

About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com.

Top DIY Projects: Storage

There is nothing more rewarding than doing a job well and doing it yourself. Do it yourself projects have become increasingly popular over the last few years. This isn’t only because it generally costs less to do the job yourself, but because it gives you a great sense of accomplishment and pride to complete a task yourself. Not only that, but you can get away from the cookie-cutter world of manufactured products and really personalize your home.

Every family has different needs and every home is unique. One glaring problem with homes that is consistent across the board is storage. Homes are built with just a few cabinets and a few small closets. However, the amount of possessions that we have can be staggering. We don’t want everything out in the open because it makes our house look cluttered. When you can’t find places to put things, they end up in boxes or out where they can get mixed up with other things. Finding what you need and keeping your house clean can seem impossible if you don’t have enough storage space.

There are many DIY projects that can help you make the most of the space that you have. You can organize living room areas by installing some shelves. Some people even put shelves up high by the ceiling or over doors to hold books and things that they don’t use very often. Mementos and other decorative items can be kept out of children’s reach while giving the room texture and depth, much like crown moulding does.

Another place in the home that is generally lacking in storage is the kitchen. It’s not so much that the space isn’t there as it is that the space inside the cabinets is wasted. Many kitchens have blind corner cabinets where they wrap around a corner. Sometimes there is only one door to this corner, leaving a lot of the space in there empty, because you can’t see what you need in there or you simply can’t reach it. Blind corners can be conquered with sliding shelves or a lazy suzan addition. Other cabinets, especially bottom cabinets, could usually use some extra shelves or sliding drawers to utilize the space more efficiently.

The last areas of the home that need to be more efficiently designed are the closets. Closets are notorious for wasting valuable storage space in the home. There are usually a few feet unused at the top and front sides of the closet. Creating a useful and personalized design for your closet can make a huge difference. Many people choose the closet for their DIY project because it’s generally easy, incredibly useful, and really rewarding. When you’re done, make your new closet look great by investing a little in some quality clothes hangers.
Hangers really finish out the closet. A quality wood hanger or coat hanger can add a lot of style and luxury to your closet.

DIY projects that create storage can make your whole house seem more inviting and useful. Get started on yours today!

About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com.

Home Organization Closets

Anytime you’re looking to organize your home, the closet is a great place to start. There are a lot of options when it comes to closet organization. Depending on the space that you have and your budget, you could make great use of hooks, shelves, drawers, additional hanging bars, and cabinets. Additionally, you can create extra space or spruce up the look of your closet by investing a little in high quality hangers.

You may be surprised about what all you can do with your space, even if it is small. Closets can get crammed full and make you feel like the space is inadequate. However, if you take a few steps towards getting the junk cleared and installing some helpful additions, your closet could become a space that you are thankful to have.

Closet organization specialists strive to make the most of the available space. Vertical space is often ignored or wasted in traditional closets. You will need to empty your closet to assess the area and decide which closet arrangement will work best for you.

First you need to remove clutter and go through storage boxes. We usually need our closets to store our out of season clothing, but end up using them to store everything from tax paperwork to extra light bulbs. By clearing everything out, you’ll be able to determine just what you want to keep in the closet and what you can afford to get rid of. Finding new spaces for these extra items can be challenging, but don’t worry.

You can store out of season clothing elsewhere if you really don’t have anywhere else to keep your extra household supplies. Most people utilize the space underneath the bed to store their extra clothes. You can buy shallow, yet large, containers that fit this space perfectly. You can use bed risers to make even more hidden space in your bedroom. Other options include rolling garment racks or armoires to store extra clothing.

To utilize wasted space, consider adding another shelf up high in the closet for rarely used items. If you move your shelves upward, you might make room for an extra hanging bar. Extra bars or shelves can be installed on either side of the closet as well. Moving the bars back closer to the back wall can reveal hidden space at the front of the closet.

When you get the arrangement that you want, be selective about what you put back in. Give as much as possible to charity. If you still need to save space, invest in hangers that help you to do so. Slim or flat hangers work great. Other specialty hangers will give you special places to keep ties, belts, skirts, and lingerie. Your clothes hangers may be your greatest closet investment. A nice wood hanger makes your closet look sophisticated while adding style and longevity to your investment. Remember to use a coat hanger for your coats and suits so that they don’t get misshapen at the shoulders.

When your closet is updated to accommodate the things that you use most, you’ll be on your way to a more organized and efficient home.

About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com.

Instant Closet Storage

Creating closet storage is a great way to get your home organized and even add selling value to your home. Most people have things stored that they haven’t used or even looked at in years. Decluttering is the first step to organizing your closet and creating extra space for the things that you actually need to store.

Take an objective look at your closet contents and start to analyze what you actually need. Empty the closet and categorize each group of items. You can use your bed or floor to make space for the organization project. Make one group of things items that you know you need and use. You may have a lot of stuff that you know you want to keep but you realize that it is taking up too much room. Separate these things into another pile and set it aside for later.

When you’re going through your clothes and shoes, get rid of ones that you haven’t worn in a year. Shoes may be hard to get rid of, but go ahead and ditch them if they are scuffed, too tight, are out of style, or you just never seem to wear them. Clothing can go out of style so quickly that you may have lots of usable clothes that you are never in the mood to wear.

