Organize Your Closet and Keep it That Way
February 7, 2018
Easy Steps to Organize Your Closet and Keep it in Tip-Top Shape
Organizing your closet involves two major steps: organizing and maintaining. The latter is actually the easier part; the maintenance part is where some folks run into trouble. I’m sure some of you will know what I mean if you’ve spent lots of time building your dream closet, only to find it in a disarray six months later because you never changed the habits that made the chaos to begin with. The following is a useful list of easy steps to first organize, and then maintain your closet, which requires very little time investment if you perform the rituals regularly and faithfully.
Organize Your Closet
1. Remove clothing, shoes and other Items and perform a storage needs assessment.
2. Donate or toss items you haven’t worn in a year, do not want, or no longer fit into.
3. Assess storage requirements for folded garments and hanging ones.
4. Purchase additional storage to accommodate your clothing, shoes and accessories (think hangers, belt racks, hanger valets, shoe boxes or shoe racks, etc).
5. Install new closet accessories and components.
6. Establish a system for hanging and folded storage (arrange by color, style length, frequency of use, etc.).
7. Return clothing and shoes to your closet.
8. Admire your handiwork.
Maintain Your Closet
Having achieved the extreme order you want in your closet, now you need to keep it that way. In the past, you may have gone through the organizing process, only to find your closet returned to it’s chaotic state, but this doesn’t have to happen, provided you work at the art of maintenance and good habits.
1. Closet Rules
Establish closet rules and follow them. Yes, rules are fun to break, but not in this instance. Use the rest of the points to help establish your own guidelines, which will likely be more detailed, numerous and elaborate.
2. Put it Away Now
Return every article to its proper location in your closet (clothing, shoes, etc.).
3. Observe a Buy-Toss Ratio
Adopt a new-garment-toss-garment policy (if you buy something new, you must part with something old). This gives you a mental shopping check so you don’t acquire too much again.
4. Hanger Maintenance
Remove empty hangers from your closet as soon as you remove the garments for wearing.
5. Scheduled Mini-Closet Maintenance (5 Minutes Minimum)
Have a once-a-week, Saturday morning closet cleanup (re-order clothes by color, garment-type, etc.).
6. Periodic and Seasonal Closet Assessments
If you haven’t worn it in a year, get rid of it. Easy-peasy.
7. Size Checks
If it’s too big, get rid of it. If it’s really too small, get rid of it.
Once you organize your closet, it really isn’t that hard to keep it that way if you create a schedule of closet maintenance practices and stick with them. Organizing is a way of thinking and forming good habits as much as it is a physical action. You’ll find as you repeat habits, it becomes like second nature, and you’ll enjoy the benefits that result from your improved closet organizing and maintenance routines.
You may want to check out our huge closet accessories selection, as well as our freedomRail closet systems.
freedomRail pear closet system shown. Photo courtesy of Organized Living
freedomRail – Not Just for Closets
January 22, 2018
[acx_slideshow name=”freedomRail Not Just for Closets”]
freedomRail Gives You the Ultimate Freedom to Design Storage Systems Your Way
The freedomRail shelving system gives you unlimited potential for building custom storage solutions in your home, office or business. From pantries to closets to entertainment systems, freedomRail helps you organize your spaces just the way you need them. The beauty of the system is in its modularity, customizability, and ease of installation. The upright supports suspend from a horizontal rail system – meaning limited screwing and measuring coupled with easy, fast adjustments and assembly.
The freedomRail line of custom shelving has a vast array of add-ons to choose from including: shoe organizers, shelves, drawers, baskets, and countless other accessories. It’s also available in both wire and wood finishes (and in a range of colors to match your decor).
Organize-It sells components, predesigned systems, and services online. We also have a custom designer who can help you put together a system and, if you live in Michigan, contact us for installation services.
*You might also be interested in this Wire vs. Wood blog post on Clutter Control Freak.
Photos courtesy of Organized Living. The freedomRail line is designed and manufactured by Organized Living.
Super Bowl Party Supplies–Some Favorites
January 17, 2018
Planning a Super Bowl Party? Let Organize-It Help!
Plan now for your Super Bowl shindig and you’ll actually be able to enjoy the party yourself on game day. Whether you have a small gathering or large crowd, we’ve got you covered for all your party supplies, whether you want it casual or upscale.
Ice Buckets
Plastic beverage tubs are inexpensive and the cool thing is that you can repurpose them for storage when you’re not having a party—or use them to lug your belongings from one room to another. Heavy-duty and yet, fairly lightweight, our tubs are a great multi-purpose tool to have around the house and yard. They’re about 20 by 16 inches, meaning they store a lot toys, craft supplies and other household items. They come in lots of fun colors. Just fill with ice and stock them with beer, soda and other beverages.
For a more upscale ice bucket, this hammered copper bucket really shines (no pun intended) and will definitely make great eye candy at your party. A smooth, cylindrical 7.5-gallon copper bucket is also available.
Warm Food Servers
Speaking of upscale, we carry several copper food warmer/servers that will also dazzle your guests while keeping food warm for hours. You can also opt for the more traditional, sleek, stainless steel look. Available in a range of sizes to accommodate your serving needs, these servers are great for games, graduations, birthdays, wakes and holidays.
Pizza Accessories
Pizza is a great game day food and whether you make it from scratch or buy locally, this acacia pizza peel makes an attractive server (plus you can use it to transfer pizza from the oven to your table). OXO’s compact pizza wheel is an efficient way to slice your creations and the handle-free design takes up little storage space in your drawers.
Mexican Food
Tacos, burritos and chips make great party food and are easy to prepare (or buy). This taco tray is great for serving tacos as it holds them upright and it doubles as a hotdog tray (also an easy party food). Alternately, the taco proper holders come in a set of 12 and allow for individual place settings. For burritos or soft tacos, this oven and microwave-safe, stoneware tortilla server keeps a stack of tortillas warm and handy OXO chip clips are great for resealing and saving your nacho and other chips.
You might not think to make corn on the cob until you see these novelty football corn holders. Boiling corn is easy and throwing the cobs on the grill is another option. Your food planning can be as easy or as hard as you make it, you know.
Restaurant-style food baskets are great for eating in front of the TV. Line them with wax paper for easy cleanup after the game.
Serving Trays
It’s okay to use those store-bought, vacuum-formed things but if you prepare your own party food, that’s not an option. These ceramic buffet trays come in a set of three and are tiered for compact storage in your cupboard. Use them for snacks, desserts and other foods. We have lots of other servers on our buffet page.
Deviled eggs anyone? Yes, you can eat them in the winter too. Eggs always display better with a dedicated tray. The clear acrylic bottom holds ice for chilling the appetizer—or uses it as a standalone for vegetables and other foods. The egg tray is stainless steel and contrasts nicely with the acrylic bottom.
Snack servers are perfect for dry snacks including nuts and pretzels. These glass snack holders double as vases when you’re not in party mode. Other serving dishes can be found on our serving dish page.
Decorations
What’s a Super Bowl party without football-themed décor? Lexi Tollefsen has great DIY party decoration ideas in her HuffPost piece, 13 Super Bowl Party Ideas for People Who Don’t Care About the Game, and they’re all super-easy and inexpensive.
Diehard football fans might be willing to pop on this football chair and ottoman. This also makes a great Father’s Day gift. Add the matching football lamp and the man cave becomes a true football junkie retreat.
Enjoy your gathering and thanks for letting Organize-It help organize your Super Bowl party.
*Main photo courtesy of switz1873.