Monthly Archives: October 2009

31 October, 2009
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Changing Seasons: Closet Organization

Closet organization is a hard thing to maintain if you don’t plan ahead for the changing seasons. Switching from warm weather to cold weather wear can make your closet suddenly get overcrowded and disorganized. There are a few different techniques to make the switch easier on you and lessen the work that needs to be done when the weather starts to change.

One option is to keep your out of season clothing in the same closet as your current wardrobe. If you have enough room, you can install shelves up each side of the closet. Find boxes that fit and store your out of season wardrobe there. When the time comes to switch, you can simply switch out the clothes. You can pull out a few things when the season begins without leaving the boxes out in the way while you wait for the time when you’ll need the whole wardrobe.

If you don’t have that kind of space, you may be able to make room on the floor or top shelf of your closet. It may be helpful to move your hanging bar up a little higher to accommodate large plastic storage containers. You can store the out of season clothes there and they will be easy to get to when you start needing to pull out a few items for slightly different weather. If you hang your pants on one side and longer shirts, dresses and coats on the other, then you can free up some space to place containers underneath the pants.

If there really is no room in your closet to store both your summer and winter wardrobes, then there are more options. Shallow plastic storage containers can easily slide underneath the bed. Here they will be hidden from sight, but still easily accessible.

Another option is a rolling garment rack. You can hang your wardrobe here, put a cover over it and store the clothes in a seldom used corner or spare room. The cover will keep the dust off and the garment rack can be moved if necessary.

You can use a smaller rack than you might think if you utilize space saving hangers. The most popular slim hangers are velvet hangers. They are very flat, yet sturdy. The velvet creates a non-slip surface that ensures your clothes won’t end up wrinkled on the floor. You can purchase hooks that allow you to cascade velvet hangers together so that many items only take up the room of one hanger.

Space saving hangers are also useful in your closet. They can double or even triple the amount of space available on your hanging bar. You may be able to leave all of your clothes hanging year round and never worry about storage and the seasonal wardrobe switch again.

About the Author: Rick Miller is on the staff of Only Slimline Hangers, a leading online resource for velvet hangers which are space saving hangers, non slip hangers and slim line hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyslimlinehangers.com.

22 October, 2009
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Small Apartment Organization

Living in a small apartment can feel suffocating at times, but some people actual prefer living in a tiny space. You can conquer the cramped in feeling by following these organizational tips that are great for occupants of tiny homes.

The first thing to do is to identify your problem areas. Tackle one thing at a time. If you end up using a chair, counter top, end table, or a desk as the holding area for your keys, wallet, mail, jackets and lap top, then you probably need to start there.

This little area of clutter can make you feel weighed down. That is because you have to dig through it every time you are leaving the house. Starting off your morning by having to deal with a disorganized situation is not going to contribute to a sunny disposition! This problem is relatively easy to fix. You may only need to install a couple of hooks, a shelf, or a shelf with coat hooks beneath. If you have a small desk, it will work great for keeping your phone, MP3 and camera chargers handy. Just make sure that you designate a special area for these things. Don’t let it invade your computer desk or kitchen.

A coat closet is extremely useful for saving space. If you are in a tiny apartment, you probably have a tiny coat closet or no coat closet at all! If you don’t have one, invest a little in a shelf with a hanging rod. These are relatively inexpensive and can hold a lot of weight. You can hang it wherever you have a little wall space.

Whether you use a wall mounted hanging rod or a coat closet, you need to make the most of the space. Use space saving hangers that are sturdy enough to hold your heavy winter coats. Slim, velvet hangers are a good choice. They come in an array of colors that you can match up with your décor. The non-slip surface helps keep your coats and jackets neatly hung without having to zip them up or fasten the buttons.

The next biggest place that usually needs organization is the bedroom. The bedroom is where we tend to hide junk that we want out of sight. Of course, you should get rid of as much as possible out of your bedroom. Next, create some space for bulky items. The easiest way to do this is to buy a bed with big drawers underneath, or place your bed on risers.

