Tips from http://homebuying.about.com/od/buildingahome/a/house_storage.htm that we just thought you could use!

Maximize Storage in Your Closets
Techniques to Create More Usable Closet Space

Extra storage is always a plus, whether you are selling your home or staying put, but if you are indeed planning to sell, maximizing your storage space is essential. Extra storage space helps attract home buyers–and lets you stay organized while the home is still yours.
Adding storage can be expensive, so unless you’re ready to part with the dollars your first step should be to revamp your existing closets. You can do it, and for less money than you might think. Let’s get started.

First Step: Declutter

Do you really need to keep all that stuff? I’m as guilty as anyone out there of hanging onto things, and paperwork is my downfall, everything from old magazines to fifteen-year-old cancelled checks. But I’m trying to get better, taking a hard look at everything I own and trashing things that aren’t important.

So before you decide how much storage you need, decide what you can throw away, sell, or donate. And look on the bright side–if you pitch it now you won’t have to pack and move it later.

Evaluate Bedroom Closets

Are there single rods running from end to end in each closet, with a single shelf above each rod? That arrangement is typical in the traditional smallish closets we see in extra bedrooms, and sometimes even in walk-in closets.

How about your clothes, are they packed so tightly that you can’t find what you’re looking for? Are the top shelves filled with things you haven’t seen for years?

Start emptying the closets, one at a time, putting items in three piles:

Things to keep… that will stay in the closet
Things to dispose of… trash, donate, sell
Things that are stored in the wrong place… put in a plastic bin to tote to other areas
Every Budget, Every Need

Look at the items that will go back into the closet. Is the pile mostly clothes, or odds and ends? Do you have tons of shoes? Sweaters? Belts and ties? Lots more short items than full-length clothing? There are organizational helpers available for every storage need and every budget:

Turn the top, catch-all shelf into a series of shelves that stretch to the ceiling. That will keep items separated and allow you to retrieve things easily, without pulling a stack of boxes down on your head.
Increase space for short items by installing double-decker rods in a portion of each closet. Closetmaid makes economical closet organizer solutions to fit into any size closet.
Go a bit farther and install special modules in a portion of the closet–with slots and shelves for shoes, cubbies or drawers for clothes that should be folded, and built-ins for other special items.
Do-it-Yourselfers can try this wooden closet organizer project. If you’re not into DIY, look for wooden closet organizer components at your local home building store.
Walk-in closets offer all sorts of organizational possibilities. Closetmaid and Rubbermaid both offer storage ideas on their Web sites. Schulte Storage is another good place to explore closet options.
It won’t help organization, but installing cedar panels or hanging cedar blocks in the closet helps repel insects and makes the closet smell great.
Other Closets

Inspect every closet in your home as if you are seeing it for the first time. What will a buyer think when she opens the doors? How can you improve your storage potential?

Use little totes and bins to help you keep small items under control in a bathroom or linen closet.
Stackable baskets are a nice addition to a kitchen pantry, and can be used to store all types of items, including food staples.
Is your garage large enough to add a series of closets along one wall? Or economical shelving? Storage helps turn a cluttered garage into a usable space that will actually hold a car!
How about the basement? If it’s dry, can you add closets or shelves down there? Use a dehumidifier to reduce moisture levels if necessary.
Cleaning out your closets is the perfect pre-sale activity, even if you don’t do too much to increase storage space. Just getting rid of unused clothes and other items is sometimes all it takes to make closets appear larger than they truly are. So get started and look at everything with a critical eye. If you haven’t used it for two years, do you really need to keep it?

Thanks to The Healthy Homeschool for these great tips on decluttering and organizing. Read their article at http://www.thehealthyhomeschool.com/decluttering-organizing.

“Decluttering” is a buzzword that’s everywhere! There is something about clean countertops, a clean expanse of floor, and a neat-looking home that brings a sense of peace. However, there is a fine line between keeping your home clutter free and getting rid of things that you’ll wish you had back at some point. Following are some tips to help you declutter and organize your home!