Do a little research and find a consignment shop or resale shop in your area that may want to buy these usable items from you. You may be able to sell large lots of clothes or name brand items online. Anything that doesn’t sell can be given away or donated to a charity. You may even decide to have a garage sale and use the money to update your closet storage.

You can now take a look at the pile of things that you have been storing that may not belong in the closet. Old paperwork, statements, photo albums, and sports equipment can be kept elsewhere. Go through those old boxes and be selective about what you keep. You may want to invest in a bookshelf for books, files, and photos. Other things can be kept in the attic, garage, or basement, freeing up lots of storage space in your closet.

The next step is to develop a closet system that accommodates what you have left. Consider little space saving options that will actually give you more room than you need. For example, if you move your hanging bar up, you may have room for a double shoe rack underneath, instead of a single one, doubling your shoe storage. You can install wire shelving that allows you to hang clothing from anywhere. You can double up your hanging space and shelf space by using a simple closet system that utilizes vertical space and the depth of your closet.

Update the closet with hooks for robes, purses, and tote bags. Install a hat rack, use scarf, belt, and tie hangers. Make a place for everything. You can even use clothes hangers that save space by allowing you to hang multiple items on each hanger. Use a nice wood hanger or coat hanger for nicer clothes that need to keep their shape at the shoulders. When your closet is organized and has more usable storage space, you can store your out of season clothing with ease, making it easier to stay organized once you get that way.

About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com.

Closet Hamper DIY Project

Laundry can quickly get out of control when you need to keep it in the closet. Before you abandon the idea of keeping your laundry out of sight, consider this DIY hamper project. It will make your laundry easy to access and out of sight. It keeps the dirty clothes from piling up on your closet floor and it is easy to get to when it’s time to do the wash.

There are a few goals of this hamper project. One, you want to make it easy access so that you don’t just bypass it and toss your dirty clothes beside it. So, you will want an opening or swinging door so that you can easily push your clothes inside. The swinging door should be hinged from the top and swing inward. You can push your clothes inside and it’ll swing back shut. You may decide to leave a space between the cabinet and swinging door so that children do not smash their fingers. The space also adds extra ventilation.

Speaking of ventilation, you don’t want your laundry hamper to smell or encourage mildew growth in your closet. For this reason, you should use cedar to build or line your hamper. Cedar is a natural deodorizer. It absorbs moisture from the air and inhibits the growth of molds and mildews. The fragrant smell of the wood will make your whole closet smell fresh year round.

You will also want to include a cabinet door to cover the laundry basket inside the hamper. You can use a regular cabinet door, or you may choose to use a roll-top door. These are really nice if you have limited space for opening and closing a cabinet door inside of your closet. The roll top will also catch clothes that people may put in the hatch while you have the basket out. When you close the basket back inside of the hamper, the roll top will drop the dirty clothes into the basket.

You can build your closet hamper with slats on the sides instead of solid wood if you would like a more open look. You can also add other closet organizers to the hamper. For example, a few wooden shelves off of the sides make for great shoe racks. Use the color stain and varnish that you like to make the hamper match your furniture. You can also use paint to finish your project.

When you’re done with the hamper, update other areas of your closet to make it all look great. Your hangers are a good place to start. Your clothes hangers can also be cedar to keep down odors and moisture in your closet. This is especially useful in a closet that contains laundry. You can find a good wood hanger or coat hanger made from cedar online directly from the manufacturer to save money. Remember to be creative and patient while you work on your new closet hamper project!

About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com.

Creating Beautiful Closets on a Budget

A nice, spacious home can still feel cramped if you don’t have your closets in order. Many of us put off organizing our closets because we don’t have the money to fix it up how we would like. Here are some budget friendly options for getting your closet beautifully organized.

Shelving in your closet will add a lot of space. You don’t have to spend a fortune to add storage shelves. Wire shelving is very easy to install, comes in multiple sizes, and it won’t break the bank. It can hold boxes, blankets, sweaters, shoes, baskets and more. It can hold a considerable amount of weight if it is properly anchored into the studs of your closet. Another convenience of wire shelving is that you can buy standardized attachments for it, giving you hanging space for tote bags, sports equipment, robes and more.

If wire shelves aren’t your thing, you might like wood. Wood shelving doesn’t have to be expensive, although it can be. Preassembled shelves normally cost more, but you can buy just the wood from your lumber and hardware store and save a bundle. We built 1’x1’x1’ cubby shelves from the floor to the ceiling and only spent $50. They are sturdy, solid wood, and we stained them to match our furniture. Cubby shelves and corner shelves are so useful and take up such little space. If you don’t have room in the front of your closet, try moving the hanging bar back a few inches until the clothes hangers are close to the wall. You can discover so much space just by thinking outside the box!

Another inexpensive option is to add another hanging bar. Just move your current bar up as high as you can comfortably reach. Be sure to support the bar by anchoring it into a stud. If you don’t have a stud in the right place, you can anchor a 1”x4” board into the studs around the area where you want your bar, and then attach the bar to your board. Most bars come with a bracket that hooks over the wood for added support. Do the same thing down below and you just doubled your hanging space. You may want to put a short bar on either side of the closet for items that hang down lower, like dresses and suits. With each bar costing under $10, this could be the most dramatic, cheapest change you’ve ever made to your closet.

When you get the space, update your clothes hangers. Hangers can make or break a closet. You would be surprised how cheaply you can stock your closet with a sturdy wood hanger or coat hanger if you go directly to the supplier or manufacturer online. You can usually get discounts for buying in bulk. Enjoy your new, spacious, budget-friendly closet!

