Round Up Ideas: Closet Organization Tips for Cooler Weather

Organizing the closet needs time, energy, and patience. As a thumb rule, choose one closet at a time and move to the next one only when you are completely done with the first. Begin with emptying the entire closet and pull out everything that’s inside. Then pile the contents according to their categories-shorts, shirts, t-shirts etc.

[ad#co-1]

Store Off-Season Clothing Elsewhere

Before you can even think about getting your fall/winter clothing organized you need to create space for them. The easiest way to do that is to tuck away summer clothes in a separate place. Store those sundresses, shorts, linens, and other hot weather items on higher shelves, in your basement or attic, or under the bed.

Go through your closets and try clothes on

While this may sound very monotonous, doing so can help to make purging decisions easier. Just remember to be honest when you try the items on. Does that sweater or top fit your well? Is there a small hole in that shirt that you have been meaning to mend for ages? Clothes that don’t make you feel good aren’t really worth your valuable closet space. So depending on the condition of the item, donate or toss them.

Arrange Items by Category

When it comes to cooler weather organization, keeping pants with pants, shirts with shirts, sweaters with sweaters and so on is the perfect strategy. Especially with accessories that are easy to lose such as caps, gloves, and scarves. We recommend using clear bags or boxes to store smaller items so that you can see what’s exactly inside.

This fall, use these simple closet organization tips to give your wardrobe a changeover so that you can find your items easily and effortlessly. So, go get started and conquer the overwhelming giant called closet.

For more storage tips on Stagetecture, click here.

Finding Hidden Storage In Your Small Bedroom

Image Via: Hkstandard

[ad#co-1]

Multiple Storage

When limited to the confines of a smaller bedroom space one needs to greatly consider using multiple storage types. Let us take the example of a simple nightstand. A nightstand that comes with a little drawer or cabinet space below enables you to use not only the surface but also the hidden storage space below-the space that is likely to go unused if it is a simple ‘surface only’ nightstand. Cabinet type storage can become a good space for books and smaller drawers can help you organize jewelry, small paperwork and other minuscule stuff that likely remains scattered and creates the biggest mess.

Image Via: HGTV

A Shelf Above The Bed Headboard

The challenge in smaller spaces is to eliminate the visual mess and turn it into an organized clutter. Shelves come in handy. If you think of it, the space above your bed’s headboard is often under-utilized or not used at all. This space is a potential hidden storage and an excellent one at that because you will not bang your head on this one.

Image Via: Modern Home Interior Design

The Hidden Storage Space Beneath The Bed

Volumes of potential storage space under your bed often goes unused. Won’t it be a good idea to opt for beds that have built in storage? If that is not a possibility, consider storing your packed boxes and suitcases neatly under your bed.

Image Via: My Decorative

Image Via: This Old House

Hidden Storage Behind Closet Doors

To the back of your closet and vanity doors, fix some hooks, grab bars and suchlike hardware that helps you store stuff like scarfs, a dress, jewelry, make up accessories, shoes, clothes or even a vanity mirror.

Image Via: BHG

A Storage Unit Around Your Bed

We have spoken of utilizing the space above your bed and the space below or nightstands but did it occur to you that a well designed storage compartment behind and around your bed can do so much more. This storage unit can neatly organize your clutter and make available so much of hidden storage that you could never imagine. You can stack your books, artifacts, storage boxes and so much more here.

Image Via: Tazatek

Compact Spaces present before you some challenges as far as designing goes but it also provides you with some unthought of opportunities–in the form of Hidden Storage spaces. A little clever designing and thinking on your part can help you organize and store your stuff so much better in a smaller space. Going in for furniture that is multipurpose and versatile is a big step to success and so is some ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking. We would be happy to hear from you, on how you have organized your compact bedroom space. Do write in.