What You Will Learn

How to effectively declutter
Tips to organize your home
Strategies for keeping your home clutter free

DECLUTTERING DOs

Declutter only one area at a time.
This will help prevent chaos and getting rid of things you didn’t mean to.
Do expect this to take some time, especially if it’s your first time decluttering.
Make sure you are not rushed.
Of course you want to be efficient and work through this as quickly as possible, but don’t be on such a tight schedule that you can’t give a bit of thought to what you are about to toss!
Clearly mark your “take-out” boxes or bags so that things don’t get mixed up.
Have one box for trash, one for donations, and one for yard sale (if that is part of the plan).
Do get rid of things that make you think “yuck” but you have held onto “just in case.”
For example, if you have not worn something in a whole year, chances are you won’t! Chances are you can toss it!
Make sure your home is as neat and clean as possible before you begin your decluttering project.
Do plan to keep your home clutter-free by thinking carefully before every new purchase.
(This will save you lots of money, too!)
DECLUTTERING DONTs

Don’t start on more than one area at a time.
I can tell you from experience, this is not a pretty sight!
Don’t start decluttering impulsively on an emotional whim
(think monthly cycles, traumatic events, or after visiting another’s home and developing — dare I say this? — “comparison envy”). Decluttering should be a conscious choice to weed out the things that do not enhance your lifestyle in the place you live each day.
Don’t start a decluttering project in the middle of a holiday.
Don’t start a decluttering project if you cannot see it through to completion.
Caution: take care when decluttering items that don’t belong to you
Even if they are your children’s items and you feel you can let them go without your children noticing, you need to make sure you are not giving away something with extreme sentimental value.
Don’t toss things you know you are likely to use again.
Yes, believe it or not, people do this.
Don’t begin a decluttering project in a house that’s already out of sorts and upsidedown.
It’s best to tidy up first as much as possible so everyone involved doesn’t go mad!

Being organized takes patience and some skill. But the first step is committing yourself to a project. So, to start, how about organizing your closet?

Whether you hire a professional to do the work for you of organizing your closet or you take it on yourself, start with a clear, well-conceived plan. Why plan? Once you start taking on a big project such as organization, it is easy to get distracted and sidetracked. By having a plan you can stick to what you are aiming for and in the end not end up with a mound of stuff piled on the floor with absolutely no idea how to organize it in any better manner than the way it was. This kind of impulsive behavior leads to frustration and discontent.

With a carefully crafted plan, you can also look forward to a smooth and swift process. The finished project will be comfortable to live with, and you won’t encounter any difficulties or unpleasant surprises during or after the project’s completion. Remember this simple equation: The more time spent planning, the less time or money spent later in physical labor or correcting mistakes.

With closets, you may find that yours isn’t big enough or is out of date. If this is the case, you may look into getting an estimate for a new closet or hiring a closet designer who can take what space you have and restructure it.

All right, now to get started on organizing your closet. Believe it or not there are some specifics to stick with or tips in getting things organized. Some are common sense but here they are:

Keep It Simple. Conserving space is important, but not if it makes the system harder to operate than a system using a little more space. Keep it simple; a system that isn’t being used isn’t a system at all, no matter how much space is conserved.

Tall or short people might consider shelves to accommodate their height, for more comfortable access.

Someone whose wardrobe leans heavily to folded sweaters has different requirements from someone whose closet is crammed with hanging suits.

A person with an extensive collection of shoes or hats might need more shelves and bins than hanging space.

If a bedroom is small and crowded, some bedroom furniture can be eliminated if, for example, a dresser is built into the closet.

Compromise. Few things in life, including organizing a closet, can be attained without some amount of compromise. You may have to forfeit advantages in one area to achieve advantages in another. Many parts are contingent on other parts, just like the pieces of a puzzle.

