DIY Closet Organization Ideas

Many people realize that their closet isn’t working when it gets overcrowded and disorganized. Closets that make insufficient use of space can be frustrating and overwhelming. Use these ideas to get your closet under control and your home back in order.

1) Lots of people are turning away from bulky, expensive furniture for clothes storage and vamping up their closets instead. Storing everything in drawers can cause them to become wrinkled. You have to cram things in once the drawer is full. Then, you have to rummage through, unfolding and wrinkling items in order to find what you’re looking for. Having everything out in front of you in a closet is a great way to make managing your wardrobe more efficient and effective.

2) Take a look at how you do things. Do you fold your t-shirts? Hang only button-down shirts and sweaters? Do you keep your socks in your closet? Your personal needs should be considered before you design a closet system. Using shelves is one way to make room for winter and summer clothes, so that you don’t have to switch out wardrobes when the seasons change. This can significantly cut down on the labor and storage space that it takes to swap out clothing every few months.

3) Here’s an example of a closet that holds winter and summer clothes. Start with two hanging bars on one side. This will be where all of your pants, long sleeved shirts, dresses, suits, and coats will go. On the other side of the closet, you can install all shelves. Fold and stack all of your t-shirts on one shelf. If you share a closet with someone, divide the shelf so that it can keep your shirts separate. Now, use the next shelf for shorts and sportswear. Use baskets and bins for socks, underwear, swimwear, gloves, hats, or whatever else you have that needs to be separated.

4) Continue organizing by making space for all of the little things that you keep in your closet. Use hooks for things like robes, baseball caps, and purses. Use specialty hangers for scarves, belts, ties, and skirts. Your clothes hangers can make a big difference in how much you are able to keep in your closet. A sturdy wood hanger or coat hanger should be used for heavier coats and suits. However, you can use hangers that save more space, like cascading hangers or slim hangers. With the right arrangement and the right closet accessories, you can have the organized space that you dream 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.

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.

Build a Closet Out of the Closet DIY

Closets are notoriously cluttered and too small. You can organize, create storage, use vertical space, but you still may be left feeling like whoever designed your closet must have been a minimalist. Sometimes it is helpful to build space outside of the closet to expand on your storage space.

Closets outside of the closet are becoming more and more popular. These are commonly called wardrobe closets. Some people use extra dressers or an armoire for extra space. You can also use a rolling garment rack for more room. These usually have a zip-up cover and make a great space for storing out of season clothing, coats, or suits. But, if you want something more permanent that you can use for your everyday clothes, then you might consider a wardrobe closet.

The designs for wardrobe closets are really endless. For an industrial feel, you could hang a metal bar from chains attached to the ceiling. Place a shelf below for shoes and you’re done. You might dress it up a little by using sturdy metal hangers or black velvet hangers.

If the industrial feel is not for you, you can go with something more classic. Wooden shelves always look beautiful and are very sturdy. Decorative wooden brackets can turn a board into a beautiful work of art. If you’re into do it yourself projects, this one is really simple. Take your sculpted brackets and a board for a shelf and stain them to whatever color you want. Use a good varnish to finish it off and hang it.

You can even buy prefabricated shelves with hanging bars, perfect for extra hanging storage. Get some decorative baskets or bins for the tops of the shelves. Top it off with some nice clothes hangers, like a wood hanger or coat hanger and you’re done.

If you need even more space, consider some cabinetry. Cabinets can be purchased unfinished so that you can stain them whatever color you would like. Another option is to go with cedar and some cedar hangers, giving your wardrobe closet a really unique and beautiful look. You can install cabinets with hanging bars in between the different sections.

Another way to do it is to build an encased exterior closet. Install your shelves, bars and cabinets like normal, then encase it in solid pieces of wood. This “built-in” look is really popular. Add some finishing touches to make it your own and to keep it from looking homemade. You can use small 1”x2” boards on the fronts of each shelf. Use more to line the sides of the whole closet. With a little bit of crown moulding around the top and bottom, you’ve got yourself a professional looking closet outside of the closet. Use matching, high-end clothes hangers to keep the look sophisticated and you’re all done.

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.

Build Your Own Unique Custom Closet DIY

Closets have gone from an ignored portion of the house to a home selling point in the last few years. People are spending tens of thousands of dollars on their closet systems and even turning whole rooms into closets, which are really more like posh boutique dressing rooms. Professional closet designers report all sorts of lavish requests for closet designs, including espresso machines, pedicure chairs, refrigerators, mini bars and more. Couches, chairs, granite counter tops and motorized shoe racks aren’t at all uncommon. You can use some of these ideas to turn your boring closet into a thing of beauty and convenience, even if you don’t have a lot of room or money to work with.

Just adding a few conveniences will make your closet more usable. If you are starting with a standard hanging bar and high shelf, you may need to add some basics before you really deck it out. You can inexpensively add wooden shelves if you do it yourself. Building shelves is not all that hard. You will need precise measurements when you buy your wood. You may be able to get it cut at the hardware store when you purchase it, but you may have to have, rent or borrow a miter saw.

Design a closet system that fits your space and meets your needs by pulling everything out and categorizing it. This part can be really fun. Purchase a stud finder if you don’t have one already, and make sure that you secure all shelves into studs.

You may have space between studs to add recessed shelves, which look really nice and add a lot of storage without using any space. Measure out the space between the studs, mark it off with a ruler, then remove the drywall using a steak knife or drywall knife. Stain and varnish the wood that you would like to use. Simply use wood glue to frame out the hole on the top, bottom and sides. Screw in 1x2 guide rails on each side and back, then place the shelf on top. You can use wood glue to secure the shelves and give them a nice finished out appearance.

Install the larger shelves in your closet. You can easily attach rails fro drawers underneath the shelves and use almost no room. You can buy drawers that are already built or build them yourself. An interesting drawer pull will make your closet unique. Drawer organizers can make a perfect place to store rolled ties, jewelry and more. You can even install a child lock on the drawer if you need to store valuables or dangerous items. A magnetic entry child lock cannot be seen from the outside or opened by an adult without the magnet entry key.

You can install valet bars, baskets, multiple level bars, shoe organizers and more to finish out your custom closet. Top it all off with some sturdy wood hangers that match your stain. A good coat hanger can keep your clothes from ending up on the floor and give your closet that upscale appearance that you’re going for. Have fun designing the closet of your dreams!


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 .