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Category: Home Organization

Home Organization Tips For The Holidays

You know it’s coming every year. So why is it so difficult to get organized and prepared for the holidays? Having an organized home for the holidays is like giving yourself the gift of time! With everything is in its place, you know exactly where to get it and exactly where to put it away, freeing up your mind to focus on what truly matters – spending time with friends and family. How does that sound? Like you’ve hit the holiday jackpot, right?

Ready to get started? The right home organization and storage can ensure a home brings holiday joy for years to come! Secure your spot on the ‘nice’ list with these tips:

PANTRY

Baking this holiday season? Before you start, treat yourself to a pantry you can be proud of! Organize your pantry with shelving that meets your entertaining needs such as shelves of various heights and pull out baskets so nothing gets lost. Pro tip: Create zones for the main categories that comprise your pantry. For example, store all of your baking items in one area and pasta in another.

GIFT WRAPPING STATION

With the fun of gift-giving comes gift-wrapping. Are you constantly trying to find tape in one place and the wrapping paper in another? How does a custom craft closet or built-in gift wrapping station filled with wrapping paper and gift bags in one section, ribbons and bows in another, and plenty of name tags, tape, and scissors sound? Amazing, right? Convenient storage features like extra deep drawers, rods for wrapping paper, and a fold-down shelf make year around gift-giving a breeze.

HOLIDAY DECORATIONS

Broken ornaments and tangled lights sound familiar? Maybe it’s time to create some storage solutions to keep those holiday decorations around for years to come! Avoid your inner Grinch with a storage system specifically created for organizing your holiday decor. Ideally, you want a custom closet with extra deep shelves for bins and pull-out baskets and shelves. Pro tip: Avoid storing items in your attic and basement where temperatures fluctuate. Here are some clever and efficient ways to store your holiday decor:

Segmented boxes for ornaments (even empty egg containers)
Store lights in individual strands in either Ziploc bags or wrapped around sturdy cardboard.
Clear plastic storage bins for wreaths, Christmas tree, and garlands
Bubble wrap any breakable items and store in plastic or cardboard boxes
Create labels for each container and number each bin in the order in which you put it out

ORGANIZED FOR HOLIDAY GUESTS

Don’t let the stress of hosting overnight guests get you down. With a few simple tips, you and your guests will feel at home for the holidays! Nothing makes your guests feel more welcome than a comfortable bed and a Murphy bed is a great option. It can turn any room, big or small, into a guest bedroom without taking up excess floor space when not in use. Pro tip: Have extra bedding, pillows, and toiletries on hand for your guests. Little touches go a long way in helping your guests feel comfortable.

YOUR MINNEAPOLIS & ST. PAUL HOLIDAY HOME ORGANIZATION RESOURCE

Ready to take the stress out of the holidays and get organized? Contact Closets For Life to arrange a free in-home consultation! Our company specializes in organization solutions for all areas of the home including closets, kitchens, garages, home offices, laundry rooms, wine cellars and more. We’ll come to your home, measure your space, discuss your needs and wants, suggest ideas and, best of all, follow up in just a few days with a custom/ design specifically tailored to you – all free of charge. All of our designs are custom manufactured which gives us the flexibility to design a solution that meets your needs and your space. Go ahead – give us a call today!

What To Do With The Stuff You No Longer Want

Whether you’ve been bitten by the KonMari bug or simply try to do a bit of decluttering every spring, the hardest part of downsizing your belongings can be figuring out what to do with all of the stuff you no longer want! The internet is full of advice on getting rid of stuff, but there’s not a lot of sites that address what to do with the items you’ve decided must go.

As a custom organization company, we’re naturally big proponents of organization. We have numerous blog posts with advice on how to go about organizing your closet, garage, children’s’ bedrooms, and other areas of the home and strive to offer our customers and readers valuable information they can use. That’s why we’ve compiled this helpful list of options for what to do with your stuff here in the Twin Cities. From donation options that give back to our local community to places where you can list items for sale, we hope this information makes the process of discarding items that don’t ‘bring you joy’ just a little bit easier!

