Planning Your Dream Closet
If you’ve moved recently, when’s the best time to get the closets in your new home organized? How about when you’re finding more clothes on the floor than on hangers? How about after the one-thousandth time you couldn’t find your favorite pair of shoes or pinstriped work shirt? Or, how about the day you admit your closet should officially be declared a national disaster area?
Recent movers, don’t fret. Whether it’s the first day in your new home or six months after you’ve moved in, your new, made-over closet – that special place to hold all your stuff, keeping it neat and organized and bring a sense of harmony to your home – is just a few easy steps away.
While a dream closet does require a little project planning, sorting (and weeding out), cleaning, designing and labor (installation), it’s well worth the effort!
Here are the 12 steps to help get you there:
1. Set a date – mark on your calendar a sate when you can set aside more than a few hours, say a full day, to declutter the problem closet and dream about creating your new sense of order.
2. Get some boxes and bags – sort and categorize items as you remove them from the closet. Week what you don’t need: most of us wear 20% of our clothers 80% of the time. Take the ones you can live without to a local charity, a friend’s house, the attic or the curb.
3. Determine how much space you really need for your clothes, taking into account the size of your closet.
a. How many pairs of shoes do you have?
b. How many long garments?
c. How much space for stackable closet or pantry items?
d. How many baskets or drawers do you need?
4. Remove the existing shelving. Clean the closet. Patch the small holes with spackle. Sand when dry.
5. Vacuum the closet. Paint.
6. Take your measuring take and measure your space. Measure the length of the walls, ceiling height and width or depth. This measurement will impact the depth of the shelving you can use.
Measure your door. You might consider replacing the door to allow for greater access into the closet.
7. Design your closet. PC users can use the new Visual Storage Planner at www.closetmaid.com. This 3-D tool will help you design the perfect closet.
Typical shelf heights are 7.5” from the floor for long hanging space and 85.5” and 42” for double or short hanging space. You can also determine your long hang height by measuring your longest piece of clothing.
Consider using upper storage shelves for seasonal items; long hang shelves for dresses and coats; double hang shelves for blouses, shirts, skirts, and folded over pants; stacks of shelves for other folded items clear boxes and other containers; shoe rack shelves; tie and belt racks; hanging storage, and a valet rod or two.
8. If you want a “professional closet design”, check out the Professional Design Service at www.clostmaid.com.
9. Closetmaid.com can also help you find out where to buy the systems and accessories you’ll need if you’re doing it yourself, or an installing dealer who can do it for you.
10. Of you need additional instructions or tips on how to install your closet system, you’ll find How to Guides, Animated Product Demonstrations and more at www.closetmaid.com
11. Organize or put your closet together. Click here for Tips for Organizing Your Closet. Once you’ve organized your closet, it will be easier to maintain your sense of order. After changing out of your work clothes, put them away or hang them in the valet rod in preparation for getting ready for work that night or the next day.
12. Weekly, when you’re putting your laundry away, get into the habit of putting things back in order. Put shoes back on the shelf, belts and accessories on their racks or storage bins.
You’re there. Enjoy your dream closet! To keep it that way, periodically go through your closet and eliminate the work, the torn and the ugly. The golden rule for maintaining the perfect closet: Remove one item every time you add a new one.
Garage Makes Perfect New Home Storage Solution
Many homeowners live with a disaster area attached to their house—the garage. That’s why only a small percentage of homeowners with two-car garages can actually fit in both cars. But that can all change at the new house.
With a little ingenuity and proper planning, the new garage can be part of a home-wide storage solution by simply installing the right products, such as garage hooks, racks, shelving or cabinets. People can easily go from clutter to having a highly organized new house that utilizes the garage as a primary storage source.
If not planned though, the new garage can often become even more of a disaster area than at the old house, because it ends up serving as the new house’s dumping grounds for boxes and other unneeded household items. Here are some of ClosetMaid’s tips for best using garage storage at your new house.
Visualize Your Dream Garage
See your new garage in its full storage glory. Visualize where all your things will go. In fact, it’s best to draw up an actual blueprint plan for locations for each storage solution.
“Scope Out” the Old Garage
Whatever’s on the floor at the old garage will likely find its way to the exact same spot at the new house. A key to any garage organization plan is to free up as much floor space as possible.
Research Garage Storage Systems
Know ahead of time which storage products serve your specific needs at the new house. Many storage products and solutions exist such as hooks racks and cabinets. Even the simple “nail” solution is better than having stuff on the floor.
Repurpose
Consider repurposing those broken armoires, sports lockers, entertainment centers, bedroom dresser sets or old kitchen cabinets already stored in the garage. Such repurposed items make great storage solutions and can save money on purchase of newer storage items.
Utilize Walls
Plan ahead for which new garage walls you plan to install hooks or storage cabinets. For example, pegboard and hardware is always an effective solution to organize gardening and yard tools. To help save time by not having to move things twice, or more, be sure not to stack boxes on garage walls intended or storage.
Purchase in Advance
By planning and purchasing the right storage items in advance, you’ll be much more likely to finish your new garage storage projects. Being organized is not only about order and putting things away, but about how to get more from the space in your garage.
Think Seasonal
Skis are handy in winter and rakes in the fall. Before the move even begins, homeowners should designate all items they plan to take but won’t initially be using in the new home, such as out-of-season clothing, sporting items or holiday decorations. Such items are perfect for storing in the garage.
Downsizing
Planning ahead is especially important if you’re downsizing. Utilizing the garage for maximum storage is highly effective for people losing valuable storage space. Many people choose the ClostMaid Maximum Load ShelfTrack system for their garage solution needs.
Storage Requirements Change
Finally, if you intend to buy a new Christmas tree, lawn mower, snow blower, wheel barrow, bicycles or other large items, think ahead where you’ll need to store them.
Take Only What You Need
Maybe most important, set aside all unneeded items to give to charity or friends, or visit the nearest landfill. But maybe the best idea is to have a neighbourhood garage sale. In fact designate a specific day for your garage sale by publishing it in the local newspaper classifieds – it will help ensure follow-through on the project. When in doubt, though, throw it out!
With a little planning and the right storage and organization products, homeowners can bring a new sense of order to their garage -- and have room for their cars. Most organizing experts agree, there’s no better time to get organized than moving time.