Many people love the idea of designing their own wardrobe for the bedroom, and especially if it is designed to be a walk-in closet. While taking on the project yourself can be rewarding and potentially save you money, it is not for everyone. To help determine if the project is right for you, here are the pros and cons of installing your own wardrobe:

Image via:  Amber Ranzau

[ad#co-1]

The Pros:

There are many pros to be taken into consideration when designing and installing a wardrobe. Aside from having the satisfaction of having done something for yourself, here are other pros:

 1. Installing your own wardrobe is budget-friendly.

Because you will do the shopping, fitting, installation, and repairs, you will save on the labour cost. While the amount may not seem like much, it can be easily put towards other projects or areas of life that require attention. Why not check out the affordable bedroom storage solutions designed by Betta Living?

2. You get to choose your own design.

One if the very best things about installing your own wardrobe, is that you get to choose your own design. You will not need to gain additional stress over trying to explain or justify your ideas to the designer/builder.

3. Installing a wardrobe can potentially add value to your home 

Depending on the quality of your wardrobe, the extra storage space could potentially add value to your home. However, if you really want to add the most value, you may want to consider getting a professional to do the installation instead.

Image via: Mark Gewing

The Cons: 

Just like with any project, there are always cons that must be taken into consideration. In order to prepare you for the more difficult aspects of DIY wardrobe installation, here are the cons: 

1. The project can be time consuming.

If you lead a busy lifestyle and can hardly even make the time to eat lunches, installing your own wardrobe may not be right for you. Since the project will require a lot of time and patience, and can possibly lead to minor injuries, it is not for everyone. If you want the project done but cannot put in the time or effort, it may be best to seek a professional for the job.

2. The project is not for first-timers.

Although installing your own wardrobe is not overly difficult because of the instructions supplied, it can require a lot more time and effort than is necessary from first-timers. If the task is too daunting or time consuming, you may want to have a professional do the work. Although you will spend more money, getting a designer fitted wardrobe done by a professional can give you exactly what you want with a lot less hassle. Additionally, you can even seek assistance from any friends or family that have built wardrobes or completed other DIY projects themselves.

As you can see, the pros and cons of installing your own wardrobe must always be taken into account to best determine if the DIY project is right for you.

James Young is a retired house painter who likes to write about home design. 

For more home organization ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Off-season clothing should be kept properly to avoid cluttered cabinets and maintain its quality. This is very essential not only for organizing your belongings but more so into saving money for clothing expenses. More often than not, seasonal clothing is combined with other clothes inside the closet.

Organizing your seasonal clothing may sound tedious but it is not. All you need are these simple tips to put in order your seasonal clothes and prevent it from getting damaged:

Image via: Bhg

[ad#co-1]

Have your seasonal clothes clean and well laundered.

Clean and well laundered clothes preserve its color quality, fabric condition and consistency. This will ensure that stains are removed. Stains and other unlikely things that are stuck inside the pockets of edges can deteriorate your clothes. It can also attract bugs, ants and other pests which can destroy your clothes.

Group your seasonal clothes according to its textile type.

This will prevent stains and your clothes breaking down in case moisture can make a way into your storage. Mixing silk, wool, cotton and other types of textile will definitely mess-up after a period of time. Proper grouping will prevent this occurrence.

Pick the appropriate storage solution.

In storing your seasonal clothes, make sure that the storage has enough room for clothing to breath. It is also important to ensure the durability of the storage and its capability to defend against bugs and other pests. There are several storage options that best fit your clothes. Take time to explore different types of storage like plastic or corrugated boxes. You may also label the storage according to the description of your dress for quick and easy identification of clothing even without opening.

Image via: Martha Stewart

Make sure that your seasonal clothing storage is placed in a cool and dry place. Caring for your seasonal clothes will help keep your closets clear of clutter and help you see all of your clothing at once. Consider giving away or donating clothing that is out of style, doesn’t fit or you don’t wear anymore seasonally. This will keep your closets clean and organized!

For more home organization ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Designers, decorators and fashionistas alike look to fashion magazines, news and now online sites like Pinterest for the latest trends and inspiration in order to “get the look.” No matter one’s interest or profession, closets transcend the fashion and home boundaries and are equally coveted by all. Each home has its own style and personality and closets are its core. Just as home and fashion experts have their best kept secrets, having worked with closets of all shapes and sizes for more than 25 years, I also have my own tricks of the trade to transform these function spaces into something that reflects your personal style.