DONATION OPTIONS IN MINNEAPOLIS & ST. PAUL

Arc’s Value Village – arcsvaluevillage.org

Open 7 days and week and with 4 locations, this non-profit organization funnels money right back into our local community by helping those with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Another bonus – they accept a wide range of items (see list here) .

Leonardo’s Basement – leonardosbasement.org

Cleaning out your garage? This one is for you. Leonardo’s Basement offers classes to youth and adult that give kids and adults the opportunity to imagine, build, and be inspired. Classes offered are hands-on and involve everything from furniture making to building your own Hogwarts Castle. They accept a wide range of tools, fabric, building materials, art supplies and more. This is a great option for many items that might otherwise end up in the trash. Click here to see their list of accepted items.

Dress For Success – Dressforsuccess.org

Getting rid of some work clothes? Consider donating them to Ready For Success, a locally operated organization that supports low-income men and women by providing them with gently used and new professional clothing suitable for job interviews and the workplace.

Tech Dump – techdump.org

Looking for somewhere to donate electronics without paying a fee? TechDump is a non-profit that supports and provides practical experience for adults facing barriers to employment. They will accept many computer related items for free and charge a small fee for some bigger items like TVs and vacuum cleaners (see list here). Either way, you are keeping hazardous materials out of the landfills while supporting a good cause.

Looking to Have Your Items Picked Up?

We understand. Sometimes the process of going through the items is all we can handle! If you prefer to have your donated items picked up from your home, here are several local non-profits with whom you can schedule a pick-up

DAV of Minnesota & Vietnam Veterans of America – Both organizations accept clothing, shoes and small household items and offer pick up in many areas. Both are non-profit organizations that support veterans

Salvation Army – Accepts clothing, books, furniture, appliances, and other household items. Visit their website for a complete list and to schedule your pick-up.

WAYS TO SELL YOUR ITEMS

Hoping to make a bit of cash? Here are some options for selling your items.

Clothes Mentor, Turn Style and Plato’s Closet are all clothing resale shops with locations here in the Twin Cities. They will pay you in cash or store credit for clothing items that are in good condition. Many will only accept certain brands so make sure to review their website before bringing items to them

Once Upon a Child is a resale shop that buys and resells children’s items including clothing, furniture, strollers, toys, books and more. Click here to see their list of Minnesota locations.

Facebook – If you have a Facebook account, consider posting your items on one of the several online garage sale groups. There are likely several for your city alone. Just search on Facebook for ‘online garage sale’ + the name of your city to find and join a group. Each group may have its own guidelines to follow. Another option is Facebook Marketplace which is Facebook’s version of Craiglist, that allows you to post items for sale.

Craigslist -A great spot to list furniture and other household items.

MORE RESOURCES

Didn’t see what you were looking for? Time to Organize, a local provider of professional organization services, has a great list of places to donate just about anything you can think of.

Smartgivers.org also has a comprehensive list of places that accept various donations.

YOUR TWIN CITIES ‘GET ORGANIZED’ PARTNER

Decided your home needs a bit more help than just a declutter? Closets For Life can help! We design, manufacture and install custom organizations systems for all areas of the home Head on over to our project gallery for inspiration and when you are ready, reach out to us for a FREE in-home consultation! We’ll come out to your home to discuss your needs and measure your space and within two days of our visit, follow up with a 3D CAD design of our proposed layout. All free of charge! Once finalized, our custom closet systems are manufactured locally and typically installed in just two weeks. What do you have to lose? Contact us today!

Closets For Life, a custom organization company based in Minneapolis & St. Paul, specializes in organization solutions for all areas of the home including closets, garages, home offices, mud rooms, laundry rooms, kitchens, wine cellars and more.