Store your blankets, out of season clothes, luggage, and bulky sweaters, underneath the bed. This should free up some space in your closet. Utilize door space for hanging shoes or other small items that need somewhere to go. Build small shelves up the front corners of the closet if you can. Hang hooks where ever you can to keep items out of the way.

Make extra space in the closet by using more space saving hangers. Velvet hangers are great in bedroom closets, too, because they come in many different styles. Some velvet hangers have a few sections so that you can hang many pairs of pants on one hanger. You can buy hanger accessories, such as, cascading hooks and finger clips, so that your space saving hangers can be used for anything that you own.

About the Author: Rick Miller is on the staff of Only Slimline Hangers, a leading online resource for velvet hangers which are space saving hangers, non slip hangers and slim line hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyslimlinehangers.com.

15 October, 2009
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How to Manage a Tiny Closet

1. Select your best wardrobe. The bottom line is that we have to get rid of as much as possible. Make it an ongoing effort. Keep a bag hanging from a hook inside the closet for things that you don’t think you’ll wear again.

2. Hang almost everything. The less bins, shelves and folding you have to do, the better. If you can take your clothes out of the dryer, lay all of your shirts and pants flat, mate your socks and toss your underwear into a bin, then doing laundry will be a snap. Slide space saving hangers, like velvet hangers, into the clothes and throw them on the bar. It’s so fast and easy that it barely takes more time than pulling the clothes out of the dryer. It’s much easier to keep things organized if you have an easy system to follow.

3. Design an efficient space. If everything has a place, then you’ll never have clutter again. If you need to, designate an area, bag, box or bin for things that don’t have a place yet. If you get dressed in front of your closet, then you should have your laundry basket right there. Don’t let clothes get piled up or it will feel less organized every day. You have to commit just a little bit to keeping your closet neat.

4. Utilize unused space. There may be space where you haven’t noticed it before. Can you move back your closet rod and free up some space in the front corners for shelves? What about moving the bar and shelf up so that you have room for a second bar down low for pants? Get creative. If you see some square footage not being utilized, figure out how you can use it.

5. Get seasonal storage out of there. How many of you keep your ski clothing and hiking boots in your closet even though you only use them a few times a year? Do you have a dress coat that you only wear on special occasions? What about sentimental clothing, Christmas decorations, or sports equipment? All of these things can easily clutter up your closet space and make it unusable. Consider putting risers on your bed so that you can store these things underneath in airtight containers. Or, seal them up and store them in a garage. Keep only what you need in your everyday closet and ban the rest.

6. Use stackable bins. Baskets and bins are wonderful, especially if you have some shelves to dedicate to holding them. If your closet is truly tiny, you may be better off going for some inexpensive stackable bins. They take up less space, don’t require shelves, and they’re usually clear so that you can easily see what is inside.

7. Choose hangers wisely. There is no reason to have a closet full of mismatched hangers, flimsy plastic or wire hangers. There are so many high-quality space saving hangers on the market today, that there is no excuse for keeping your closet in the dark ages of crossed up necks, damaged clothes, and clothing lost to the floor mountain. Use slim velvet hangers to keep clothes neatly close together, wrinkle free, and securely on the hanger. Cascading velvet hangers are wonderful space saving hangers that allow you to really maximize space. Velvet hanger accessories also let you piggy-back pants and shirts, getting your wardrobe ready to wear in a tiny amount of space.

About the Author: Rick Miller is on the staff of Only Slimline Hangers, a leading online resource for velvet hangers which are space saving hangers, non slip hangers and slim line hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyslimlinehangers.com.

5 October, 2009
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Closet Space Saving Accessories

Most closets get packed full over time. People need a place to store things out of sight and the closet is often the target. Ideally, we would not store things in our closets. We would only have the clothing and shoes in there that we need fairly regularly. But, sometimes that’s just not possible. So, we need to figure out ways to more efficiently and effectively use the little closet space that we have.

Baskets and bins are becoming very popular because they keep smaller items organized and out of sight, but they are still accessible. Use them for socks, underwear, belts, ties, or whatever you need to keep in the closet that doesn’t hang. A small series of shelves in the front corner of the closet can hold all of these bins and baskets, making them easily accessible, giving everything its own place, and not taking up hardly any space.

