We accumulate and acquire a lot of possessions nowadays. Learning to let go of things and declutter our homes becomes a challenge. It can be tough to let go of things because of guilt or the emotional importance that we assign to things. Even little things, like a calendar that came in the mail, coupons that haven’t quite expired yet, pens and pencils that add to the heap, things that are still good, but that we don’t really need. It can make us feel wasteful and ashamed of getting rid of things that aren’t really needed if they’re still usable. This is where we need to set limits for ourselves.

Giving yourself a limit will help you to shift your focus. For instance, before you even count, decide how much space you have for ink pens. Find a container for them and then set a number limit for how many you are going to keep. Let’s say, 20 pens. That is plenty of pens and/or pencils to keep in the house. Even if you have ten family members that all want to write something at the same time and all ten people run out of ink at the same time, you’ll still have enough pens. So, once the limit is set, you can select your favorite twenty and donate the rest to a school or church.

Now, apply this principle to everything in your home. Let’s say that you accumulate magazines. I decided to set my limit to fifteen magazines in the house, which just about fill up one of those magazine-style office organizers. I keep my fifteen magazines there and donated the rest to my doctor’s office. When new magazines come in the mail, I have to decide if I’m going to keep it and replace one of the old ones, or sit, read it right now, and then put it in the recycling bin. If it’s a magazine from a company that is selling something, I immediately throw it in the recycling bin or call and ask them not to send any more. Anything in that magazine is also on their web site, so I really don’t need them in my home trying to get me to accumulate more stuff.

This brings me to the last part of how to declutter your home by getting rid of all the things you don’t need. The last part is about limiting what comes into the home in the first place! When I know that I have a limited space and a limited number of allowed objects in any one category, I have to decide when I’m out shopping if what I’m thinking about purchasing is an upgrade from one of the prized possessions I decided to keep at home. I find that I only buy things that are more useful or are of a higher quality than what I had to begin with. This helps me to buy less a lot less often and end up with less junk.

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.

A small home can be a blessing or the thorn in your side. The difference is, first of all, how you look at it, and second of all, how you manage it. Even a huge home could feel cramped and way too small if it were unorganized and cluttered. So, the challenge in a small apartment or small house is to find storage where you didn’t know you had it, and to organize the things that you use every day in a way that is easily manageable and easy to deal with. Follow these steps to getting your small living space in order so that you can be happy in your own home.

1) Utilize storage areas that you haven’t considered before. Use pantry organizers, or even peg boards made for the garage on the insides of your closet doors. You can store all kinds of little things and keep them organized if you just think outside the box a bit. Use a trunk or wooden toy box for a coffee table. Display your television on a dresser. Buy an ottoman that opens up to reveal secret storage. Put your couches and beds up on risers to make room underneath for extra storage. You can buy medicine cabinets that recess into the wall and only look like a mirror when closed. Think about all the little places you can create storage that is out of sight so that you don’t see the clutter that may be stored there.

2) Next, declutter your surfaces. It’s hard, especially in a small space, to keep the flat surfaces of the house clear. One way to do this is to disguise the things that need to be out all the time, so that at a glance, the house looks neat and organized. Use containers and baskets with lids or tops for mail, keys, your wallet, and other things that you use daily. A charging station is great for keeping cords concealed. The more you can keep countertops and tables looking “empty” the more space the room will seem to have.

3) Use space saving hangers in your closets. These hangers are flat, velvet hangers that grip your clothing and allow you to hang them really close together. I love these because they keep all of my thin-fabric shirts from slipping around and getting crumpled up. They hang so flat together that the hangers themselves save about half the space. Then you can add hanging clips to cascade other hangers from them, doubling or tripling your closet 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.

Just because a room is small, does not mean that it has to be dull, cluttered, or unusable. By using creative lighting, storage, design, color and decoration techniques, you can create a very attractive and usable space in a small area.

Design Inspiration: Keep it simple in a small room to avoid making the room look crowded or cluttered. Floating shelves, simple lamps, a single rug, and minimal throw pillows will help the room to look larger. Try using a large mirror on the wall instead of a large painting or photograph. Mirrors can create the illusion of more space. Empty corners also make a room seem larger. Instead of end tables or corner tables, try to get away with a simple coffee table. The more flat and empty spaces you can leave, the better the room will look. Add just enough decoration, such as flowers, candles, or books, to create the feel that you want without cluttering the room.

