Cleaning Up Your Coat Closet

Coat closets not only hold coats, they also become storage for items like phone books, shoes, scarves, and even the vacuum cleaner. This amazing collection of items can leave you with a disorganized, and cluttered closet. People often find that they don’t know where to begin when taming this clutter. It may be that everything is packed so tightly that you just don’t know how you will create an ounce of space.

The first step is to write a list of all the problems you currently have with your coat closet so you can focus on what you need to. You may dislike how unorganized the shoes are currently being kept in the closet or you may find it can take a while to find a pair under the mountain of different kinds. Perhaps you store shoes in the closet after being outside in the snow or rain. This may make the closet smell damp and can make your coats smell bad. You may keep drawers in the coat closet that do not really need to be there or are themselves cluttered and messy making it difficult to find whatever it is you are looking for.

Perhaps you have nine foot ceilings, but have not taken advantage of the opportunity to have two levels of coats hanging. Of course, if you make this change you will also want to get a hanger retriever so that you can get the items down from the top bar. However, hanger retrievers are not expensive, nor are closet rods, so this can be a great way to increase your usable closet space.

If most of your coats are short, or children’s coats, you can even use two bars with a ceiling that is only eight feet. Perhaps coats are not the challenge, but you find that you simply have run out of space for shoes, purses, scarves and other items that can be folded. When this is the case, you may want to consider placing shorter bars on the sides of the closet, and then using the back wall for shelving or drawers. Don’t forget the benefit of hook for items that could be hung up and moved off the floor such as tote bags and umbrellas.

If you truly prefer drawers, stick with clear acrylic ones so that you can still see what is inside the drawer. You can also choose bins and baskets which can help you get organized, and are also attractive. Vacuum storage bags are great for bulky items including quilts, blankets and heavy coats that are out of season. Simply use the hose on your vacuum cleaner to pull the air out of the bags, and you will find that they require far less space.

Cedar coat hangers are good if you find that your closet is prone to moisture, mildew or unpleasant odors. Taking the time to organize this space will help every day to go more smoothly.

To read more articles on coat hangers, check out plastic coat hangers and space saving hanger.

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