Closets Design Online

There are many different kinds of closet organizing systems. The challenge is finding or making one that fits your budget, needs, and personal style. Here are some suggested steps to help make the process easier.

Step One in Closet Organization: Budget

Decide on a budget. This is included as the first step because what your budget is will affect all other areas of your decision making process. You need to know how much you can or are willing to spend on organizing your closet before you go looking at closet organizing systems. It can be very tempting to justify the cost to yourself of buying a top of the line closet organizing system and then have buyer's remorse after you look at your credit card statement and realize that you really couldn't afford it. Decide on a budget and stick to it.

Step Two in Closet Organization: Make or Buy

Decide if you will be making it yourself, buying a pre-made closet organizing system and installing it yourself, or buying a professionally installed system. If you're not sure which way you want to go, start shopping around. The easiest way to find a closet organizing system company to professionally install your system is to go to dexonline.com and do a search in your area for closet organization. If you're going to be buying a pre-made system that you install yourself, shop around at local stores (The Container Store, Target, Home Depot) and/or online. If you want to make it yourself, check out the pros and the pre-made closet organizing systems in order to get some ideas about how you want to make your system.

Step Three in Closet Organization: Features

Figure out which components you want in your closet organizing system. You're going to want to sit down and really think about how you use your closet. How can you organize your closet so that it makes the most sense with your lifestyle? How can you organize your closet in order to make your life easier? Which features do you really want? Where will those features go in your closet?

Step Four in Closet Organization: Measurements

Take measurements. So why didn't I tell you to measure before you started shopping around? To help prevent impulse buying. Shopping around is just to give you an idea of what is available to you and to help you decide which direction you want to go with your closet organizing system. Now that you know what is available, take measurements of your closet. Buying a closet organizing system that is either too big or too small for your space will leave you frustrated and probably angry with the company that sold it to you. Get measurements of everything that you want to come with your new closet organizing system and make sure to measure where each piece will go.

Step Five in Closet Organization: Visual Aids

Get a visual aid. If possible, you'll want to get a virtual "tour" of what your closet will look like with the closet organizing system that you want to buy. A virtual "tour" of your new closet organizing system can go a long way in helping you really visualize how the system will look in your space. Draw out your space and what your new closet organizing system will look like in that space. Empty out the closet and use things around your home to help you get a clear visual. For example, if your ironing board is about as big as a cabinet piece that you want, put your ironing board in your closet where you want the cabinet to go. If you have a shelving unit that you want to install in a specific area, put masking tape on the wall to represent where you want your shelving system to go. Masking tape can take paint with it so be sure not to press the tape on the wall too hard or leave it on for very long.

Step Six in Closet Organization: Time to Buy or Make It

Buying or making your closet organizing system. You should now be ready to buy or make your closet organizing system. If you are buying a system, make sure that you know what the warranty is on the system and the return policy. If you are having a closet organizing system professionally installed, make sure you know the length of the warranty on the labor.

After you get your new closet organizing system installed, make sure that you go through everything before you put it back into your new closet. You don't want to be filling up your new closet with clutter so make sure that everything you are putting back are things you actually use on a regular basis. A good rule of thumb to follow is that if you haven't used it within the past year, you're probably not going to use it again so toss it or give it away.

The thought of closet organizing makes most people groan. But it doesn't need to be this way! Starting with a messy closets, you can get that closet organized and keep it organized in just 5 minutes a day.

Set a timer and let's get started!

-- Day 1.

Your first 5 minutes will be devoted to staring at the contents of your closet. With pen and paper in hand, jot down what items you haven't used in years (be honest). You will be throwing or giving these items away. If you can't bear to toss an item, give some thought as to where the item could go for a new home and a new life.

When your timer goes off, stop. Put the pen and paper on the closet floor and close the door. You'll be back tomorrow.

-- Tomorrow is here!

Continue your closet organizing adventure. Go to your closet and pick up your pen and paper. Keep on creating your list of what in your closet you can get rid of and what items need to find a new home. Use as many 5 minute sessions as necessary on this step. Feel like you're not getting anywhere? Nonsense! This step makes all the difference down the road when you are maintaining your organized closet.