About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com.

Cleaning Tips for the Master Bedroom

When it comes to home improvement or housework, organizing is the biggest challenge for most people. The master bedroom is a good place to start if you are considering getting your home in order. This is because it often becomes a catch-all for things that don’t have anywhere to go. Out of season clothes get stored here, books that don’t have shelves, even electronics, mail, and magazines seem to find a cozy home in the master bedroom at times.

The bedroom becomes a problem if we don’t make a point of keeping it in order. Most people only go into the master bedroom to sleep or put away laundry. We don’t spend the waking hours in there that we do in the living room, office or kitchen, so the master bedroom often gets neglected because we don’t have to look at it.

A good place to start is storage. You need to find room for all of those out of season clothes, magazines, mementos, books, and craft supplies. It is perfectly fine to keep all of these things in the bedroom, but you need to acknowledge that you are going to keep them here, and make a space for them.

You will need shelves for books. Get shelves deep enough that you can also use them for storing random small items. Bins and baskets can be put on the shelves and hold all of those little extras, like mementos, batteries, your video camera, and other little things that keep ending up in your bedroom.

A desk is great to have in the master bedroom. You can keep mail and other important papers private by keeping them in the bedroom instead of out in an office area that is more public. Your desk can also be used for craft supplies, a sewing machine, or an extra computer. If you have a lot of stuff to store, consider adding some cabinets around the desk area. Many people are able to utilize a corner unit and store a lot of stuff in a small, usable area.

The last thing to organize in your bedroom is the closet. Clothes hangers should match so that they hang straight. This will keep your clothes from becoming wrinkled and save you from having to re-iron them later. Hangers should be made to fit the clothes that you’re hanging on them. For example, a coat hanger is curved to help wool coats and suits hold their shape. A wood hanger is not only beautiful, but sturdy and smooth enough to use on a lot of different types of clothes.

Add shelving and a space for a laundry basket to the closet by getting shoes onto a shoe rack, luggage stored up high, and blankets stored in vacuum sealed bags. With just a few touches, you can have your closet and your entire master bedroom organized and easy to keep that way.

About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com.

How to Revamp Your Closet

Now is the perfect time of year to give your closet a facelift. The winter clothes are coming out of storage, the holidays are in full swing, and we need to make room for the new things that will be coming into the house. Follow these simple steps to get your closet in order and keep things organized this year.

The first thing to do is to get your winter clothes out and get them organized. Some things you may pull out and realize that you really don’t care for them anymore. They may be out of style, misshapen from being in storage, they don’t fit anymore, or you’re simply just not interested in the garment. Don’t waste closet space on things like this.

Only hang what you really love and see what that looks like in your closet. Do you need some more staples? Some long-sleeved t-shirts, undershirts, layering sweaters and jeans are just some of the basics that you’ll need to keep or replace. The rest of those winter clothes that you’re not sure about can go. Donate them to a charitable organization or ask friends and family if they would like to take some. Have a yard sale to make money for Christmas.

Now do the same thing with the summer clothes that you took out. Go through and get rid of what you didn’t wear or didn’t enjoy wearing last summer. Don’t waste the storage space by keeping more than you need. Clear out all that you can, including shoes, worn out flip-flops, extra tote bags, and old purses. People tend to keep things that are still good, even if they don’t need them. Get rid of as much as possible and your closet will thank you.

Get a good storage system going. A rolling garment rack makes a great place to store clothes that need to stay hung. Large, shallow containers that seal are great for storing clothes under your bed. You can use risers or bed feet that raise your bed up so that you have more storage room underneath.

Now that you’ve thinned the herd, get ready to create a scheme that will help you stay organized. Categorize your winter clothing so that it is easy to find what you need and easy to hang clean clothes when they come out of the laundry. In the winter, it is generally best to hang shirts from warmest to lightest so that you can easily grab what you’ll need.

Hang pants together on pants hangers. A wood hanger is best for hanging heavy canvas pants or jeans while a suit hanger is best for hanging suit pants. Use an actual coat hanger for your coats so that the shoulders don’t get misshapen while they’re hanging. Your hangers should meet the needs of the wardrobe. Clothes hangers come in a lot of different styles, so compare your wardrobe to the ones available on the market to get the best fit.

About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com.

DIY Closet Ideas

Organizing your closet can be a lot of fun when you do it yourself. Die-hard “do it yourselfers” would never pay to have something done that they could do themselves. This is what makes DIY home improvement projects so rewarding. You learn a lot, gain experience, build the confidence that you have in yourself, and end up with a unique product that you can be proud of.

The closet is a good place to start for beginners. Building and installing shelves is a relatively easy DIY project. You can create storage, get organized, and beautify your closet all at the same time.

If you are installing wood shelves, make sure that you have all of the necessary tools. You will most likely need a mitre saw, unless you can have your wood cut at the store. You will also need a power drill, long wood screws, a stud finder, and a level. You can use 1x4 boards to support your shelves, or pick up a few L-brackets.

Wire shelving is really popular because it’s so easy to install and is very sturdy. These wire shelving systems often come with a tool to cut the shelves to the length that you need, and don’t require many tools.