4 home organization tips for a successful thanksgiving

4 Organization Tips for a Successful Thanksgiving

Hosting Thanksgiving? Coordinating can be a daunting task. But as with anything, good organization is the key to ensuring events go as smoothly as possible. While cooking isn’t our specialty, helping homeowners get organized is. Therefore, we’ve compiled 4 organization tips to help you host a successful and stress-free Thanksgiving.

Organize your food and cooking needs: Making multiple dishes? Review each recipe ingredient list ahead of time to ensure you have everything you need. You can even go as far as setting the ingredients out on the counter grouped by recipe. Don’t forget about having the right cookware and serving dishes as well. Having a hard time finding ingredients in the depths of your pantry? It’s too late for this Thanksgiving but consider installing pull out shelves in your cabinets. They’re reasonably priced and are a game changer in terms of making items in your cabinets easier to see and reach.

Have a plan for overnight guests: Out of town guests staying overnight? Have a plan for what you plan to do with them. What will they eat (outside of the big meal)? How can they help you prepare (everyone likes to feel useful!)? Where will they sleep? If you lack a guest room, consider a Murphy Bed. They can be beautifully integrated into a wall or office unit, providing your guests with a comfortable place to sleep without taking up valuable floor space when not in use.

Don’t forget the beverages: With so much focus on the food, it can be easy to gloss over beverage details. Serving wine? What about the kids? What about after the meal? Do you need beverages for watching the football game? If you happen to have a home wine cellar, this step is a bit easier in that all you need to do is pull wine bottles from your cellar!

Create reusable centerpieces: Host Thanksgiving every year? Love a beautiful Thanksgiving table? Consider investing in a timeless, reusable centerpiece and other Thanksgiving decorations that you love. You’ll thank yourself next year! Don’t have the storage space to store decorations? Consider adding custom organization to an existing storage closet to double or even triple your storage capacity.

YOUR MINNEAPOLIS & ST. PAUL KITCHEN, CLOSET, AND HOME OFFICE CUSTOM STORAGE EXPERT

Want to learn how custom home organization can transform not just the holidays but your life as well? Click on the button below to request a FREE in-home consultation with Closets For Life. Based in Minneapolis & St. Paul, we design, manufacture and install custom organization systems for closets, garages, home offices, mud rooms, laundry rooms, kitchens, wine cellars and more. We’ll come out to your home to discuss your needs, measure your space and within two days of our visit, follow up with a 3D CAD design of our proposed layout. All free of charge! Once finalized, our custom designs are manufactured locally and typically installed in just two weeks. What do you have to lose?

3 APPROACHES ON HOW TO DECLUTTER YOUR CLOSET

If your closet is starting to look like a bad ‘before’ photo, it’s probably a sign that it’s time to declutter. But don’t despair, there is more than one approach to declutter your closet space. Whether it’s a mudroom closet, a craft closet or a bedroom closet, here are three approaches to getting your closet looking and feeling clean, calm and organized!

Approach #1: Get rid of stuff

This can be hard for some of us. We know! However, physics laws simply can’t be ignored. If you keep adding items without getting rid of anything, you will eventually run out of space. Can’t even imagine how to start sorting out what you should keep and what should go? Check out our previous blog, 5 Steps to an Organized Closet, that will walk you through a sure-fire (and relatively painless) process getting your closet back into shape.

Approach #2: Revamp your closet

Approach #1 to difficult to face? Or, did you get rid of stuff and still have more than can comfortably fit? You might want to consider a custom closet system, especially if you still have the single bar and shelf in your closet! A customized closet system will change your world (well, your closet world anyway)! With options to add shelving, drawers, islands, shoe racks, pull down closet rods and more, you can easily double or triple your storage space with a custom closet system. As a bonus, a custom closet system will also have a positive affect of your home’s resale value. Not sure what you want? Check out our custom organization photo gallery. You’ll find photos of organization projects of all kinds, from walk-in and reach-in closet systems, to mudroom organization, home office organization, garage organization, home wine cellars and more.

