Get Your Closets Organized

If a cluttered environment reflects a cluttered mind, then organizing living and work space should help one become more efficient.

Organizing closet space can be likened to adding additional floor space to your home or office. The more that fits into the closet, the less need for dressers, armoires and other furniture in a room.

There are various ways to organize your space. You may have a consultant come to your home to suggest ways to create more space in your area, or you can provide your own measurements and other information to help the designers create a plan for you. Some companies only do the whole project to control quality and honor their guarantees, others will allow you to choose between professional installation or installing their products yourself.

There are four basic types of storage in closets: long hanging, short hanging, shelves and baskets/drawers (along with accessories to organize jewelry, belts, ties, etc.) In addition to organizing closets and storage areas in kitchens, pantries and laundry rooms, many companies sell furniture to organize homes and office, bedrooms or components of entertainment systems. For instance, a fold-away bed would even allow a room to serve as office by day and guest room by night.

Storage systems can range from inexpensive coated wire products to custom-built wood systems, though most systems combine several different products, usually coated wire and melamine because of the ease of maintenance. Coated wire products are economical, easy to work with and allow visibility and air to circulate. Some companies offer several kinds of products in a variety of colors, woods and veneers.

Cedar wood products are a good choice to use in your closet area. The strong scent discourages adult moths from entering the area but the wood is not strong enough to support much and cedar loses its strong scent if not sanded regularly. It is most effective to apply cedar on the walls and possibly the floor of a closet before installing the storage systems. For best results, replace cedar accessories within the closet seasonally and store cashmere and other fine woolens in sealed bags with fresh cedar products whenever they are not worn.

Garage systems can also enable you to keep all your extra stuff in the garage. Melamine and steel shelving, work benches, racks to hang tools, sports equipment and bikes are available. Seasonal clothing can also be storied in closets in the garage.