more closet tips

How many times have you stuffed an unwanted item in the back of a closet? Eventually those little rooms in our houses start busting at the seams and next thing you know, a simple outdoor excursion that requires a coat turns into a heap of stuff on the floor. So here are a few tips for updating closets without spending a ton of money:

Tip #1: Tackle one closet at a time and take everything out. Sort through things and throw out or give away what you haven't used or will never use in the future. A great exercise I read about in Real Simple magazine involved taking out all the clothes in your closet that you haven't worn in awhile and trying them all on. The stuff that doesn't fit anymore gets donated and the rest stays.

Tip #2: Figure out how you're going to use the closet space. Is it going to be just for coats and umbrellas or does the vacuum cleaner need to go in there too? This will help you determine which accessories you'll need to make everything fit properly.

Tip #3: Once you've figured out what needs to go in the closet, add accessories and shelves to make the space more efficient. A closet can always use a second shelf above the standard shelf that sits right above the hanging bar. A shoe pocket hung on the inside of any door is also a huge help, whether it be for shoes in a bedroom closet or mittens and scarves in a coat closet.

Tip #4: Get wire shelf dividers for your linen closet and group together sheet sets and towel sets rather than having a pile of pillow cases all mixed together or a pile of wash cloths.

Tip #5: Accessories make a big difference in the closet. For one thing, get rid of wire hangers and buy a set of uniform hangers, be they plastic or wood. Use padded hangers for more delicate pieces of clothing.

Tip #6: A collection of purses always seems to make a bedroom or coat closet an utter mess. I love every single one of mine yet they're piled on top of each other on a few hooks in my closet. A large basket is one way to keep them all together and out of the way. Or Reinholdt recommends the Container Store's 8-pocket clear vinyl handbag file for $9.99. It hangs from a closet rod and allows you to see each of your gems.