Whatever type of shelf you choose, make sure that you anchor them into studs so that they can hold a lot of weight. Use a level to be certain that each shelf is level. Take a lot of measurements to make sure that you have everything how you want it before you cut. Use a pencil to mark level lines to make the job easier.

The biggest problem in most closets is that they waste available space. To make the most of your space, inventory what you have and how you want it stored in the closet. Draw up a few designs before you settle on one. Sometimes your arrangement of clothes can determine how much room you have. For example, if you hang all of your shorter shirts or folded pants on one side of the closet, then you free up some space near the bottom. This is often enough room for a laundry hamper or bin, drawers, or shoe shelves.

Utilize dividers, bins, or baskets to keep things in order. Stacks of clothes tend to get knocked over and unfolded when you rummage through them looking for what you need. Keep stacks to a minimum, or create dividers and cubbies so that the stacks are not tall. Buckets are great for socks, underwear, and other small things that you keep in your closet.

Finish out the closet with decorative hooks, specialty clothes hangers, lighting and matching bins. Use a wood hanger or coat hanger for heavier items. This will keep the closet looking beautiful because not only are the hangers themselves nice to look at, but they keep your clothing perfectly separated for a clean look. When you are done, you will be proud of what you have accomplished. Your closet will fit your special needs and be much easier to keep organized than before.

About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com.

Design a Coat Closet that Works

A coat closet can become a storage space or your organizational paradise. You may not feel like you have much to work with, because most coat closets are very small. But, you can use these tips to make the most use out of absolutely every inch of that coat closet and get your house in order.

The coat closet is really used for more than just coats. Most families need to store backpacks, their laptops, sports equipment and more in this tiny space, just to keep it from piling up in the living room. The more people you have in the house, the more important it is to organize this space. You can create an easy-to-use system that works for your family.

Everyone has individual needs and habits. The goal here is to work with those habits so that using an organization system in your coat closet comes easy. If someone in your house comes in and kicks off their shoes by the front door every day, then put a bench or cedar box that closes there. The shoes will have a place to go, no more than a couple of feet away from where this person is going to take them off, anyway.

This is the idea that you want to have in your head when you start debating how to organize this little closet. If no one takes off their shoes there, then make another place for shoes by the door. That just frees up more space in the coat closet. You can put bins, boxes, baskets or shelves down there for each family member. They can put their laptop, book bag, sports bag, or other belongings on their own shelf.

It is also a good idea to put hooks, if possible, on the inside walls of the closet. Here you can hang tote bags, purses, scarves and more. If you have about six inches of horizontal space on a wall, you can hang a small basket for each family member down the wall. Hang each one at a descending height congruent with their age, or whatever determining factor you come up with. You can label each basket with their names. They can throw their keys, wallets, phones and change in their own basket, reducing house clutter and time spent searching for things when it’s time to leave the house.

Another great way to organize the closet is to utilize the door space. There are a lot of over-the-door organizers that are perfect for holding things like gloves, hats and scarves in the winter. You may look at pantry door organizers to find one that would most benefit your family. For example, let’s say you get a pantry organizer that has different sized movable baskets. You can have deep baskets for hats, medium ones for scarves, and shallow ones for gloves. You can hang multiple baskets for each family member so that no one has to dig when looking for their other mitten.

Store coats that you don’t use a lot in other closets. Try to keep the coat closet reserved for your everyday items. Use sturdy hangers to hang coats so that they do not break and result in your coats on the floor. Many clothes hangers work great, but a wood hanger or specially designed coat hanger works best.

About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com.

Metal “Wonder” Hangers

There are many ways to get your closet organized. You can add a few shelves or design an elaborate organization system. But, if you’re looking for a fast, easy way to get your closet in order, there is nothing better than to update the types of clothes hangers that you use.

Some hangers can double or triple the space in your closet! Add in a few metal “Wonder” hangers and your closet can be more spacious than you ever imagined, without having to get rid of a lot of clothes or investing a lot of money. Here we’ll discuss how different types of hangers can make your closet look nicer and give you extra space.

Metal hangers are slim and strong, a far cry from flimsy wire hangers that can bend, get tangled and snag your clothes. Metal hangers are solidly constructed and have a heavy gauge. They fit closely together, freeing up space without compromising the fabrics of your clothing.

Velvet hangers are also known as slim line hangers. These hangers are flat, which allows them to also fit very closely together. A lot of people really love these because the velvet coating helps to keep clothes from slipping. Another reason these are so popular is because they come in a wide variety of colors and styles that make your closet look attractive while saving a lot of space.

Specialty clothes hangers are another option. Some hangers are made specifically for certain types of garments. When they’re hung on a hanger that is made for them, they don’t get crammed together and wrinkled, but they still hang very close together. You can use a wood hanger or a coat hanger for your heavier items. Hangers like these are curved in a way that helps suits and coats keep their proper shape while nesting together to preserve space.

Metal "Wonder" hangers are cascading hangers that allows you to hang any type of clothes hanger s on them. They hang on your closet rod. You can hang as many hangers on it as you want and then unhook one end. It lowers on that end and lets the entire rack of clothes hang down from it, taking up the space of only one hanger. Cascading hangers are very popular because they are the easiest, most inexpensive way to make a lot of room in your closet. Metal “Wonder” hangers have a sturdy construction and can hold just about anything that you want to hang from them. In addition, you can use them for belts, purses, totes and more.