[ad#co-1]

Start with a Fresh Palette

Whether you’re working with small or large closets, this treasured space in your home needs love. However, before you can show your love, take a look at the functionality and structure of your closet. With walk-in closets, often times the original structure contains criss-crossing in the corners, creating unusable dead space. Custom solutions can remedy this issue and create additional space in previously dysfunctional and useless corners.

Once you’ve maximized the functionality of your closet, evaluate the contents and determine what you can keep and what can be donated. Once you’ve finalized your ‘keep’ pile and you’re figuring out how to put everything back in the closet, use the compartmentalizing concept, similar to how many organize their refrigerator. Just like the milk goes back where you found it, so should the items in your closet. This can be done by installing shelving at various heights, depending on the contents, and use dividers for organized stacks. Make sure you group like things together, like sweaters, jeans and shirts, and group at the same height. An added bonus would be to organize by color, giving your closet the boutique look and feel in your own home. By employing these concepts, every type of clothing has a home, making it easier to find things while maintaining an aesthetic appeal.

Accessorize

For extra eye candy, use glass shelving for the contents and invest in decadent boxes to store the smaller items on the counter tops. With a larger closet, consider the décor, style and furniture in the adjacent room and apply these concepts into your live-in closet to extend the design beyond just your bedroom, foyer or hallway. A few of my favorite other personal touches include adding pictures, a mirror, artwork or jewelry boxes. People also often overlook the closet as the perfect venue to show off collections like perfume bottles to ultimately makes it feel more like a room rather than a place where you store your clothing.

Make it shine!

For an even more decadent design in your closet, consider other elements like lighting, upgrading your hangers and incorporating wood finishing when extending your personal style. Similar to the rest of your home, lighting can also be customized and should also be an extension of your décor, whether you use lamps or fluorescent lights, modern or vintage. This idea of consistency and extending your décor can also be applied to the hangers. Though functional in purpose, when using the same hangers throughout the closet, it has a surprising affect on the aesthetics. It’s the dirty little secret of every fashion boutique you’ve ever shopped at! The last fabulous touch can be applied to the woodwork. If considering staining the wood or installing custom shelving, try lighter woods to open up a smaller closet, while larger closets have more flexibility with features like darker wood finishes as well as fluting, raised panel drawers, decorative faces, and incorporating light boxes to illuminate sections. Regardless of the touch or the budget, all of these concepts can be applied on any scale and reflect your personal style.

A final note

We have all been there and know when tackling the design of your closet, it may be overwhelming at first. By taking the tips that apply best to your closet, extending your current décor and design inspiration from other parts of the home, and giving it the same love and attention you give the items it holds, you’ll love opening the doors to your closet each and every day. Starting the day with a clean and organized closet that reflects your style and soul is refreshing and invigorating, and once you start, you can’t go back to the disorganized closet you put up with for too long.

Ginny Snook Scott is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing of California Closets and also holds the title of Chief Design Officer. She has more than 25 years of experience with the brand leader in the industry and has helped over 1,000 clients globally organize and design their home.

About California Closets
For more than three decades California Closets has built a reputation on delivering truly custom products and unparalleled service to its clients. California Closets has helped transform spaces, enhanced homes and allowed people to get more out of life.

For more home organization ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Potential buyers love to open doors and look in cabinets when viewing a house.  What will they see when they look in your closets?  Open your closet doors and take a fresh unbiased look at them.  Consider what you might say if you were viewing your closets for the first time.  Would you think “this is a great closet”, or would you think “there’s no way this will work for me”.  If your closets won’t wow your potential buyer, there some simple inexpensive ways to make your closets much more appealing and hopefully help you sell your house.

Image via: House to Home

[ad#co-1]

Purge and Organize

Whatever the size of your closet, it is probably a bit overcrowded and perhaps disorganized.  The simplest method of improving any closet for potential buyers is to purge and organize.  If your closet looks packed and there is no space to put one more item, it will give potential buyers the feeling that the closets in your home are too small.  If you organize the closet and pull excess items out so that there is plenty of room, it will make the closet immediately seem roomier and feel larger.  A potential buyer will get the feel that there is plenty of room for their things.