Approach #3: Make more with what you’ve got

Maybe you already have a custom closet system or perhaps a closet system just isn’t in your budget right now. Don’t worry! There are small additions you can make to get more out of the closet you have! Consider adding some closet accessories to your existing closet. Closets accessories, like tie racks, belt racks and pant racks, can easily be added to an existing bedroom closet, take up very little space and can help add much needed functionality and storage. See our gallery of closet accessory options to learn what options you might incorporate. For other closets, such as craft, mudroom or home office closets, consider adding just one or two smaller components such as an additional shelf, a unit of drawers or a few pull out baskets for much needed additional storage. These little changes can make a big impact with minimal investment.

Closets For Life is Here to Help

No matter what your approach, Closets For Life can help! From expert organization advice, to adding minor additions, to designing and installing an entire closet system, Closets For Life has the experience and expertise to help custom tailor a solution to your needs and your space. We offer free in-home consultations and will follow up our consultation with free 3D design. What do you have to lose? Contact us today!

Break out of the Gift Box this Christmas with Custom Organization

Do you have someone on your Christmas list who is notoriously hard to buy for? Perhaps a spouse or a parent or grown child? Or, are you looking for thoughtful Christmas gift ideas the recipeint will use and appreciate all year long? Break out of the gift box this Christmas with a unique and creative gift that is guaranteed to bring joy to the recipient for years to come! What magical gift are we speaking about? Custom organization, of course! Custom organization is a great gift idea for these reasons:

Custom organization is often something put on a homeowner’s wish list, a ‘that would be nice but…’ item that gets put off due to other more pressing home needs.
It’s something that will be used every day for years to come, rather than forgotten after a few weeks or months.
Built-in home organization can improve the value of a home, meaning it’s a gift that gives back!

So, what kind of organization projects make the perfect gift? We’ve highlighted just a few options below but really; the only limit is your imagination. If you like what you see or would like to talk with us about your ideas, contact us to schedule a free in-home consultation. And don’t worry, there’s still plenty of time. Whether you want to get the project done in time for Christmas, or want us to provide you with a certificate to present so you can plan together after the holidays, Closets For Life can make it happen!

Custom Closet System

Does you loved one’s closet overflowing with clothing? A custom closet system could be the perfect gift. With a variety of features available such as built in drawers, shelving, shoe racks and islands, we can create a design that specifically fits both the needs and space of the recipient. Whether designing for a reach-in or walk-in closet, a custom closet system can triple storage capacity. Imagine your loved one walking into their new closet each day and thinking how much they appreciate this gift. And, if you just happen to share a closet with the recipient, you’ll get to enjoy the gift as well! View our galleries of walk-in closet systems and reach-in closet systems closet projects for inspiration.

Mudroom Organization

Custom mudroom organization is something most moms dream of. If a home’s mudroom or entry is overwhelmed with coats, shoes, backpacks, sports equipment and more, we can absolutely guarantee that the mother of the house will be overjoyed to receive the gift of custom mudroom organization. Don’t have a mudroom? Even better! Without a designated area to ‘catch’ all these items, custom built-in open lockers or a front entry closet system will be even more appreciated! Visit our Mudroom storage project gallery for ideas and inspiration .

Garage Organization

If mudroom organization is the perfect mom gift, then the perfect dad gift is garage organization. With an amazing array of options including bike hoists, wall storage for rakes and shovels, ceiling racks, tool storage, custom cabinetry and so much more, you can turn any garage into the man cave most dads dream of. Thinking winter isn’t the right time to tackle this kind of project? It’s actually the perfect time. Tackling garage organization projects in the winter months means the garage will be ready to go by spring. Visit our garage storage project gallery to learn more.