Simply stated, it will be A LOT easier to keep your closet organized when it only contains what you truly use and is not being used as your personal archive. (In fact, it will probably help you if you can designate one closet or space in your home as a storage container for all those items you need seasonally or for keepsakes. Things you only access occasionally.)

In addition, doing this one step over several days will give you a chance to really think about those items you have collected over the years. You'll find you're ready to give or throw away things on Day 5 that you couldn't bear to part with on Day 1.

-- The next step to your closet organizing.

Once you have completed the list of unnecessary items in your closet, grab a couple of boxes and your timer. Set your 5 minutes and, using your list, toss the trash in the trash box and the give-away items in the give-away box. If this takes you more than 5 minutes, stop and continue tomorrow. This step will go fairly quickly, however, if you've done a thorough job with your list from Day 1.

-- Moving right along.

Now that all the excess stuff is gone from your closet, you can get down to organizing what is left. Use your 5 minutes to genuinely study what's remaining in your closet.

* Which items do you use everyday?

* Which items can be stored together?

* Which items can be stored on shelves?

* Which items can be stored in drawers?

* Which items should be put in bins?

* Which items simply don't belong in this closet?

Take notes during this step and use as many 5 minutes as you need. Again, doing this over several days gives you time to consider how you use each item in your closet each day and what type of organizational system will make the most sense for you. You're aiming for usability here and it may take a bit of trial and error. That's fine because the end result will be a closet you can easily keep organized without even thinking about it.

-- Time to organize your closet.

Using your notes from the previous step, get the supplies you need to organize your closet. Again, take your time with this step, noting what is working and what is not along the way. Tweak as necessary.

* Need more hangars, bins, baskets? Put them on your shopping list for next time you go to the discount store.

* For starters, use whatever organizing supplies you already have including old boxes. It can help to live with your ideas for a week or two to enable you to understand exactly the type of organizing supplies that will serve you the best, so feel free to use temporary containers while you're at this stage of your closet organizing project.

* OR...if you're unsure about sizes and shapes of organizing products, buy just a few samples, leave the tags on and try them out. Then return what you don't need and purchase what you do.

This step can either be completed as part of your normal shopping (requiring no extra trip to the store and keeping within the 5 minute concept) or simply dive in and do one big shopping trip. Your choice.

-- Live with it.

There's no substitute for living with your organizing to see what you've accomplished and what you need to change. Use your 5-minutes-a-day to ask yourself what you like and don't like about your newly organized closet. Take notes and make changes.

-- Last step.

This is the maintenance step and it's easier than you think. For your closet organizing enterprise to give you the results you want, you'll need to take 5 minutes each day and put things away in your closet where they belong.

But beware. Skip this step for just 7 days and you'll need to put in 35 minutes to get back on track. Maybe you don't have 35 minutes to organize your closet, so you don't do it. It won't be long before your closet will be in chaos again and you're using EXTRA time every day just to locate items that should be at your fingertips.

That's right, you're going to use the time anyway. Being disorganized is a huge time waster. So stick to your 5 minutes a day, no matter what. It won't be long until your new habit becomes second nature and you can't imagine NOT doing a quick tidy-up each day.

All it takes is 5 minutes.

Tag : closets,closet organizing,organizing

Is your closet in shambles? Are your clothes taking over your closet? Are you at a loss about what to do to tidy things up and get things back on track? If so, then I've got some tips that I think will solve the problem. So sit back, relax and go through these steps with me to find the solution to your small closet trials and tribulations...

Step 1: Clean up and Clear out

If your closet is in shambles, the first thing you need to do is a major clean-up. Closets don't clean themselves, they need to be cleaned every once and awhile. So, a good place to start is to simply take everything out of the closet.

Once you've done that, sort through your items items and get rid of things that you may no longer need and donate them to charity. Once you've initially cleaned up and cleared everything out, to keep things under control it is recommended that you do an inventory check and occasional clean-up every 3 to 6 months.

Or if that doesn't work for you, consider using the "Replacement Strategy" instead.

It's a simple method of keeping your closet up to par every time you go shopping. This will help you keep a steady flow going rather than having to wonder if you're once again cramming too much in your small space as time progresses.