Color Inspiration: People used to believe that dark walls made a room feel smaller. However, a dark accent wall can make a room seem larger. It draws the eye to a part of the room that normally you wouldn’t be drawn to look at. This “looking around” effect makes the room seem bigger to you. The darkness also disguises where the wall ends, making your brain think that maybe it recesses further back than you thought. Dark floors make ceilings feel taller and dark furniture keeps a room simplistic and not “overly decorated”.

Lighting Inspiration: Lamps give a room a warm feel and track lighting helps to illuminate key elements or light colored walls in the room. These things give each small detail meaning, making the whole room seem more significant. Even a boring laundry room can seem luxurious with the right lighting. Installing interesting lighting is relatively inexpensive and can make a big difference in a small room. Don’t forget to take advantage of the natural light in the room. Use sheer curtains, if any. If there isn’t a window in the room, use a mirror to reflect a window from another room.

Organization Inspiration: If you need to use your small room often, you will inevitably need some storage space. Many couches and chairs are now made with hidden storage areas underneath the padded arm rests. You can find ottomans, coffee tables, and even entire couches whose cushions lift up to reveal storage. If you don’t have a closet, hang a decorative hanging rod by the room’s entrance for your guests’ coats and jackets. Stock it with interesting or high end clothes hangers, like walnut and brass hardwood hangers, to match your room’s décor. If you do have a closet, you can use space saving hangers, like velvet hangers, to make the most of the 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.

When you share a small closet with someone, you start feeling competitive about the space. You want to make sure that your partner is not taking up more space than you because every inch is a precious treasure! If you both own too much stuff, then the closet will surely be crammed with everything possible and then some items will live outside of the closet in boxes, laundry baskets, and storage bins. This problem is common and there are ways to solve it.

1) Do a major overhaul of your wardrobes. Things that you’re saving to wear maybe once or twice a year should be kept in storage somewhere, not in the closet that you both have to use every day. Be selective about what you put in the closet. Only allow your favorite items to go inside. Most people only wear about 25% of their wardrobes 90% of the time. Try a rolling garment rack for keeping dress coats, suits, formal wear, and other items that don’t get used very often. You can store them in garment bags or get a zip-up cover for the garment rack to keep things fresh and ready to wear whenever you’re ready.

2) Give away whatever you can. If something just isn’t worth keeping because the space is too small for it, go ahead and give it away. You can also get rid of clothing that is too tight, too big, too short, too stained, or simply out of style. Thinning out your wardrobe is the easiest and quickest way to get your closet de-cluttered and back on its way to being organized.

3) Now you can use specialty clothes hangers to finish the job. Flat hangers, like slimline velvet hangers, keep clothing perfectly straight while making them take up almost half the space of regular, plastic tubular hangers. The velvet coating is very grippy and keeps clothes from slipping during your rummaging. Cascade these hangers from each other using tiny hanging hooks to create even more space. Cascading space saving hangers are great for hanging multiple items in one space. Tiered hangers can give you room for all of your pants and skirts in a very small area. Tie hangers, scarf hangers, and other specialty clothes hangers can help you to more efficiently use the space.

4) For items the need to be stored, try vacuum bags. These keep clothing fresh while compressing them down to a fraction of the storage space that they would take up in a box or big plastic storage container.

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.

You will probably receive many things for Christmas. Many people end up with extra items and nowhere to put them. You may be given clothing, coats, shoes, scarves, hats, games and more. Finding room for all of these new things can be a challenge. Your closet may be overflowing already, before you even receive anything. Use these tips to make space for new items without having to get rid of everything that you already own. Prepare for the extra items entering your home by using these ideas for making the most of a small space.

1) Okay, so you do need to get rid of some things. “Out with the old and in with the new” is a great thing to keep in mind. When we get new clothes and shoes, we tend to quit wearing some of the old items. However, it can be difficult to part with old things because they may still fit, still be usable, or we still like them, but just don’t ever wear them anymore. Many people let things hang around their closets for years, in usable condition, before ever considering getting rid of them. Give what you can part with to charity, sell some things, hand them down, or simply throw them out. As new things come in, go through your old things again and see if the new items replace any of the old ones.

