Five Tips for Closet Design

In order to help organize your closet, try these five tips for closet design:

1. Find ways to use wasted space

Most closets have wasted space. This is usually on each side of the closet. To utilize this space, there are hangers that you screw into to the wall of the closet and you can then install bins in them. They are very easy to install and can be purchased at most hardware stores and home improvement departments. Closet stores also carry these items, and may have a larger assortment of bins for you to choose from.

The bins can be made of wire, acrylic, wood, or plastic. With this installation, you will have room for items you have had to store in bulky furniture. If you have a chest in your closet for these items, this will make additional room. Just simply take your measurements to the store with you to choose what will fit in your space.

2. Add shelving for storage

You can add more than one long shelf along the top of your hanging clothes. Add some to the sides and the bottom to store and organize handbags, sweaters, out of season clothing and linens. Having everything sorted on its own shelf makes it easier to find what you are looking for. Another option here is to install corner shelving. This works especially well if you don't have as much room as you would like for traditional shelving.

3.  Add light to your closet

Closets can be very dark, and it is essential to have enough lighting to find what you need, but most importantly to see where things need to go back. This will keep your closet tidy. You can go to the expensive of adding track lighting, which allows you to point the lights where they are needed, or you can simply install stick up lights, also known as tap lights in the various areas where your closet is too dark. These only cost about ten dollars and can be found at most any department store or home improvement store.

4. Solutions for dirty laundry

In order to keep your closet neat, you will need a space to toss your dirty laundry. Try to make a space in the floor of your closet for a laundry hamper. There are smaller ones available depending on how much space you uncover. If you do not have space for a hamper, place a laundry basket in your closet to place dirty clothes.

5.  Keeping your closet fresh

A simple way to keep your clothes fresh is to add dryer sheets to your bins. If you store smelly sneakers in your closet, purchase charcoal fresheners which will alleviate the odor in the sneakers and the closet within twenty-four hours. There are other alternatives as well. Linen spray is inexpensive and is available in many scents so you will be sure to find one to your liking, and there are hanging fresheners that are made especially for closets. They have a hook like a clothes hanger that you attach to the pole. These usually last about one month. You'll also want to be sure to wash the dirty clothes often if you are storing them in your hamper or laundry basket inside your closet to keep odors from getting into your clean clothes.