How to Bribe Your Closet to be Your Friend

By Ada Gonzalez

After following these tips your “new found friend” (your closet!) will always be there for you when you need an item from it.

Clothes: Sort & arrange shirts by sleeve length (from long to short) – this will make the space look & feel organized and roomier. To maximize space, buy a hanging closet rod (cost is approx. $10) so you can place clothes on the bottom of your closet.

Shoes: Sort shoes by usage. Those used more often should be accessible, least used should be placed from your farthest reach. If your closet is too small to place a long shoe rack, I recommend that you purchase clear cubbies that stack upwards & sideways (cost is approx. $7). To keep your tall boots from drooping over, roll up an old magazine & insert it into your boots.

Bags: Hang – hang – hang! Hang all bags that have straps. I suggest you use “S” hooks (sold at most local hardware). The key is to hang the bags in a space that is viewable & accessible without having to pull one bag out and fear an avalanche (yikes!).

Door: Maximize your door space – “INSIDE” your door. I recommend placing a garment hook (about 5” length – approx. $9) inside your door, here you can place a few business suits for the week or pick and place the clothes you will be wearing after you shower in the morning.

The fact is that these tips are common sense, but when closets are cluttered people tend to just drop items anywhere & everywhere; therefore THE KEY is to have a designated area for items so every time you open your closet you will (by habit) know where to drop, pick, pull, place, look in, or reach for your item – it’s almost as if your “friend” hands it to you when you open the closet door.

Again, the key to having an organized closet is to have designated areas for all your items within your closet. If you treat your closet with a few economical commodities, it will return the favor by staying de-cluttered and organized.

© 2007 Ada’s Interior Design, Inc. P.O.Box 1337 New Rochelle, NY 10802
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Email: ada@adasdesigninc.com
Web: http://www.adasdesigninc.com/

Ada Gonzalez is an interior decorator who designs solutions that provide comfort & function with a BIG SPLASH of style without having to spend hi-end prices on furniture & furnishings. Her designs have been featured in the Life & Style section of The Journal News newspaper. In April 2007 she won a design competition called "Interior Motives". Her ezine called Smart Decorating!, which offers FREE DECORATING TIPS, is her way of helping people across the United States learn to comfortably live in and love their homes – to get more information go to http://www.adasdecoratingsolutions.com/