2) Keep a “give away” bin, bag, or basket in your closet so that you can easily and consistently keep up with letting things go. Use other bins for organizing smaller items so that you closet doesn’t become a huge cluttered mess. You can install some small shelves in the front corner of the closet, along the floor, or on top of an existing top storage shelf. You just need some cubby style spaces to keep bins and baskets to stay organized. Use them for socks, gloves, scarves, hats, pajamas, underwear, and more. These bins not only help you to stay organized, but they also keep things looking tidy.

3) If you still need more room in your closet, consider using clothing hangers that are designed to either save space or help you organize. You can use specialty hangers, like scarf hangers, tie hangers, belt hangers, or cascading hangers to hold multiple items in the space of one hanger. Using space saving hangers is necessary if you have a small closet or want to keep a lot in one place. Space saving hangers, like velvet hangers, help you to cascade items. They also have a flat design to hold things closely together in 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.

Getting organized can be a challenge, especially if you have a very limited space. The first thing you need to do is commit to making the most of the space by respecting how much you have and getting rid of whatever you can. Don’t let items hang around your house for years, robbing you of the precious little space that you have. Get it together and get ready to make that tiny little closet a place where your things will all be organized for good.

Getting organized “for good” may seem like a foreign concept! Most people feel like their organization efforts go to waste because the benefits don’t last long before everything is cluttered again. There is a good reason for this, and that is that most people don’t think very far into the future when they organize. Think of all the things that got you into a predicament of clutter and junk to begin with. Did you not feel like opening the basket to put your things away? Maybe you need an open container. Did you organize most stuff and then the little junk that was left got tossed into one “miscellaneous” box? These are common mistakes that people make all of the time.

Thinking ahead to determine what you might need in the future can change your way of thinking and help you to improve your use of a small space. If your closet if full of clothes that you don’t even wear anymore, then you need a bin or container in the closet, or right outside of it, for stashing clothes that you no longer wish to wear. Giving things away on a continual basis will help you to avoid overstuffing the closet. If you only own what you really like to wear, then there shouldn’t be that much excess crowding your shelves and hanging bar.

Use deeper bins than necessary for things like socks and pajamas. That way, as new items come in over time or as clothing gets bulkier when winter rolls around, your organization strategy is still in place. Use space saving hangers, like velvet hangers, to cascade outfits or multiple items from one hanger. You can instantly double or triple the hanging space this way. Using hangers that make space where there wasn’t space before can give you the extra room that you need to keep shoes and other accessories organized year round.

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.

Organizing your closet can be fun and fulfilling. Do it yourself instead of hiring a professional. You will get your closet just how you want it without spending much money or relying on someone else’s judgment.

Make a plan for yourself and follow these rules:

1) Get rid of everything you possibly can.

2) Give clothing, shoes, purses, belts, ties and coats to a charity that accepts clothing donations. These items are often tax deductible.

3) Items that are in good enough condition can be sold to consignment shops or put out in a garage sale. If you have trouble selling or giving away clothes that mean something to you, go shopping for new items. Set a goal for how much money you need to make to replace the old items with new ones.

4) Commemorate heirlooms. Take photographs of important articles so that you can enjoy them after they are gone. If they are very important to you, then you should have them sealed in an acid free box so that they will last for generations to come. Otherwise, keep a scrap of fabric or just the photo.

5) Get rid of shoes, belts and purses. Many people keep shoes, belts and handbags for many, many years. These items may still be good, but they gave you a blister, or they don’t match anything. Maybe they are just out of date. Give those items to a charity, or have a swap party. Friends can get together and bring all of their gently used purses, belts, hats and shoes. Use dice to determine who goes first and take turns swapping items. When everyone has what they want, you can donate the rest to charity.

6) Sometimes we just want to keep those cute clothes that no longer fit. If it is possible for you to get back into them, keep them. Just store them outside of your every day closet. Large containers can be labeled with signs that dictate the size or weight you need to be to get into them. You do not have to get rid of them if you get them out of the way for a while. Then it will be so exciting when you are able to take down that box and swap out the wardrobes.

Save space in your closet with space saving hangers, like velvet hangers, to complete the task of organizing your closet. It will give you great joy to see your closet spacious, neat and uncluttered. Getting organized does not take long and it is well worth the effort.

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.