Are you lacking closet space and don't have room for a walk-in closet?  You can actually build a "walk-by" closet!  An old ladder bridges the space between two basic shelving units and creates a unique space to hang clothes.  It is a far cry from the typical stainless steel clothes rod.  Display your neatest, prettiest things on the open shelves but keep dirty laundry in woven baskets or in an attractive, unique hamper.

A simple solution for a neat, organized closet is to buy hangers that are the same color and shape.  This adds uniformity to your closet and makes it look so much better.  You can add belt hangers, scarf hangers, and pant hangers that coordinate with the regular hangers for a closet that is easy to care for and saves you time when getting dressed.  There are fun as well as classic hangers on the market today.  Big box stores as well as organizing specialty stores carry an array of hangers to fit your needs.  Go shopping today and have a neat closet tonight!

A neat, organized as well as functional clothes closet is arranged by color.  You can go one step further by separating long-sleeved shirts, blouses and tops from short-sleeved garments.  It will make choosing that perfect outfit much easier once you know what the weather will be that day.  This is especially helpful for men who want to dress appropriately for weather conditions.  They can grab the appropriate shirt quickly and easily. 

Think of vertical space in closets.  Having storage chests or shelves that are tall rather than wide will make better use of the available room in a closet.  Be creative and think outside of the box when shopping for storage units for a closet.  Vintage furniture is always a good option because it is not only functional but also attractive.  Why not have a great looking closet as well as one that meets your storage needs?

I am excited about the new metal shelving unit I purchased for my office closet.  The office was designed to be a spare bedroom but is totally dedicated to office space--including the closet.  It is a small walk-in closet with one shelving unit, two file cabinets and, now, a new metal shelving unit which fits perfectly in one corner.  That corner was previously wasted space but is now a functional area for books, notebooks and small storage containers that will hold gadgets, cords, and numerous other office accessories that don't fit into drawers.  The closet is not only organized but functional as well!

Questions to ask yourself before organizing a closet:

     *What type of closet are you organizing?

     *What kinds of things will the closet "call home"?  (Small things, such as shoes & jewelry or large items, such as coats & sweaters.

     *What is the size of the closet?

     *Do you have the necessary tools to make adjustments to the closet? 

     *Do you have the time and the basic skills to install a closet system or stand-alone closet storage units?

These are questions you should ask yourself before starting a closet make-over project.  Planning ahead will save you time and frustration. 

How much closet space do you need for your clothes?  Measure your closet and then analyze the situation.  Are your clothes and accessories currently fitting in the closet?  If so, congratulations!  If not, how much more space do you actually need?  Is there some other place in your house or apartment that could serve as closet space?  If not, it is time to decide what stays and what goes.  This is something most people need to do on a regular basis to keep possessions such as clothing under control.

What about your pantry closet?  This is a great time of year to cull out any unwanted items from your pantry.  You might have large cooking utensils that you seldom use that could be stored in another, more suitable place in your home.  Think of the things you use on a regular basis and make those accessible when you rearrange your pantry.  If you keep boxed and canned food items in your pantry, check to see if they are fresh and have a current use date.  It's amazing how fast time flies and food items become out dated!  Think how much easier it will be to prepare everyday meals as well as prepare for guests when your pantry closet is neat, clean and functional!  Now is the time to start this project!

"The skeleton in the closet" adage!  Closets can certainly hide more ugly, embarrassing, frightening "dead" junk than any other home environment.  A closet is the most logical and practical place in the house to put things we need to have handy.  Closets are our most functional and critical storage area, but they are also the perfect convenient place to stash useless, unneeded items out of sight.  Closet junk is also some of the most emotionally devastating because we see it many times a day.  Put closet "dejunking" at the top of your list as a "must do" each month of the year.  If you only "dejunk" one closet a month (or two at the most), at the end of the year you will have such a sense of accomplishment.  And, just think how liberating it will make you feel.  Here's to your getting rid of "the skeleton in the closet" in one year!

Check back periodically for more Closet Solutions ideas!

Lynn Cressy