Organizing your closet has never been easier. By using the clothes hangers that match your style and needs, you can easily make space. You can purchase a few cascading clothes hangers like the metal “Wonder” hanger and uncover more space than you ever imagined. Throw in the right coat hanger or wood hanger and your closet is going to be a magnificent addition to your home!

About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com.

Keeping Closets Organized

Many homes are built with small closets. Homeowners need to find new and creative ways of either using their space more wisely or expanding their closets to suit their needs. The closet is the space in most homes that is in the most need of organization. Since this is an area of the house that is used daily, it is important to find a system that works for you.

An ideal closet system would have a space for everything that you use daily, plus enough room to store things that you don’t need all the time. We definitely need our closets to store our clothes that we wear every day, but some people need to also store their out of season clothing, linens, socks, jewelry and more. Things end up just crammed into spaces where they cannot be easily accessed, or thrown into boxes where you are likely to not see them for a few months or even years.

You may be thinking that even when you get it organized, it will be a challenge to keep it that way. Keeping the closet neat once you get it organized can be a challenge for most folks. But, by following a few simple guidelines, you can make it easy on yourself. One way to keep it clean is to come up with a system for making sure that everything goes where it is supposed to the first time.

When you fold your laundry, do you do it in the laundry room or in your bedroom? A lot of people find it easiest to keep their closets straight if they hang and fold their clothes as soon as they come out of the dryer. You can use a rolling garment rack near the dryer to hang everything on clothes hangers as soon as they come out. They won’t get wrinkled and they’ll be ready to go directly into the closet.

You may need to mount a permanent hanging rod above your washer and dryer. Stock it with enough clothes hangers that you do not constantly have to return to your closet for more hangers. You can get an inexpensive hanger rack for easily transporting empty hangers from the closet to the laundry room without getting them tangled up.

Hang the things that you use often at about eye level. Avoid storing items that you use a lot lower than your knees or you won’t be able to see where they go very easily, and you’ll end up putting them in another place where they don’t belong.

Use buckets, bins and shelves to store other items around the outside, top and bottom of the closet and label the container. You are less likely to put something into the wrong container if the label is staring you in the face telling you that you are doing it wrong!

Use a sturdy coat hanger or wood hanger that is thick enough not to get tangled or crossed up on the bar. If your clothes hangers stay straight, your closet will have that nice organized appearance that you are looking for.

About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com.

Personalized Closets DIY

Getting that custom closet that you dream of can be a lot cheaper and easier than you ever imagined! There are a lot of closet systems on the market today that are both sturdy and adjustable, making it easy for you to buy and put together an organized closet that is designed with you in mind. If you don’t want to buy an entire closet system, but your closet definitely needs some updating, consider a weekend DIY project and do it yourself.

You may think that you need an entire organization system, but you may be surprised how little you actually need to organize what you have. Take inventory of what is in your closet. This often means dragging everything out, but you need to do that every now and then anyway. When you get everything out, go ahead and clean all of those musty, ignored areas. Vacuum the floor, dust the shelves, take down boxes, get everything out.

Go through storage boxes and see if you actually need to dedicate your precious closet space to these items. What are you storing? College books? Board games? Photos? Sometimes we store things that we really could get rid of. We just don’t want to waste things, so we store them.

Getting rid of things does not necessarily mean that you have to throw them away. It means that you should use it, give it away, sell it, recycle it, or throw it out. Some people make themselves feel better about getting rid of things by selling them and using the money to invest in their new closet. You’ll be so happy about the space that you created that you won’t miss that box that was taking up half of your only shelf for five years.

Okay, so you’ve gotten rid of all that you can stand. Now on to determining your needs. What do you have that takes up the most space? Is it coats, shoes or craft projects? Determine what will take up the most room and design around it. If you have a lot of sewing supplies, you might want to start with a series of adjustable shelves for storing fabrics, bins of materials, yarn, your sewing machine and your sewing kit. Decide what size and type of shelves you will need. You may also decide to go with drawers. Drawers keep things out of sight and also keep dust off of your projects.

Shoes can be stored in a variety of ways. If shelves seem to take up too much space for shoes, then consider using space that is normally ignored. The back of the door is a good spot for keeping shoes in an organizer. The interior walls may be better for you. You can install a series of hooks all over the front walls of your closet and hang your shoes there. Just because you have a lot of something doesn’t mean that it has to take up the most space.

Be creative and design the closet that meets your personal needs. Update your closet hardware with sturdy coat hangers for heavy items. Choosing wood hangers will not only keep your clothing from getting misshapen, but will also be sturdy enough and stylish enough to last you for many years. Once your closet is done, you can be proud that you did it yourself.

About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com.

Coat Closet Woes

When you organize your home, don’t overlook the coat closet. The coat closet is an important central area that should not be ignored. If you think about it, your family’s day can be impacted by the state of your coat closet every day.

We use our coat closets to keep the entrances to our homes inviting and clear. With kids coming in and out with backpacks, sports equipment, shoes, coats, gloves and so forth, we really need to have the coat closet prepared. Besides holding the kids’ things, we also stow our brief cases, laptops, purses, jackets and tote bags in the coat closet. So, you see, it gets a lot of traffic. The average family member probably visits and uses the coat closet about twice a day.

Getting the coat closet organized can keep your home in working order. There’s nothing worse than starting out every day behind schedule, searching for important items, and not being able to find the things that we need to get our day moving. Additionally, if everyone comes home and throws their things down in the entryway, then it can quickly become a heap of junk that is impossible to keep under control.