Home Wine Cellar

Is the gift recipient an avid wine aficionado or love to entertain? Having a home wine cellar can save money and time by allowing wine to be purchased by the case and preserving the longevity of a bottle’s contents. Plus, let’s face it, it’s pretty awesome to be able to say, ‘Just let me run down to my wine cellar to select a bottle for dinner.’ Worry you need to dedicate a whole room to have a home wine cellar? This is not the case. View our wine cabinets and wine cellar photo gallery to see wine cellar projects both big and small, from wine cellars with 900+ bottle capacity to a small wine cellar built into the base of a staircase. How fun would it be to gift a bottle of wine with a note that says’ Wine Cellar Included’?

Closet Accessories

Love the idea of giving a gift of home organization but looking for something a bit smaller? Consider gifting a closet accessories or two. You would be surpised how accessories like valet rods, tie racks and pant racks can impact the storage potential and use of a space. Have a dark closet space? Give a gift of lighted closet rods. Or perhaps you have grandparents on your list? Closet accessories like a pull-down closet rod make reaching clothes easier, a gift that is sure to be used and appreciated. Visit our closet accessories and organizer systems photo gallery to see the many closet accessories we carry.

What’s Your Closet Type? Find the Best Closet System for You!

Adding custom organization to your closet is a great decision that will make getting dressed a less stressful and faster affair. However, did you know that no two closet system designs should be alike? It’s true! The beauty of choosing a custom closet system versus a pre-fabricated system is that we can custom design a solution that perfectly fits not only your space but also your needs! Now, don’t get overwhelmed. Helping you determine your needs is what we do! When you choose Closets For Life, we offer a complimentary in-home consultation. Our designer will come to your home, measure your space and talk to you about your storage needs prior to designing an organization solution tailored to you. However, we find that some of our customers like to approach their consultation having given some thought into the kinds of features they want to have. So, we’ve created a ‘Closet Type’ guide to help give you a great starting point for your conversation with us. Read on to figure out what your closet type is!

Closet Type #1: Priority on Hanging Space

Do you have a lot of dresses, slacks or dress shirts? Individuals with professional work clothing or many items that require hanging will want to consider a closet design that focuses on providing ample hanging space. Consider bars at multiple heights (shorter clearance for shirts and higher clearances to accommodate slacks and dresses). Also, look at closet accessories such as pants racks that will allow you to maximize your hanging space.

Closet Type #2: Priority on Shelves & Drawers

Do you love to wear sweaters or have many items you prefer to keep folded? Perhaps you have limited space within your bedroom for a large dresser? Then a closet system with ample shelving and drawer space may be just the thing to transform your closet into a truly functional space. This closet type is also perfect for children’s closets. Children’s room closets typically require storage of many little clothing items which do best in drawers. And shelving in children’s closets are perfect for items that need to be within easy reach such as diapers.

Closet Type #3: Priority on Specialty Items

Do you have a large collection of shoes, purses or hats? We sometimes have a client that comes to us wanting their closet system design to hold their collection of a particular item. Whether it’s a collection of shoes or something else, there are many creative storage design solutions that not only organize but also showcase your items. And you’ll still have ample storage for other clothing.

Let Us Help!

Don’t fit into one of these categories perfectly? Don’t despair! Whether your a classic Type #1 or a mix of two closet types, we can design a closet system perfectly tailored to you! That is the advantage of choosing Closets For Life, a Minneapolis & St. Paul custom closet system provider. You don’t need to compromise your goals when you choose to have a closet system custom designed for you. Contact us to have us out for a free in-home consultation. We can’t wait to show you what we can do for you!

Make an Impact with LED Closet Lighting

Closets are taking a decidedly brighter turn with the growing trend of built-in LED lighting. Going beyond the standard overhead lighting, these new LED closet lighting options, including the illuminated closet rods and accent LED light strips featured below, illuminate closet contents while also adding an up-scale boutique look to the space.

