HOW TO MAKE YOUR CLOSET MORE EFFICIENT

Are you tired of having to fight your closet to not only find what you need, but to get it out? Many people end up cramming things into their closet in an effort to get organized and hang a lot of their clothes. You may think that you're out of space, but with just a few adjustments, you can create extra space while making your items easy to keep organized and simple to get to. Use these tips to adjust the way that you hang things in your closet, creating the efficient use of space that you've been dreaming of.

Many people do not use the space that is available to them. They're basically trying to fit a square peg into a round hole by cramming their belongings into a space that wasn't designed to hold them all. Try to think outside of the box and figure out how you could use space that is available to you up high, near the front, or around the bottom of your closet.

You may be able to move your hanging bar up and add another one down below. Don't be afraid to hang things higher than normal. You can buy an inexpensive hanger retriever and easily retrieve garments that are too high to reach.

See if you can make room to add shelves in your closet. Often times we need to store more than clothing in our closets, and we didn't really plan out how we would fit those extra items. Installing some shelves or cabinets up the front corners or to the side of your hanging clothes can give you the extra storage space that you need to keep those things out of sight.

Using hangers that are designed to save you space can possibly be the biggest help. Hanging your pants on regular hangers can make them hang down too low, wasting space below your bottom bar. It is also kind of a hassle to put pants and slacks on the hanger and then have to remove the hanger from the bar to pull them off. Slipping and creasing can also be major hassles. Use an open ended pants hanger to raise all of your pants up higher off the floor making room below. The open edge means that you don't have to remove the hanger from the bar to get the pants on and off of the hanger. Rubberized grips keep your pants hanging securely in place.

You can use whichever hangers help you to stay organized. Wood hangers and cedar hangers are great for larger items, but your lighter clothing can be hung on different specialty hangers. Cascading hangers are also great for making more horizontal space in your closet. Coordinate outfits, group skirts, pants and shirts together, and save even more space.

About the Author: Ron Maier is on the staff of Only Hangers.