Make a list of everything that your coat closet needs to hold. Start with the bulkiest items and work your way down to gloves and mittens. Coats, of course, are usually number one on the list. You will need to make sure that you have room to keep your coats from being crammed together. Coats need to have space between them so that they can dry after being exposed to snow, rain or even just humidity. A good rule of thumb here is to not keep every coat that you own in the coat closet. Keep the coats that you wear every day in the coat closet just so you can find them easily when you need them. This will help keep space clear for all of those other daily items that you need handy.

The next big thing to organize is back packs, brief cases and laptop bags. Most people can just install heavy duty hooks up the sides of each closet wall. But, if you have room, you can put in shelves that are deep enough and tall enough to hold your bags. If you do use shelves, then you probably still have room for hooks where you can hang your purse, totes and other smaller items that need a place to go.

For really small items, consider an over-the-door organizer. One with moveable baskets is great for dividing up items by type or by who owns them. The lowest basket can be for the youngest family member and the highest for the oldest or tallest family member. Baskets make great ventilated storage for hats, scarves and mittens. They’ll be easy to grab and go if they’re not all crammed in a box or thrown in a pile.

Keep baskets and bins for each family member’s personal small items. Use sturdy wood hangers to keep coats from ending up on the floor or misshapen at the shoulders. Get your coat closet organized and your family mornings will be much more pleasant!

About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com.

Wardrobe Closet Ideas

Wardrobe closets are becoming very popular. These are not closet organizing systems or shelving that goes in your closet. A wardrobe closet is a wall unit that turns empty space into a dream storage area. Installing a wardrobe closet can give you all of the space that you need. This option also frees up the closet area for storage. If it is done right, it can improve the beauty and organization of your bedroom.

Wardrobe closets can be built or designed to fit anywhere in your home. If you don’t have much space, you might consider a corner unit. A long empty wall is also a good option. If you are in a studio style apartment or want to conceal your belongings, you can attach cabinet doors or hang a curtain to keep your wardrobe under wraps. But, chances are, you are going to want to show this off!

Start by creating an inventory list of your clothing, shoes, jewelry, whatever you want to store. Stack everything how you will want it and measure how deep, tall and wide you want each shelf. You can install one long hanging bar, or break it down into a few shorter bars. This "boutique style" can add to the beauty of your wardrobe closet.

You can use dowel rods or hanging bars for your hanging space. If you buy hanging bars, get a pipe cutter to make it a custom length. These are inexpensive at your local home improvement store and they are easy to use. Design shelves flanked by hanging clothes. Create unique storage spaces for baskets and bins. You can place anything in them, from delicates to camera battery chargers. Bins and baskets help your wardrobe closet look organized while keeping certain items out of sight.

You may decide to install cabinet doors and drawers. You can buy these prefabricated for a professional look. You may decide to make a large space at the bottom for laundry. With a couple of hinges, you can install a swinging door where you can quickly toss dirty laundry into the hidden laundry basket below.

Finish out the bottom and top of your system with trim boards or crown molding for a really polished look. Interesting drawer pulls and cabinet handles can make your hand-made closet look really professional.

Create spaces for shoes, stacks of shirts and even linens if you wish. You can have sliding valet bars, swing-out towel drying racks, rotating tie hangers or whatever your specific needs call for. Use cedar to build your wardrobe closet if you would like to keep odors and moisture at bay. If you want to stain and varnish your finished work, use cedar coat hangers or cedar accessories in the shoe and laundry areas.

About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com.

Coat Closet: DIY Home Organization

Organizing a coat closet can be a real challenge. After all, there is a lot more to that closet than coats. Coat closets are usually near the front door, which means that they can quickly become a catch-all for everything from backpacks to sports equipment, keys and wallets to craft supplies. We often need more storage than our home has, so the coat closet becomes a convenient place to keep things that we want to keep close at hand. Use these tips to create spaces for everything that you want to keep in your coat closet.

The first rule for organizing any closet is to get rid of the junk. Throw out whatever you can. Make a stack of trash, important paperwork or artwork, things to give away and things to keep. With a coat closet that’s cluttered with everything, you may also want to pile up everything that needs to get out of the coat closet and be put away in other rooms.

Enlist help from the family. Kids and idle couch lurkers can be put to good use. Ask them to put away five things from the pile, take out the trash, file the paperwork or bag up things to give to charity. Before you know it, the piles will be disappearing from behind you.

Clean the closet well while it is empty. Use cedar coat hangers or cedar closet accessories to absorb moisture and odors. This is especially important in coat closets because wet boots, jackets, backpacks and umbrellas are often stored here. Moisture can lead to mold and mildew as well as foul odors if you don’t use cedar.

Now is the time to make some plans. Try to find room where you didn’t know you had it. When you hang a coat, how many inches from the back wall is it? Four inches? Eight inches? This is valuable storage space that can go unnoticed. Carefully remove the screws from the hanging bar and move it back. Coat hangers should almost touch the wall. Now you have a few extra inches in the front corners of the closet.

Most people can create enough space in the front to install 12” cubby hole shelving in the front two corners. These are very useful in a coat closet because you can put baskets, bins and containers in each cubby. Label the baskets so that everyone can quickly find what they need. Each family member can have a bin for their own gloves and scarves, wallet and keys, etc. You can build the cubby system as high as you would like. Hooks can be installed down the back side for purses, umbrellas, tote bags loaded with grab and go supplies, and hats.

