Monthly Archives: December 2009

31 December, 2009
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Space Saving Hanger Tricks for Your Closet

Is your closet becoming a nightmare? Many people struggle with having a closet that is too small, too cramped, and way overfilled. If you’re tired of digging for what you need then it is time to make a change. Organizing everything and getting rid of excess clothing can help, but sometimes that’s just not enough. There are lots of ways to make space in a cramped closet, including updating your clothes hangers.

First you have to clear out all of that old junk. Some people store things for decades without ever looking through what they have. Boxes of books, photos, old clothes, and keepsakes can overrun your closet, leaving you no room for the things that you actually use. If this is the case in your closet, it is time to take action.

Pull everything out of the closet and start going through all of those old boxes. Many times, we store things that seem important at the time, but later we realize that we are never actually going to use them. Additionally, some of those things that we do want to keep can be kept elsewhere. See if you can make room in the basement, a spare bedroom, under the bed, or in the garage. If you have to, try to install some cabinets or shelves outside of the closet for storage. Give away and throw away all that you can.

Next, you need to prepare your closet for maintenance. If you can’t maintain the organization that you worked so hard on, then you’ll find yourself right back where you started. After the junk is cleared out, you may notice that your next closet dilemma is your out-of-season clothing. You need to have a plan.

Label containers so that you don’t end up digging through the wrong ones in a hurry, leaving them torn apart all over your closet. Separate things as much as possible and label them accordingly. You may have a box for jeans, one for sweatshirts, one for pajamas, etc. Keeping things separated helps to keep things organized, but also forces you to use multiple small containers that are easy to store, instead of giant boxes.

Now you should only have the clothing and shoes that you are going to wear this season left out. If it still seems like too much for your closet, then you need to update your hangers. Using space saving hangers can triple the amount of space in your closet. These velvet hangers are sturdy, but fit flat together, saving space and preventing wrinkles. They don’t get bent or tangled like wire hangers and can be a valuable addition to your closet. They also have cascading hooks, clips, and specialty designs that hold certain clothes delicately, yet firmly, so that everything in your closet is organized and neat.

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.

23 December, 2009
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Living with Small Storage Spaces

Living in a small apartment or home with limited storage space is a challenge to say the least. Figuring out what to do with all of your stuff can be hard. The key to living with little or no storage is to organize, throw out what you don’t need, and learn how to be creative with storage.

You will first want to thin the herd. Many people have way too many possessions, and especially clothing. If you’re living in a small space, it is best to adopt a minimalist attitude. Try to set limits for yourself on how much stuff you are allowed to own. Organization is much easier if you don’t have way too much stuff.

It is important in small living spaces to create storage around the home. You’ll need to find hiding places for things, so you may want to purchase furniture that doubles as storage. For example, instead of a standard coffee table, you may want one that has storage inside, more like a chest. You can do the same with end tables and ottomans. Many chairs and couches now have arms that lift up to reveal secret storage. Instead of a decorative table at the entrance of your home, you can use a table with cabinets underneath. You can add a wood medicine cabinet to the wall for things that don’t fit in your kitchen cabinet, like spices.

Now for your closets. Try to maximize the space by using space saving hangers, like velvet hangers. They come in many different styles to accommodate your wardrobe. There are cascading hanger hooks which allow you to hang tops and bottoms in the space of one slim hanger. Velvet hangers grip clothing without damaging delicate fabrics. They have a flat design that makes your clothing hang very close together. Ordinary slim hangers are often flimsy and bend or break under the weight of heavier things, like coats and suits. Flat velvet hangers offer slim design and strength that you will love.

Other types of velvet hangers include skirt hangers and pants hangers. They will hold around five pairs of pants on each hanger, so you can essentially hold an entire wardrobe of pants on two or three hangers. You can eliminate the need for drawers and shelves in about three inches of bar space! Finger clips and other accessories make it possible for you to hang just about anything on space saving hangers, freeing up the closet space that you so desperately need.

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.