This is also very helpful if you shop a lot. It will keep quantity-in and quantity-out consistent. To make this strategy work, let's use an example of how it's done...

Let's say one day you're ready to go shopping. Before you go shopping, it's vital to go through your closet and find a certain number of clothing that you're no longer happy with. Once you've gone through your closet, let's say found 2 pair of pants and 3 shirts that you're ready to get rid of. The next step is to then go shopping for the equal amount of clothing that you plan to toss out or donate. In this case, it's 2 pair of pants and 3 shirts.

During your time out shopping, your job is simple. All you have to do is find 2 new pair of pants and 3 shirts that you'd like to REPLACE your old clothing with. And that's it. Simple, huh? But let's not forget. You have one last thing to do once you're done shopping...

And that's to simply drop off the old clothing at the thrift store and then you're finished for the day.

So if it's not clear by now, you're basically replacing the old with the new. This is a simple method that will help you keep things tidy as well as help you maintain a certain shopping budget whenever you're ready to add something new to your wardrobe.

Step 2: Create Your Own Closet System

If you have a small closet that is just overflowing with clothes, even after you've done a major clean-up, you might want to consider several options on doubling your space. You can get a complete closet system, but often this requires that you remove your current closet system and put a new one in. And if you're renting a place, you know this is definitely off-limits.

So what do you do when you need a closet system but can't put one in?

Well, you turn to closet organizers to get the job done.

They can be just as effective as a complete closet system and all you have to do is hang them up on the closet rod that's already in your closet. All it takes is a few moments and voila... you have your own makeshift closet system.

To do this, you will simply need...

• Closet doublers
• Hanging shelves and drawers
• Hanging shoe organizers

StacksandStacks.com is a great place to find the organizers that you'll need to achieve this look.

The great thing about closet doublers is that they do exactly what they say. They double your space by utilizing the unused space blow your clothes, so you essentially have two hanging spots instead of one.

Hanging shelves and drawers offer you a big advantage because they allow you to eliminate your need for a dresser or chest of drawers. And this can be extremely helpful if you have a small bedroom but can't afford the room for a dresser.

With the hanging shelves and drawers, you can store all of your undergarments in them, such as socks, underwear, bras and so forth. And if they're big enough, you can even store your purses in them too. If not, they make organizers that you can hang up for those as well.

Hanging shoe organizers are also self-explanatory. If you don't want your shoes lying around all over the place, get a hanging shoe organizer that will get the job done.

Once you have all of these organizers, consider placing the hanging shelf and shoe organizer in the center of your closet and a closet doubler on each end. However, before you jump the gun, be certain your closet can accommodate a hanging shelf, shoe organizer and 2 doublers. If not, you might need to eliminate one of the doublers or organizers.

Step 3: Don't Just Guess... Label It!

Once you've gotten rid of everything you don't want in your closet and you've gotten your organizers in place, you might want to consider one last (optional) step to take care of business...

And that's closet dividers.

TheContainerStore.com has great blank closet dividers that you can use to achieve this great look and feel.

You can use them to label your clothes...

• By season
• By type
• Or simply by style

...and they'll help you know exactly where each section begins and ends.

For instance, if you organize all of your long-sleeve shirts together, you could put a label up that says "Long-sleeve Shirts." Or if you prefer, you could place all of your formal clothing together and create a label that says "Formal Clothing."

But what if you enjoy organizing your clothing by season? Well, obviously you could do that too. Simply create four labels in accordance with the four seasons of the year: spring, summer, winter and fall.

This will eliminate guesswork and each day you'll be able to quickly go to what you need section by section.

Once you've done all 3 of those steps, you'll have a small organized closet you can take pride in. And from then on out keeping it tidy will be a breeze. Simply tidy up every 3 to 6 months or use the "Replacement Strategy" to keep quantity-in and quantity-out flow on par.

Tag : closets,small closets,closet organizing,organizing

A walk in closet can be a fantastic inclusion in any home. Unfortunately, many people allow them to turn into nightmares they are afraid to open and use. There are ways to get the most out of these storage spaces and keep them clean and useful, too.