Use sturdy coat hangers to finish it off. Your closet will have a place for everything and help you keep the rest of the house clutter free.

About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com .

DIY Closet Tips

Do you approach your walk-in closet knowing that it will be impossible to walk in? Is everything so crammed in that you genuinely worry for your own safety as you open the door? You can make space in your closet without spending a lot of money or time. Use these quick tips to save time, money and create space where you didn’t have it before.

1) First, decide what you no longer want to store in your closet and make a space for it elsewhere. Sports equipment can go in a garage or spare room. Sporting equipment storage bins are helpful for organizing a lot of equipment. Large duffel bags work well for keeping pads, shoes and gear for each family member separate. Projects like scrapbooking, knitting, paints and photo equipment can be placed in bins to keep them separate from your clothing and shoes.

2) Now you are ready to dig in. Set up boxes or make space for organization piles. Separate trash, things that can go into storage elsewhere, things that can go to family, friends or charity, and things that will remain in the closet. Simply pull everything out and throw it into a pile or box.

3) Clean the shelves and floor of your closet. It may not be completely empty again for a long time! Throw away all of the trash and store things that won’t go back into your closet. Assess the storage situation by separating everything that will stay in the closet into piles. If you have a lot of shoes, you may consider a shoe rack, whichever kind fits best in your closet. Ties can go on a specialty tie hanger. Hats and purses can be stored on shelves or hooks. An over the door shoe rack with shoe inserts as hangers makes a great place for storing baseball caps where you can see them.

4) When you are ready to hang your clothes, consider each piece of clothing. Do you really need to keep it? Does it still fit? Have you worn it in the last year or two? Is it out of date? Most people can get rid of almost half of their clothes, create a lot of space and never miss a thing. If you have a lot or share a closet with someone, then you may need to create storage for out of season clothing. If you still don’t have a lot of space, you may want to use specialty hangers that allow you to cascade outfits, skirts, shorts and shirts, hanging up to five items on each hanger.

5) Arrange your clothing from short to long or separate work clothes from casual clothes. Hang your coats on wooden coat hangers so that they keep their shape and don’t fall to the floor. You can make more space using specialty hangers than you ever imagined!

About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com .

Getting Your Closet Organized Fast

Organizing your closet can be fun and fulfilling. Do it yourself instead of hiring a professional. You will get your closet just how you want it without spending much money or relying on someone else's judgment.

Make a plan for yourself and follow these rules:

1) Get rid of everything you possibly can.

2) Give clothing, shoes, purses, belts, ties and coats to a charity that accepts clothing donations. These items are often tax deductible.

3) Items that are in good enough condition can be sold to consignment shops or put out in a garage sale. If you have trouble selling or giving away clothes that mean something to you, go shopping for new items. Set a goal for how much money you need to make to replace the old items with new ones.

4) Commemorate heirlooms. Take photographs of important articles so that you can enjoy them after they are gone. If they are very important to you, then you should have them sealed in an acid free box so that they will last for generations to come. Otherwise, keep a scrap of fabric or just the photo.

5) Get rid of shoes, belts and purses. Many people keep shoes, belts and handbags for many, many years. These items may still be good, but they gave you a blister, or they don't match anything. Maybe they are just out of date. Give those items to a charity, or have a swap party. Friends can get together and bring all of their gently used purses, belts, hats and shoes. Use dice to determine who goes first and take turns swapping items. When everyone has what they want, you can donate the rest to charity.

6) Sometimes we just want to keep those cute clothes that no longer fit. If it is possible for you to get back into them, keep them. Just store them outside of your every day closet. Large containers can be labeled with signs that dictate the size or weight you need to be to get into them. You do not have to get rid of them if you get them out of the way for a while. Then it will be so exciting when you are able to take down that box and swap out the wardrobes.

Update your closet with some high quality wood hangers to complete the task of organizing your closet. It will give you great joy to see your closet spacious, neat and uncluttered. Getting organized does not take long and it is well worth the effort.

About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com.

Custom Coat Closets

Design a coat closet that suits your taste and your style. From choosing the right hanger to creating space you did not know you had, these tips will get your brain turning so that you can create the closet of your dreams.

1) Sensible: The sensible coat closet is only filled with coats and winter accessories. The scarves, hats and gloves should all have a special place to go. Their cubbies or containers should be well ventilated to allow for drying. Cedar coat hangers should be used to absorb moisture and prevent mildew. They also protect coats from moths and bad smells that can build up in a closet that is seldom open or is often exposed to dampness.

2) Cheap and Easy: If you do not want to spend a fortune organizing your coat closet, but you need to create some serious space, then you will need some specialty hangers. To create space and avoid that cram-packed look, use hangers with clips and hooks to take the place of drawers and shelves. Not only will this save you money, but space and time as well. Hang accessories, such as ties, vests, scarves and hats on hangers designed to cascade them down. You can put multiple coordinating or like items on one hanger and save yourself some space. Use slim line coat hangers to get that sturdiness that you need with the slim fit that you desire.