Hanging Your Clothes – Now for the other part of organizing your closet – how to hang things properly. Clothing has a particular way it should be hung, be sure to read the requirements. For hanging blazers, leather jackets etc, you should look out for heavy wooden or slim line hangers, that can give your ensemble that extra support to carry off their weight. Pants demand a proper folding style, which is placing both the legs parallel one on the top of the other. While hanging them ensure that there is enough space between different trousers in the cupboard.

Uniformity. The finished project will look more attractive if the products, hardware, materials, and appointments go together well. Personal preference influences whether the look will be utilitarian or decorative, but standardization and unity are impressive ingredients.

Organizing your closets can appear to be a daunting task. But with the right determination and well-crafted plan, you can work your way toward a well-organized closet!

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.

Everyone’s closet can become cluttered sooner or later. New items come in and we just don’t take the time to get rid of our old clothing and accessories. Managing the space in your closet can make it a great thing to have in your home. Concentrating on making closet space functional is a great way to get the most use from your closet. Use these expert ideas to help you turn a closet into a useful area once again, no matter how small it may be.

1) Get rid of as much clutter as possible. This means clearing out things that you either no longer use or do not have space for. You can’t warrant owning or storing a set of luggage in your closet if you don’t have space for your clothing. Consider storing bulky items in a garage, basement or attic. Clothing that doesn’t fit right, is no longer in style, or that you simply don’t wear should be donated or sold. You can sell or offer your clothes to someone locally online. If you want to have a yard sale, it’s a great way to get some extra money to spend on your closet.

2) If you want to stay organized year round, you need a system. It’s really hard to stay organized if your clothing for winter starts to take over your summer clothes. Make sure that you have spacious storage for items that are not in use. Keep out a few things to wear between seasons. These items should stay in your closet all year. Having a few things accessible will keep you from making the snap decision to get your summer clothes out on that first hot day, before you’re ready to swap out wardrobes. Those in between times when the weather can be both hot and cold can creep up on you and cause you to cram clothes into your closet, destroying your efforts to get organized.

3) Find creative places to store items that you are not using. Check behind the closet door, above it, high above the top shelf, and in the front corners of the closet. There may be hidden space that you can use to get organized. Use risers to create extra space underneath beds for excess shoes and clothing that is not in season.

4) Using the right clothes hangers can make a big difference in the closet that you use. Staying organized is easier if you have hangers that help you to do that. Space saving hangers, like velvet hangers, are made to fit flat against each other. They are very sturdy and have a velvet coating that keeps clothes from ending up on the floor. They are perfect for coordinating outfits and helping you 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.

Short on closet space? You’re not alone! Most people complain that their closets are too small or that their home doesn’t have enough storage. However, it is often true that with a few adjustments, most people can live quite comfortably with the space that they have, once they learn how to better organize and arrange it.

Using space saving hangers, like velvet hangers, is a great way to save space, time and money. These hangers have a flat, yet sturdy design that holds clothing perfectly straight while hanging. The velvet coating gently, yet firmly, grips all types of fabrics and keeps things from getting wrinkled, stretched, damaged, or crumpled on the floor. But the real beauty is how thin they are!

These flat hangers are so thin that you can fit two of them in the space of one plastic tubular hanger. That means that if you’re currently using plastic hangers, not only are you risking snags, runs, tears, wrinkles and slippage, but you are also using double the space that you need to. Using hangers that fit so closely together can give you more space than you ever imagined.

Now consider this. If you use clips, hooks, cascading hooks, and multi-garment styles of space saving hangers, then you can triple or quadruple your closet space, simply by upgrading your hangers. Coordinate outfits, hang pants instead of stacking them, and keep like-items hung together in one place. You won’t believe the difference it can make.

Optional clips are also wonderful for taking care of the odds and ends of your closet. I use the clips to hang purses, stockings, swimwear, and slips. You can use them in multiple areas to hang whatever you can think of. When everything has a place, it’s easy to stay organized. When things hang perfectly straight and stay in place, you can avoid ironing and the risk of a crumpled mountain of clothes on your closet floor. When everything is easy to see and find, you save time in the mornings and when you’re getting ready to go out. With so much extra room in the closet, you can empty your drawers and use them for storing other household items.