Make sure that everything on the shelves is organized, folded and neat.  If you have smaller items, place them in plastic bins and stack the bins up on the shelves instead of having items falling all over each other.  If you have an extensive shoe collection that is overpowering your closet, consider boxing some of them up now so that they do not take up all the floor space.  Consider adding shoe bags that will hold many pairs of shoes and get them off the floor.  Shoe boxes that are neatly stacked on shelves or the floor are good as long as they are neat and organized.

Create a welcoming closet

Be sure to paint and clean the interior of the closet and if lighting is poor get some LED battery operated lights to brighten the space. Nothing is worse than a dark, dingy closet.  Be sure to add an air freshener to your closet to kill any unpleasant odors that might linger.  If you tend to keep laundry in the closet, move everything to the laundry room while you are trying to sell your home.  No one likes to look at other people’s dirty laundry.

Do you have sliding doors that don’t slide or come off their track?  Nothing turns off a potential buyer more that this. It’s definitely worth making the small investment to replace them. It will make a huge impact to potential buyers.

Image via: iheart Organizing

Install a closet organizer

And ultimately if you want to really help your house sell consider adding that closet organizer you just never got around to installing.  You may not be able to enjoy it long but it may just be that added incentive to your potential buyer to select your house over the one down the street.  There are never more wows that are heard when a potential candidate opens a closet door and sees a beautiful organized closet.  It is always a first on the list of plusses for any potential home buyer.

Image courtesy of Closet Factory

Kay Wade is Vice President of Design with Closet Factory’s corporate headquarters for over 15 years, Kay Wade has developed new, exciting and innovative product lines including custom closets, home office, media rooms, laundry and even a new custom garage collection.

For more closet ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Many homeowners are looking for do-it-yourself projects for their homes that will not only add to their enjoyment of their home, but add value to the home as well. With money being tight, homeowners are looking for DIY projects that are easy to do, inexpensive, and have a good return for their investment of time and money. Adding a skylight or sun tube to your home is just that kind of a project.

Look around your home. Which rooms seem dark even during the sunniest days? Are you constantly turning lights on and off? Do you always have to fuss at family members for leaving lights on? Then your home will definitely benefit from adding one or more skylights. If you like to sleep late, then do not add a skylight to your bedroom unless you are also going to add a blind to it as well.

Image via: Home Hagler

How Skylights Help

Rooms with skylights are flooded with natural light, making the rooms appear brighter and more open. There is nothing nicer than coming into a room full of natural light. In addition, the added natural light can assist you in lowering your power bills, since you will have less need of electric lighting during the day. During the winter months, many rooms feel too dark and closed in, even with the lights on. If you are one of the many people who suffer from the winter blues, then the added natural light that a skylight can bring into a room help you to avoid feeling down.

Homes with skylights tend to have a slightly higher resale value. In today’s competitive real estate market, home sellers need every advantage they can get. Having one or more skylights in your home can put you ahead of the competition when selling your home. Just make sure that your Realtor highlights the skylights when listing your home for sale.

Image via: Modize

Where to Use Skylights

Skylights and sun tubes are an excellent choice for bathrooms that do not have windows. Bathrooms tend to be the smallest rooms in the house. The added natural light from a skylight will instantly make your bathroom appear to be larger and more inviting. An added benefit is the ability to use the bathroom during the day without having to turn on a light. Skylights and sun tubes also open up dark hallways, in turn adding additional light to the rooms that open off the hallway.

Well built and leak proof, today’s skylights and sun tubes will be a beautiful and welcome addition to your home. Many homeowners remember hearing stories of skylights that leaked when it rained and let the cold in during the winter and the heat in during the summer. Better designed to prevent heat and air conditioning loss, today’s skylights also come with UV protection to protect your furniture and carpet from fading. Designed to be leak proof, they come with easy to follow installation instructions. For homeowners who are comfortable with doing DIY projects around the house, adding a skylight is easily within their skill set.