3) Organization Lover: The organization lover needs a special place for everything that they own. The coat closet will not be left out. This is, after all, where you come when you are in a hurry to get out the door. You need it to be organized to serve its purpose. This is where space can seriously become an issue. Bulky coats and the need to store everything from shoes to bookbags can leave you feeling helpless. But, with just a few additions, you can get it organized. Over-the-door hangers and pantry organizers can give you a place to put all of those tiny objects that need to be close at hand, but not stuffed in a bin somewhere. Gloves, keys, phones, tote bags, sunscreen, hats and more can be easily stored in separate bins on the door organizer. Use special hangers for each family member and your closet will be organized in no time.

4) Coat Collector: If you have a lot of coats, you are probably a true coat lover. Make sure you take care of your treasured collection by using special coat hangers. Wood hangers or cedar hangers are best for taking care of your coats. They are correctly shaped to keep shoulders from slumping or slipping on to the floor. They keep coats ever so slightly separated so that they do not become crammed and damaged. Cedar hangers protect them from moisture, odor and pests.

Choose the type of coat closet that best suits you. Make sure that you purchase the proper coat hangersfor your needs and you will be on your way to the coat closet you have always dreamed of.


About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com .

Coat Closet Tips

Coat closets usually hold a lot of storage items alongside items that you use every day. The unusual array of stuff can lead to disorganization and clutter. Many people do not know where to start when organizing a coat closet. It may seem like an insurmountable task when everything is packed in so tight that you cannot imagine making space in there.

First you should make a list of things that you do not like about the closet. For example, there may be a mountain of boots and shoes. It can be nearly impossible to find two of a kind without digging through and pulling everything out. Do you use your coat closet for wet snow boots? That can lead to mildew and a smell that is hard to get out of your coats. Maybe you have some plastic drawers that make it hard to tell what is stored in there and why it needs to be in the coat closet at all.

Many people have lots of coats that take up a lot of space. If you have nine foot ceilings, you have plenty of space for two levels of coats. You may want to invest a little in a hanger retriever, which helps you retrieve hangers from the top bar. They are very inexpensive and easy to use. This one trick can help you double your closet space.

If you have a lot of shorter coats or blazers, or a lot of children’s coats, you can get away with putting two bars in a closet with an eight foot ceiling. If you do not have a lot of coats and could use more storage for shoes, purses, scarves and blankets, you may be able to put a bar on each side of the closet. Then you will have lots of free space for installing shelves, drawers and cubbies on the back wall. Hooks are useful for tote bags and other items that you don’t want to pile up on the floor.

If you feel like you need to use drawers, try clear acrylic drawers so that you can easily see what is inside. Bins and baskets can help keep things organized with like items. If you need to store large bulky items, such as quilts or blankets, consider vacuum storage bags. Sucking the air out of these bags makes a big blanket take up a tiny space. Plus, you can still see what is inside.

To keep odors, moisture and mildew at bay, use cedar coat hangers in your coat closet. Getting organized will make your day and life run much smoother.

About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com .

Get Your Closet Summer Ready

It is time to store away those warm winter clothes and welcome the summer months. The first step in getting your summer closet organized is to remove just about everything from the closet. Use the bed as a staging area to streamline your assessment. Separate your winter clothes from your summer clothes and get ready to organize.

Big coats and bulky sweaters take up so much space. Use specialty coat hangers to ensure that your coats are not badly wrinkled or misshapen during summer storage. You can usually stow them near the back of the closet or in a spare bedroom. Get boxes, plastic containers or big plastic bags for the rest of your winter wardrobe. If you put them into a garage or basement, make sure that they are airtight. If you need to create room for the winter clothes, consider using large shallow containers that will slide under your bed.

Winter boots and shoes are not really usable in the summer, so put them away, too. Store them with an open box of baking soda, cedar closet accessories or dryer sheets to help keep odors at bay. Shoes can smell when bacteria build up. Here’s a trick for you. A good way to kill the bacteria is to freeze your shoes before you store them. Put them in large plastic bags that seal and stow them in the freezer overnight. Store them for the summer and you will find that they are fresh when you take them out again.

Summer clothes do not take up much room, but you may have more items that need to be organized. Beach bags, swim suits, swim cover-ups and beach towels may be added to your closet this summer. Use a small dresser or install some small cubby-hole shelving in a corner of your closet to keep these items organized.

We go through a lot of clothing in the summer months. We sweat, garden, swim and work in our summer clothes, so there can be a lot of laundry. Get a good system down so that laundry does not sneak up on you and get out of control. Place a small bin in your closet or near your closet that is just for wet or sweaty clothing. This can be kept separate from your other laundry and washed often to avoid mildew. It also keeps items that you wear over and over, like your swim suit, clean and handy when you need them.

Keep a couple of outfits out of storage for unseasonably cool weather. Most people find that two pairs of jeans and a light sweater are sufficient, depending on the climate where you live.

You can help keep your dressers clutter free by installing a shelf in your closet. Small shelves are perfect for stacking summer items, like shorts and towels. In the winter, you can use the shelves for bins that contain scarves and gloves.

Another option is to buy specialty hangers. Skirt hangers are great for hanging shorts. They are easy to find when they are hanging and you will not have to fold and refold shorts that have been dug through in the dresser drawer. The skirt hanger cascades items so that it holds around four pairs of shorts at once without wrinkling them. They take up very little space this way.

Remember to use coat hangers for your winter coats and suits, specialty skirt hangers for shorts and you can even add cascading hooks to your hangers to save space in your closet. You will be summer ready in no time.

About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com.