If you think about it, using space saving hangers, velvet hangers, is a great way to make your way towards an entirely organized home. Less work, less clutter, less time, and less money wasted all because you figured out a better way to do things in your closet.

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.

Have you organized your closet, season after season, year after year, only to see it become cluttered and disorganized again and again? You are not alone. There is more to organizing a closet than getting rid of what you don’t need and separating pants and shirts. It may be a lot easier than you think, however. You don’t necessarily need to make a big investment or even install a closet organization system to get the job done right.

Getting your closet properly organized is more about saving space than moving things around. I love the idea of saving so much space that you don’t need to swap out summer and winter wardrobes. You can do this even if you only have a small dresser in your bedroom. If you share a closet with your spouse, then you might need a small dresser or lingerie chest for your undergarments and pajamas, but otherwise you can take advantage of even small closets so that they hold nearly everything that you own year round.

The cheapest and easiest way to get started is to install a second hanging bar. If you have a reach in closet, a standard eight foot wide and four foot deep closet, then this is a great option. You may have to move the top shelf up closer to the ceiling to pull it off, but this actually helps you take advantage of the wasted vertical space in your closet as well. You may even consider extending the shelf on each side so that it reaches the front wall of the closet. You can also add a smaller board or shelf on the front wall that goes across the top of the door. I love mine because I can keep valuables easily hidden away up there, but you don’t want to keep things that you use often up that high.

Once you have the second bar installed, you may want to consider installing a short bar up high on each side of the closet as well. This will give you space for long dresses and robes. You can install inexpensive hooks on the front two side walls for robes, purses and bags.

Now all you need are some space saving hangers, like velvet hangers. These hangers have a very thin design so that they fit closely together and take up half the space of plastic tubular hangers. The velvet coating gives them grip that holds your clothing smoothly across the top so that you can fit more clothing in the closet without it slipping. Add cascading hooks, belt hangers, tie hangers, pants hangers, and other accessory hangers to fit everything that you’ll need for the year in the closet without having things in storage.

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.

Getting your closet organized takes more than a few extra shelves and baskets. There are so many options for saving space and getting organized. Closet organization professionals have access to great products at discount prices, so a lot of times the cost of hiring someone experienced in closet organization can be offset by the savings that you enjoy by ordering closet supplies from the professional. However, if you’re the type that would much rather do things yourself, you are in luck. Many supplies are available directly from the manufacturer online. Learning what will really help you and what will be a waste of your time or space is what you really need to know. Use this guide to help you figure out what you need and why so that you can organize your space like the pros.

1) The first step is to determine what problems you have with your current closet. Is it cramped? Are your winter and summer clothes mixed together? Are you low on storage space? Does your closet hide the things that you really need? Have your past organization efforts failed because the system you came up with was too hard to stick with? Would you like to get your robes and big coats out of the closet, but you have no idea where they would go? Ask yourself these questions and more without worrying about how you’ll actually solve the problem. Come up with a plan for a dream closet without considering what it’ll take to actually get your closet that way. Now you are ready to move on to step two.

2) The second thing you need to do is inventory your clothing. Separate things that you want to go together into piles. Decide if you want things to hang or be folded. Stack them how you will like them in the closet and measure how much space they will take up. Draw squares with dimensions on your paper and write inside of it what you’re referencing. By moving things around, you’ll start to see how the cube of folded white t-shirts can go next to the sweaters, leaving a drawer empty for your socks. Maneuver everything around until you find a suitable configuration. If you’re stuck with too many things on shelves, move them to hangers. Space saving hangers, like velvet hangers fit closely together, allowing you to hang a lot more items in a smaller space than you anticipated. Using tricks like this make your closet look uniform and neat while saving you 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.