HOW TO ARRANGE AND ORGANIZE
Have you ever organized your closet only to feel like you need to do it again in no time? Many people "wing it" when they organize and don't really think things through. There is a reason that some people make their living as professional organizers! There are a lot of mistakes that can be made. Sure, it might look good for a little while, but your habits and things that you didn't consider can sneak up on you and turn your dream of an organized closet into a nightmare. Here, we've compiled some ideas, tips and tricks to get your closet organized while avoiding many of the mistakes that make most people fail in the long run.
1) You have to think about the future. What could be coming up in the next few months that will mess up everything that you've done? One of the biggest problems with keeping a closet organized is the changing seasons and holidays. You may organize for what's in your closet right now without considering what kind of space you'll need once the summer clothes come out of storage. Or, you may make room for your summer clothes to be stored in the closet, but then when you switch out summer for winter storage, you realize that you didn't leave enough room for all of those bulky winter coats and sweaters. Preparing for the inevitable will help you to keep the closet organized year-round.
2) Storage is a big problem in most closets. Stored items can take up a lot of your usable closet space. However, we are all tempted to store things in the closet, out of sight. There are other places that you can use for storage that are out of sight and not inside the closet that are better choices. There are lots of inexpensive containers on the market for storing out of season clothes and shoes that you don't wear every day. Consider ones that will fit underneath the bed. They are shallow, so it's easy to find what you need when you need it, and everything that is stored is not in your everyday closet.
3) Consider the fact that new things will come in and old things will go out of your closet year-round. Prepare for the inevitable by keeping a box, bag, tote, or other container in or near your closet for charitable items. If you put on a shirt and realize that you never wear it because it's too short, scratchy, or has a stain, don't hang it back in the closet. Toss it in the container so that you can get rid of it.
4) Use the right size and type of hanger for your clothing. Not only will you protect it, but you can save space and keep things in their right sections. Wooden hangers are great for helping coats and suits keep their shape. Other clothing hangers have notched shoulders for hanging straps, clips or locking pants bars for securely hanging pants and other features that help your closet stay neat and tidy.
About the Author: Jo Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wholesale garment hangers.