Installing a skylight is so easy that installation instructions are even on the Internet. If you are still uncertain as to whether or not you can handle this, just ask someone at your local home improvement store. They will be more than happy to explain the procedure to you and make certain that you have everything that you will need to do the job properly.

Citations:

• By Downtowngal (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

About the Author: Aaron Garcia has completed numerous DIY remodeling projects on his home, including the installation of polycarbonate skylights and aluminum sun tubes.  He knows how to add more value to a home with easy, inexpensive DIY projects.

For more DIY ideas on Stagetecture, & Stagetecture’s YouTube Channel, click here.

If you are like me, your home office has become the room you spend the most time in! Whether it’s because it’s where your access to the internet is housed, or because the home office is a refuge from the rest of the house, or because you are a work-at home professional like myself, your home office should be your favorite place in your home.

Today, my Guest Blogger, Pooja N. Gugnani, from Organizing With You, Inc., gives tips for organizing your home office and making it fit your lifestyle.

__________________________

Working from home can be a refreshing alternative to enduring long hours in traffic and a rigid schedule- if and only if your home office has a system that complements your needs well! As a professional organizer, I’m seeing an increasing number of clients working from home so they can spend more time with their family.  Consequently, this has created a growing need for more efficient home office organizing systems. At Organizing With You, our goal is to get clients to maximize their space and minimize their stress.  We try to ensure that those clients with  a home office or a home based business are able to continue matching the productivity and timeliness achieved in the traditional office setting.  Here we’d like to share some quick tips on getting your home office organized so you don’t regret your decision to stay home and work:

• Keep it Simple: You don’t need an elaborate system; focus on functionality and create a system that accommodates your working style.
• Take Control of Your Surface: Sort through all your papers; visit the IRS website to determine which papers you need to keep.  Always shred important documents!
• Create Space: If your home office is small and desk isn’t big enough, use wall-mount storage for papers you need handy.

• Don’t Be Afraid to Invest: First, make sure you have a comfortable office chair and a desk that supports drawers.  If needed, buy an over/under keyboard drawer, wireless mouse & if applicable, a monitor arm to make more room on your desk.  Invest in a Shredder!
• Don’t Mix Business With Family: Separate all personal and business papers into two different piles.
• Add Appeal:  Make your home office look simple and pretty by adding a few plants, pictures and anything else to give it a personal touch!

Remember, it’s all about achieving a balance between your office and your home!

Pooja Gugnani  is a professional organizer and owner of Organizing With You, Inc.  which is committed to providing residential and business organizing services to the entire Chicagoland area.  Specifically, they offer services in whole-house or room-by-room decluttering and organizing, organized relocation, office filing and storage solutions & special needs organizing (ADHD,anxiety etc)..  Their goal is to maximize your space and to make it visually appealing, while creating efficient systems that you will find easy to maintain. Pooja recognizes that every client has unique needs, and will incorporate your goals and expectations in the organizing system she will devise for you.

Call Organizing With You for a Complimentary 30 minute Consultation at 312.282.8280.  And, please visit www.organizingwithyou.com for more information on pricing & services offered.

Lose Clutter. Gain Control.

For more home office ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Unless your entire home is made of nothing but closets.. I assure you one of them needs to be organized! From the linen closet, to the kid’s room and the hall closet… here is a good article from Better Homes & Gardens – How to Organize your Closet.

Single Closet Door

Even a small closet is packed with storage opportunities; it just requires you to be clever in finding them. For instance, in this single-door closet, a simple self-assembled shelving unit provides loads of adjustable space for folded T-shirts, jeans, and sweaters, while also accommodating boxes and baskets filled with camisoles and undergarments. An easy-to-install bar allows dress and work clothes to hang. Even the back of the door becomes a hanging shoe rack with a few pockets devoted to small accessories.

Bifold Closet Door

Sharing a closet with your partner requires skillful planning and a diplomat’s ability to divvy up space. Stackable, self-assembled storage units with adjustable cubbies and shelves provide structured places to store folded polos and jeans, plus several pairs of shoes. Canvas totes store exercise gear away from other clothes, while a high shelf installed overhead provides a spot to stash out-of-season attire in neat wicker baskets.

