Closet Storage Organization Made Easy

Closets can often become overstuffed and chaotic with the items that are stored there. Closet storage organization will make your life easier by providing an easy way to access the things you use.

Take EVERYTHING Out

The best place to start is with a clean slate. Take all items out of the closet and assess the situation. Make piles on the floor of what you want to keep, give away or throw out. Clean the shelves and carpet in the closet. Then you need to go through the "keep" pile.

Themes

Whether it is your linen closet, clothing closet or cleaning closet, you will want to separate the items by the most functional theme. If it is your clothing closet, a good way to start is by separating the clothes by seasons. Perhaps store the winter clothes away during the summer and vice versa. You will want to make a pile for shoes, undergarments, jackets and so forth. If you are dealing with a linen closet, divide sheets from towels. Items in cleaning cabinets can be divided according to the rooms in which they are used.

Label

Labeling may seem a bit obsessive, but it can make life so much easier. Anyone can find and put back what they are looking for in the right place. Print out your labels and stick them to shelves with clear contact paper. Contact paper is easily removable and can be changed if you change your mind. Get containers to store items together by type or theme. Clear plastic bins make it much easier to locate what you are looking for than opaque ones, but if you want the contents hidden, buy the opaque ones and label them with contact paper.

Tip: Keeping the boxes things come in can come in handy for quick labeling and storing. The box usually has the picture of the item on it and is made to hold the item with little wasted space. Shoe boxes are useful for keeping shoes from dust and are easy to identify by the box. Think about storing your shoes in the original boxes. They stack easily and are already labeled.

Putting It Back . . . Organized

There is a method to this madness. Think logically when you put everything its final place. Put items you don't use so often higher up or to the back. If you have to stack items in front of each other, put the taller items in the back so you can still see them or label the shelf so you can easily know what is behind everything. Keep items of the same theme right together or in the same general area. Check the closet at least once a year to re-organize and reevaluate what you really use and need.