Closet organizing systems can be very useful, but it is also possible to craft a storage system at home. The key to using this space to its best advantage is to size it up, consider what really needs to go in it and then make sure things fit as they should where they should. When a walk in closet is maximized in its storage capacity, these mini-rooms can handle a whole lot of stuff in a fairly neat manner.

To whip a walk in closet into shape, it's a good idea to follow a few basic steps. These include:

* Emptying them.
This is the step no one wants to take, but it is the most important for organizing a walk in closet. Take everything out and go through it. Create three piles: one to keep, one to throw away and one that includes items that really belong elsewhere in a home.

* Sizing up the space.
The next step is to take stock in how the closet is configured and what would be the best use of it. Also, take a look at the "go back in" pile and see what's in it. Perhaps, a few hanging brackets could be removed for a floor to ceiling shelving system? Maybe there are enough shoes to constitute a special storage shelf under one of the hanging units? Brainstorm the best way to put a walk in closet back together in order.

* Find the right organizing materials.
Small shelving units, hanging shoe shelves and other similar devices can help when a full walk in closet organizing system is too expensive to buy. Get creative here and really consider the size, shape and amount of items that need to go back in.

* Put everything back in.
Use the new materials to store what is supposed to go on or in them. Try to make sure everything in the walk in closet is easy to find.

A closet can either be a great tool for storing items or it can be a disaster that won't hold another item. When a walk in closet needs serious attention, the process can take some time, but the end results will be worth the effort.

Tag : closet,closet organizers,walk in closet,closet design

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Neil_Day

Surprisingly, most people think it is too expensive to hire a closet organizer to get their closets under control. It is actually a cost effective investment, paying off in the form of saving you time, work, and money. Being organized also feels good and has the added bonus of making more room for you to accumulate more stuff!

By hiring a closet organizer, you will enjoy the benefits an organized and functional closet provides without going broke. When seeking to organize your closets, consider the following four reasons that demonstrate why hiring a closet organizer makes good sense.

Organized Closets Save You Time

An organized closet allows you to find things in a timelier manner. You won't miss the time you used to spend rifling through your possessions trying to find the match to your left running shoe. The shoe will be there, matched up with its mate, in your specially designed shoe organizer that houses all of your shoes so they are easily accessed at any second. A closet organizer can make a place for everything you own in your closets. All you have to do is maintain your organized closet after your organizational expert does all the initial work.

Hiring A Closet Organizer Saves You Work

When you hire a closet organizer, you free yourself from having to do the organization. Organizing a closet is hard work that includes separating items into like groups, designing a storage solution, installing a storage solution, and organizing and tweaking the final closet until it is perfect. Your closet organizer can organize your closets while you go about your day. Once your organizational expert has finished, you can sit back and enjoy the fruits of their labor. Your only work will be in maintaining everything the organizational expert accomplished.

Professional Organizers Make Small Closets Feel Large

Many Las Vegas closets are notoriously small, especially in older homes when builders didn't consider large closets a virtue. By utilizing the skills of a closet organizer, you can make your small closets feel huge. A professional organizer can quickly and cost effectively turn a small closet into an efficiently organized storage solution without knocking down walls to build a bigger closet.

Organizational Experts Have The Best Tools And Equipment

A pre-packaged closet organization system that you buy and the local discount store may seem more cost effective than hiring an organizing expert, but it usually isn't. A professional organizer will build custom sturdy, long lasting shelves, racks, and other organizers that just aren't available in pre-packaged kits.

You may not have the proper tools or knowledge to safely install a closet system. It is a waste of time to spend two hours putting together a pre-packaged kit just to have it fall apart when you hang something on it. Many pre-packaged kits may also not fit the dimensions of your closets. By hiring a professional organizer, you receive a quality storage solution, custom fitted to the dimensions of your closet that will be installed by an expert.

Getting your closets organized may seem like a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be. By hiring a closet organizer who can provide you with the best storage solutions, you can enjoy the benefits of an organized closet and an organized life.