16 December, 2009
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How to Make Space for Gifts

Many people struggle with finding room for all of their gifts that they get for Christmas. This is especially true in small apartments or houses with small closets. Part of the problem is that Christmas comes on the heels of switching over from summer to winter wardrobes. If you haven’t completely switched over, then your closet is probably really overcrowded already. Use these tips to get your house in order and be ready for the holidays.

1) Finish clearing out the summer clothes and get them into storage. You will need containers or boxes for summer clothing. Shallow containers are great for storing things underneath beds, where they will be out of sight, yet accessible for the next season. You can use bed leg lifts to make extra space under the bed. Don’t forget to get beach towels, floats, and other summer accessories out of your closets, too. Get all of this stuff out of the way and you can make room for your winter clothes.

2) Thin out your winter clothes and try to leave room for new clothes that will be coming in. Coats should be kept in a coat closet so that there is room for your bulky winter clothes. A small shelf can usually be installed in most closets to make space for your sweaters to stack. You don’t really want to hang them, because they can get stretched out at the shoulders. They are also more likely to get snagged when hanging, because you’ll be pushing them around while you’re looking for clothes to wear. Many people ruin sweaters because their rings snag the sleeves while they’re hanging.

3) Make room by giving as much as you can to charity. This is definitely the time of year for giving, so be generous and give away usable items that you don’t wear for one reason or another. Make limits for yourself on what space each item is allowed to take up. Only allow so much room for pants, so much for long sleeved t-shirts, sweatshirts, thermals, etc. If you discover that you have way too many pants, try to get rid of some. Shoes are notorious closet space robbers. Be selective about which ones you want to keep.

4) When the closet is thinned out, come up with a design that will allow you to make the most of the space. Vertical space is often ignored. How much empty space is available up by the ceiling? That top closet shelf is usually too low for what you need to store there. Consider installing a second shelf above it for items that you don’t use much, like suitcases. You’ll be surprised how much room this makes! You can then use your regular top shelf for bins or baskets that hold smaller items, like gloves, scarves, socks, underwear, phone and camera chargers, or whatever you need to store out of sight.

5) Update the rest of your closet by investing a little in space saving hangers, like velvet hangers. Velvet hangers are flat and can save more space than you imagined. The velvet hanger surface grips clothing without damaging it. Using space saving hangers affords you the extra space that you need for hanging all of the new clothes that you will be getting for Christmas!

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.

6 December, 2009
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Space Saving Tips for Small Apartments

Living in a small space can get cramped really quickly if you don’t stay on top of things. Getting things to a manageable level can be challenging. This is why we have assembled these tips for you. You can make more efficient use of the space that you have without spending a lot of time or money.

It helps if you start out knowing that you will need to be efficient with space before you buy furniture. You can buy a platform bed with drawers underneath for extra hidden storage. Try to work storage into every item that you buy. A coffee table can lift open to reveal hidden storage, or you can pick one that has drawers. You may even pick something unconventional, like a trunk, and use it as a coffee table. Ottomans can open up to hold knitting supplies, throws, magazines and more. You get the idea. Whatever you can buy that provides you a place to put extra things will benefit you greatly without using up any of your precious space.

Find wall units that work for what you own. Some people own a lot of knick-knacks or simply need to decorate. Instead of using your table top or counter spaces, hang small shelves wherever you can. Corner shelves are useful and take up very little space. You can use them for more than decorations, too. You can place a cup full of pens on them, stash books, or put a basket for your keys and wallet there. Finding a little space for all of the things that can quickly junk up your apartment is a great place to start.

Organize your entryway so that junk doesn’t enter your small area. If you have somewhere to put your keys, coat, hat, umbrella, laptop, mail, cell phone, and shoes when you come in, then they won’t end up on the kitchen counter or in a heap that you have to clean later. A small roll top desk is perfect for hiding away belongings while keeping them organized.

Keep your closets organized in a way that makes them ultra-useful. You can nail baskets to interior closet walls for storing things like socks and underwear so that you don’t need a dresser. You can build some shelves for linens, sweaters, books and more. Move the hanging bar up, making more use of the vertical space in your closet. Hang your clothes on space saving hangers like velvet hangers or cascading hangers to make the most of a small 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.