Walk – In Closet

Perhaps the best part about a walk-in closet is its multifunctionality — it can hold everything! There’s plenty of space for work and play attire, plus a three-bin laundry sorter, towels, pillows, linens, and storage for out-of-season garments.

Large drawers pack lots of storage capacity, but they can get messy fast. Use drawer organizers to keep stacks from sliding. And place clothing strategically in drawers — the accessible top spot should be reserved for items worn daily

Should you throw it away?

Does it fit?

At least once a year, or even once a season depending on how small your closet is, try on each item of clothing in front of a full-length mirror. Be honest with yourself. (After all, your organization is at stake!) Decide whether the style is a good fit for your current body type (not your “someday” body).

Do you wear it?

If you can’t remember the last time you wore that oh-so-trendy peasant skirt or knit poncho (no matter how cute it was when you bought it), then it’s probably time to donate it or sell it at a garage sale. A good guideline: If you haven’t worn the item in a year or more, it’s safe to get rid of it.

Is it in good shape?

Threadbare and worn apparel isn’t part of that boho chic trend; it looks messy. If items need a quick repair — a patched knee, a hemmed seam, a reattached button or zipper — set them in a pile for a tailor. If the item is ripped, badly stained, or full of holes, it’s time to toss it in the trash or rip it up for dust rags.

For more closet ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Today, I’m talking about moving your belongings and when is it worthwhile to store them at a storage facility, rather than move them.  The reasons not to move them could be numerous – furniture is too big, move is temporary, inherited furniture that isn’t your decor style, etc…

Over the past 10 years, this subject has been near and dear to me. I had a relative that relocated from one state to another and chose to pay for a storage unit. With hopes to retrieve the belongings in a few months, easily turned into 5 years and they spent $100.00 a month for 5 years. You do the math, $6,0000 and the contents of the storage unit were not worth more than $500.00!

I found this great article on Unclutterer – a reader asks if she should move her inherited furniture. Read on, the answer may surprise you!

I am moving across the country (probably just for a few years), and would like to take just the essentials. However, I have three large pieces of antique furniture bequeathed by my grandmother that I can definitely see wanting to have in a more permanent house when I move back in the future. So… what do I do with them for the next few years? (Or am I deluding myself — will I ever want them?)

Lisa, your question brings up a number of different issues, so bear with me while I take a few twists and turns to get to a definitive answer.

To start, you seem more uncertain about life than you do about a few pieces of furniture. You use the phrase “probably just for a few years,” which speaks volumes about why this decision is difficult for you. Stop thinking about a possible future, and focus on right now. Are you moving across country? Yes. Do you want to take this furniture with you? No.

Since you don’t want to move the furniture across country, you need to decide what to do with it. Is there someone else in your family who could use the furniture now? What would the repercussions be in your family if you sold the furniture to an antique dealer and used the money to set up your new home on the other coast? If someone would be upset that you sold the furniture, are they willing to take it off your hands? (If not, don’t allow yourself to be guilted into keeping it.)

Maybe you love the furniture, and are considering storing it in self-storage? The reality is that you would likely pay $100 a month to put the three pieces of furniture into a storage locker. If you stay on the other coast for three years, then you’ll have spent at least $3,600 in rent for unused furniture. Would you pay that amount to buy this furniture if you saw it in a store? Could you even insure the furniture for that amount? The possibility also exists that you’ll love the other coast and decide to stay out there permanently. If this happens, then you’ll either continue to pay to store the furniture or you’ll have to pay to have it shipped across country. Whatever way you look at it, using a public storage facility will cost you … and it will probably cost you stress and worry in addition to the price tag.

The future is uncertain, but the present isn’t. If I were you, I’d give the pieces to someone in the family who wants them more than you do. You can admire the furniture every time you visit that family member, and know that it is being useful. And, remember, it’s just furniture, it’s not your grandmother.

For more moving tips on Stagetecture, click here.