People who live in older homes can often become frustrated with their closet spaces since previous generations simply didn't use closets the way we do nowadays. For one thing the closets in older houses tend to lack depth and be quite small. Also there is usually only one pole for hangers and maybe a few hooks. Trying to fit all of your belongings, shoes, coats, hats, and clothes into the tiny space, let alone organizing it usually is a disastrous experience. Custom closets are extremely popular because they offer a solution to the frustration of crammed, messy closet spaces. With just a bit of planning and small cash investment you can easily and very quickly de-clutter your closets and create organized, easily accessible closet spaces.

Custom organizing closets didn't become popular until the early 1980's. They actually owe their popularity to a few companies who created their businesses around the idea that using a different method for how people stored the items in their closets could make their closets much more efficient and easy to use. Based on the success of these companies many other business ventures, both large and small have hopped on board to offer homeowners a ton of closet service choices to choose from. In addition, a number of other companies have opted to focus on the do-it-yourself type homeowners with a wide array of ideas, tools and accessories to revitalize their cluttered closet to a model of organized storage use.

Companies that specialize in organizing closet spaces generally provide closet system design. Using their services is easy. You just schedule an appointment for a free in home consult. When the consultant arrives at your home they will measure your closet spaces, inventory the items you wish to store there and discuss any other needs you may have regarding your closet. After reviewing this data they will then recommend a system they think will give you the best closet for your needs.

Before you call for your custom closets free in home consultation, you need to take a few actions to prep for the meeting. If you're like most people, there are many things in your closet that you no longer need. There's simply no reason to pay money just to store items you're never going to use. If you remove all the unnecessary stuff that has piled up in your closet it will save you time and money on your new closet system. Remove anything you don't absolutely love or haven't used in a year or more. You will probably have a few things that have sentimental value that you'll want to keep - like your wedding dress. No matter how old it is, it is okay to keep it. Just think about whether it really needs to be in the closet. Perhaps it can be boxed and stored in a different location. Now when the consultant arrives they will only be taking an inventory of what you really need to store and have easy access to. Custom closet organizers provide a really good service; but there are also a number of companies have developed products that let you do the job yourself. If you have a really small closet or limited storage needs, it could be smarter to consider completing the project yourself. If you're fairly handy you could easily complete a closet rehab project with very little expense.

With a bigger closet, it will probably be best to have a pro do the installation for you so know it is done right the first time. A professional installer will give you a complete closet transformation. You will get the closets of your dreams with no real effort required from you. A pro can overhaul your entire system from the bifold closet doors to the very tiniest detail. Commonly added organizational items include things like shoe racks, pull out drawers for sweaters and socks, shelving units, and tiered clothing hangers.

The cost for custom closets vary widely. Pricing can range from several hundred dollars to several thousand depending on the size of your closet and the features you choose to have installed. Before signing any type of agreement for the sale, make sure you ask these critical questions:

• Is there a warranty provided with your service?

• Will you be using plastic or metal hardware?

• What is the depth of the shelves?

• Will the price of installation include getting rid of the old closet?

• Is paint touch ups and dry wall if needed included in the job?

Once you have selected the right plan and features it is time to get started. If this is going to be a do-it yourself job, you will need to set aside a weekend for properly completing the installation. If you're having your new closet professionally installed, you simply need to schedule the install date. It's best to schedule the project for a day when you can be home to answer questions if needed.

After the project is completed, it is time to take a step back and soak in the beauty of your new closet. Now everything in there has a place, and even better, everything is in its place.

Tag : closets,custom closets,organize,clutter

Closets are miracles of sorts. They keep everything we don't want others to see hidden out of sight. Although the times that you just throw items into it without thinking can make it a bit unorganized and you need to correct this. Take a moment to look at your closet. Is there a shelf in it with items threatening to fall off? Are your clothes constantly falling on the floor when you go to get them out of the closet?

This over flow is an indication that you are holding onto too much. The first thing that has to be done in order to organize your closet is to get rid of things. You don't need clothes and shoes from the seventies and eighties. That pair of bell-bottom hip huggers in paisley print is not coming back in your lifetime. Get rid of it! Take them and all of those clothes that are not within two sizes of what you can actually wear and get rid of them.

