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Closet Organization

By Kit Davey

Is your bedroom closet filled with teetering masses of clothing ready to fall on your head? Do you have garments you never wear because they're hidden in piles of clothing? Need more storage space? If so, it's time to create order out of chaos and organize your closet.

Getting Started

Closet organization is a three step process: getting rid of stuff, grouping like objects together and creatively using your space.

Schedule two to three hours for this project. Before beginning, set up bags marked, "Mend", "To Cleaners", "Charity", "Rummage Sale", "Take to Another Room", etc. Put a bowl close by to hold buttons, coins and other loose objects you find. You'll be removing and sorting each item in your closet, so clear off your bed and other surfaces in order to pile clothing of one kind together.

Now it's time to get honest. As you remove each article of clothing, ask yourself if you really like it, if you've worn it in the past year or if you'll ever really wear it again. If not, get rid of it! Then sort your clothing by type---dress shirts in one pile, pants in another, etc.

Assess your Space Needs

After you've narrowed down your wardrobe and you've grouped items by type, the next step is to assess what kind of hanging and shelf space you'll need.

Transfer your hanging garments onto matching plastic hangers (available at flea markets ,10 for a $1.00, or on sale at your local grocery store for around the same price). Having the same size and shape hangers keeps all your clothing in view, helps prevent wrinkles and gives a tidier look. Put suits or other sets on one hanger to save space.

Hang garments of the same length next to each other: jackets and (folded over) pants next to blouses, dresses next to coats, etc. If you plan on buying a closet system, measure the horizontal space each length of garment type requires.

Next, fold sweaters, T-shirts, scarves, etc. and stack in 12" to 16" piles (overly tall stacks fall over or turn into a gnarled mess when you remove something). Line up shoes and purses, stack up hats etc., and measure how much horizontal space you'll need.

Once you've assessed your needs you can improvise your own closet system, purchase components to make your own, or invest in a customized system installed by a professional.

Organizing Systems: From Free to $900

If you can't alter your closet because you rent or you have a tight budget, you can still:

• Use the vertical space under hanging shirts. Found containers, such as milk crates or sturdy card board boxes, stacked on their sides and placed on the floor are perfect as storage for folding items or shoes.
• Go as high up as you can. Create a second top shelf by cutting a board to fit and supporting it on both ends with two sturdy boxes.
• Make shelf dividers out of cardboard and tape them to the shelves.
• Use furniture creatively: store items in the dining room hutch, stack sweaters or shoe boxes under a skirted table or in the credenza in your den.
• Remove out-of-season clothing and store in boxes in the garage, in the cabinet over the refrigerator, under the bed or in another room.
• Fill empty luggage with seldom used items.

If you have only $100 to spend on a system or accessories:

• Check out ClosetMaid's Closet Organizer at your local home improvement center. For $24 to $50, you get a simple-to-assemble system that can move with you.
• Visit your local Hold Everything, Just Closets, Target, Stacks and Stacks or Home Depot for system components.
• Shop at home. Order organizing materials through Lilian Vernon (Lilianvernon.com), or Hold Everything (HoldEverything.com).
• Pick up Sunset's book, Kitchen Storage, analyze the catalogs from above and design and install your own system made from wood, screws and braces.
• Install hooks (for hats, coats, umbrellas) and mug racks (for belts or earrings) wherever you can. Use the back of your bedroom, bathroom and closet doors as hanging spots, too.

For $150 to $300:

• Design your own system by mixing components from Home Depot's melamine coated fiberboard systems. The supporting walls of each unit have holes which run the height of the panels, allowing you to insert rods, drawers, rolling shelves or baskets at any height.

For $400 to $900 you can have a custom closet company design and install a permanent, but adjustable system (Check under Closet and Closet Accessories in the Yellow Pages).

Having a tidy closet can help reduce stress and increase the enjoyment of your home. Be creative with your limited closet space and have fun getting organized.