You can use plastic containers that close and stack for lots of things. Pictures, stockings, jewelry, art supplies, and more can be stored in easily accessed containers. You can stack these high on a shelf and they don’t take up much space at all. Use clear plastic containers so that you can see what is inside. Or, you can label them.

You can also use clear plastic boxes for shoes. Stackable ones can be stacked on the floor, you don’t even need a shelf for them. Keeping your shoes in boxes like this will keep your shoes from losing a mate, getting crushed and misshapen by other shoes, and from getting dusty and scuffed. They are so easy to find and you can even categorize them for easier use. Dress shoes can go in one section, work shoes in another, and casual shoes in another section.

Shoes are often in a pile at the bottom of the closet. If you don’t put them into boxes, then you should get an over-the-door organizer that holds a lot of shoes. If you have accordion doors, then try installing a shelf at the bottom of the closet. A low shelf will double the amount of space you have for shoes without taking up much space.

For your clothes that hang, there are quite a few options. You can invest a little in some cascading hangers that allow you to hang a few like items on one hanger. There are many space saving hangers on the market today. One of the best designs is in the velvet hanger. These hangers are slim, strong, and have a soft, non-slip surface. They look nice, last long, and help you clothes to hang in a way that they don’t take up much space, but they also don’t get smashed together or crossed up on the bar.

Saving space with closet accessories and space saving hangers, like the velvet hangers, in your closet will help you make room for all of those things that you need to store without investing a lot in the endeavor.

About the Author: Rick Miller is on the staff of Only Slimline Hangers, a leading online resource for velvet hangers which are space saving hangers, non slip hangers and slim line hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyslimlinehangers.com.

1 October, 2009
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Steps to Decluttering the Living Room

Homes can get cluttered so easily. We have the things that we use every day, the things that we use occasionally, and the things that we keep as decoration or mementos. All of these things together can get disorganized making your home look cluttered and unkempt. Use these steps to help find a place for everything in your home.

1) Use the wall space that you have available. Blank wall space can be used to help you get things under control. You can use shelving, TV brackets, mount speakers and more to free up some space.

2) Add shelves up high for things that you don’t need to use all the time. Higher shelves are easy and inexpensive to hang. Display pictures, collections, decorations and other seldom used items up higher where you don’t need to reach them very often.

3) Add shelving down lower for items that are used often. Simple triangle corner shelves take up such little space, but make great places to put books, remote controls, children’s toys, mail baskets and more. You can display your magazines, movies, music or just have a place to put the kids’ art supplies.

4) Utilize an organizer for the foyer or front entryway. You need somewhere to stash your mail, trash, newspaper, cell phones, and keys as soon as you walk in the door. If this is where it goes, this is where it will stay. Don’t let it all make its way to your kitchen counter! Use a small table, preferably with a couple of drawers and cabinets underneath. Mail can go in one drawer, while keys and wallets go in the other. Use a charging caddy for all of your electronic needs. Phones, cameras, MP3s and more can neatly charge by the front door where you can grab them and go. Place a small waste basket or shredder underneath in the cabinet. Here you can stack magazines, store newspaper for recycling, whatever you need.

5) Make a place for the larger items that come into and leave your house every day. For example, coats, shoes, backpacks, brief cases, purses, umbrellas, you name it. No wonder our foyers, living rooms and kitchen counters take the brunt of it! All of the stuff that your family brings in at the end of the day needs to have a convenient place to go. If it’s not easy to use, you won’t use it. So, invest a little in some closet shelving for your coat closet and get it organized. Big hooks for backpacks, small shelves for purses and brief cases, racks for shoes, and containers for extras, like keys or change. Use space saving hangers, or slim line hangers, to create even more space in your coat closet.

Once everything has a place, it will most likely stay in its place. If it doesn’t, cleaning it up won’t be such a daunting task.

About the Author: Rick Miller is on the staff of Only Slimline Hangers, a leading online resource for slimlinehangers which are space saving hangers, non slip hangers and slim line hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyslimlinehangers.com.