Shelves in the top of the closet leave a world of options open for its organization. Clear storage bags preferably those that vacuum seal to take up less room can be utilized to store out of season clothes. Alternatively, they can be hung in sealed compressed bags off into a corner of the closet.

Shoes take up a great deal of space. These are at sky rocketing numbers in most women's closets. Shoe racks are an option that gives a couple of choices. They can either hang on conventional opening doors or sit along the floor of the closet in a row; there is even the option of shoe shelves if the closet is spacious enough.

The top of the closet can be utilized for hat storage if you still wear them. Hats or hatboxes can be lined up neatly across one side and the other side can contain small storage containers of items that you wish to save.

Hanging our clothing individually takes up an extreme amount of space. If you work in an office and wear suits, you can save a lot of space. Hang jackets and pants together. Ties can be hung with the shirts they are commonly worn with. There are also special racks available for hanging belts that allow you to have them all in one place thus taking up less room. Belts that are often worn with a particular suit can be hung over the top of the hanger to hang in front of the suit making them easier to find in the mornings.

Putting these closet organizing tips to work for you will give you more room in the closet as well as peace of mind knowing that one area of your home is in order.

There's not very much that's more exhausting than always having to look at a big pile of clutter and junk in a closet that's sloppy. This is especially true when the muddle of mess we're concerned with is yours. Badly arranged garments and other personal things not only makes your closet look untidy, it also makes you feel unhappy knowing your things aren't as organized as they could be. You wind up wearing the same things over and over again while your other precious belongings wind up lost in the shamble of things some of which you most likely don't even need anymore. Well, you've got no need to fret anymore! Your days of agonizing are almost over because we have just what you need, a kid's closet organizers kit. It's high time you have a bit of control over the most important thing you possess-- your wardrobe.

When you take a step back and look inside your closets, you're tempted to say the solution to your problem is that you need additional space. Extra space in the closet would just end up costing you more of your bedroom space. This problem will never come to an end largely because as the years go by, you'll just acquire more stuff. Because of that, you'll need more space for your closet which will just make the room smaller. A closet organizer can actually sort out your things. Not only will your things be neatly stacked together, you'll be able to actually see all that you own. As a result, you can toss out stuff you won't need again and make space for the garments you have never worn because sadly, you never located them after the day you threw them into your bottomless pit of a closet.

In general, people store their garments according to their type and need to also remember to find space to put ties and other accessories as well as shoes. A closet organizer permits you to do just that. For pants, coats and dresses, you need to have a long hanging space. For many kinds of clothes like folded pants, blouses, shirts or skirts, your closet space could benefit from double hanging rods, one on top of the other. As for things like undergarments and socks, you could put in some drawers and shelves. Closet organizers can also include shoe cubbies or a shoe rack. So, there you are! No more crumpled clothes at the back of your closet.

Aside from shoes and clothes, accessories like scarves, umbrellas, purses, ball caps and ties should to be arranged neatly so that you can quickly locate them. This is particularly important when you are late for work and in a hurry. Instead of wasting a lot of time searching for a specific scarf, you can have more time to put together a gorgeous outfit for whatever event you are attending. With such arrangement, it will be much simpler to find exactly what you are hunting for. Moreover, the clean look just can't be beat.

With a closet organizer, your bedroom can be turned into a haven for rest. If the space in your closet is effectively used, your room will look better than it ever has before. A bedroom closet organizer will ensure that the extra space in the bedroom is effectively utilized. Which, of course, makes the room tidier. A a bedroom closet that is well planned and arranged will produce outstanding beauty in your space. Investing in a bedroom closet storage system will most definitely save you time in organizing clothes, along with providing you the peacefulness knowing that once and for all, you're free of clutter.

There are a couple of ways to organize your bedroom closets. The first way is to find a closet designer company to make a customized one for your room. This will probably cost you a small fortune but the results will be entirely worth the money that you spend. The second way is less pricey but requires a fair amount of your time. You can buy a bedroom closet organizer kit designed to suit your exact specifications. Be it a reach in closet or a walk in closet, you can get one that will accommodate your price range. With just a few simple and basic tools and a small investment of time, you can put together a closet organizing system to make your bedroom not only free of clutter, but elegant and classy.