Your closets don't have to be cluttered.
Your whole house is clean and organized. Or so it seems. Just don't open that bedroom closet. Don't open the linen closet off the kitchen, either, or the one in your home office. Old magazines, never-read books, half-empty bottles of cleaning solution, clothes that you haven't worn in years--they're all filling your closets, making opening them a constant adventure. Fortunately, you can eliminate the clutter in your closets by following some simple organizational rules. Does this Spark an idea?
Organize and Eliminate
The most important strategy that homeowners can use to keep their closets free from clutter is to organize and eliminate.
First, go through your closets, whether bedroom, linen or coat, and group like items with like items. For instance, gather all your children's mittens, hats, gloves and scarves, and keep them in a storage container for winter items. Take all of your bleaches, disinfectants and window cleaners and keep them on the same shelf in your kitchen storage closet. For clothes closets, you can organize your shirts, blouses, pants and other items by season. Once you do this, you'll at least have some structure in your messy closets.
Next, eliminate items that you no longer need. If you see that you have six half-empty bottles of window cleaner, for example, it might be time to cull your supply. If you have five identical black T-shirts, it might be time to narrow that supply down to two. Remember, too, that you can donate many extra items in your closets to charities and other organizations that could use them.
Shelving and Storage Units
Many homeowners struggle to keep their closets organized because they don't have the right materials. They need to purchase low-cost shelving and storage organizers to gain control over their closet clutter.
Shelves are a great way to keep your pants, shirts and other clothing items in neat and tidy piles. You can also hang your more formal outfits from plastic hangers that attach neatly to your shelving units.
Plastic storage bins and closet organizers are a great way to store out-of-season clothing, freeing up space for your in-season outfits.
It's not just clothes closets that can benefit from organizers and shelving. Storage bins are a great place for all those extra towels and wash clothes cluttering your bathroom linen closet. Shelves and storage units also provide handy ways to organize your cleaning and home office supplies.
A Change of Seasons
Sometimes the best way to organize a closet is to give it a face-lift when the seasons change. This works especially well with clothes closets. When summer arrives, pack up your cold-weather clothing and store it in your attic or a safe place in your garage. Take your boots and store them in the basement.
This leaves you with a closet that's not nearly as full and is organized specifically for the current season, which makes it far easier to select the right outfit for the day.
Tags: clothes closets, half-empty bottles, home office, keep their, keep their closets