Advantages of built in LED lighting include:

Energy efficient and long lasting, LED lights translate to cost savings for homeowners.
LED lights produce no heat and are UV-free meaning they won’t fade closet contents.
Bringing light into the darkest areas of your closet, LED lighting makes it easier to distinguish colors and clothing items.
Beyond all the practical reasons, LED lighting adds an element of upscale design and visual impact to your space.

Closet systems are not the only area where LED lighting can have added benefits. Intelligently incorporated into a home office storage, kitchen pantry storage or a entry room storage, LED lighting enhances the design and the functionality of any space.

Let’s Start Today!

Want to learn more about LED lighting options? Schedule a free in-home consultation today with Closets For Life. We’ll come to your home to measure your space and discuss your needs and ideas. Within two days, you’ll have a free design and price quote. With the design finalized, all pieces are custom designed and generally installed within two weeks. Let us help you create a beautiful closet space to be enjoyed for years to come!

Closet Island Must-Have Features and Advantages

Providing that space allows it, a closet island is a must-have feature in a walk-in closet. Closet islands are easily customized and there are many advantages to including an island in your walk-in closet design.

Spacing Requirements for Closet Islands

Before deciding if a closet island is on your wish list, first determine if your walk-in closet has adequate space. The depth and width of a closet island is dependent on what features you desire. However, closet islands are generally at least 30″ deep, deep enough for drawer storage on each side. Width varies according to the features selected. The other space consideration is clearance around the island. Although 30″ is enough clearance, at least 36″ of clearance around each side is recommended to allow you to comfortably walk around the island.

Advantages and Features of a Closet Island

Highly customizable, a closet island can maximize storage in your closet and personalize storage space to your needs. Possible features for your closet island include:

Drawers: Drawers on 1 to all 4 sides depending on size of the island
Shoe: Angled or adjustable shelves or cubbies for shoe storage
Jewelry: Jewelry drawers installed at near the top of the unit
General storage: Open shelves for storage of purses, hats or other items
Laundry: Pull out hamper drawers
Countertop: Countertop space can be used for folding, packing or outfit planning
Bench: Provide seating space while dressing

In addition to adding functionality, incorporating the features listed above will open up space in other areas of your closet and bedroom. For example, drawer space in an island eliminates the need for a dresser in the bedroom and opens up hanging space in the surrounding wall closet space. Pull out hamper drawers open up floor space that might otherwise be taken up by a clothes hamper. All of this added space and functionality aside, a closet island adds a ‘wow’ factor to a walk-in closet. Combined with striking choices in materials, a beautifully design closet island is an element that adds drama to the space.

Let’s Get Started!

While pre-fabricated options are available, using a custom closet design company such as Closets For Life will ensure you get the best options, materials, and design based on your space and your needs. With either option, begin by spending some time to assess your storage needs and your available space. This will speed up the design process and ensure that you begin with realistic expectations of your space.

For more examples of beautiful walk-in closets and closet islands, visit our walk-in closet photo gallery. When you are ready, contact Closets For Life to schedule a free in-home consultation. We’ll come to your home to measure your space and discuss your needs and ideas. Within two days, you’ll have a free design and price quote. Once the design is finalized, all pieces are custom designed and are generally installed within two weeks. Let us help you create a beautiful closet space to be enjoyed for years to come!

Challenging Laundry Space Makeover

Have you ever had a project where you couldn’t find anyone to take the job?

We recently had a client come to us wanting to add work space for laundry and upper cabinets for storage to her basement laundry space. Other contractors had been out to her home to look at the space and but no one wanted to do the job due to the complexity of the project. The challenge was due to a maze of plumbing and water valves that made the space unusable and the room an eyesore.

cluttered-basement-to-multi-functional-space-01

Needless to say, we took the job and set about designing an organization solution. Our client’s wish list included a flat workspace to fold clothes on, upper cabinet storage and a built-in fold-out ironing board. In addition to addressing our client’s wish list, our design needed to work around the unmovable pipes while masking them as much as possible. However, we also had to ensure that there was still access to the water meter and shut off valves.

With the washer and dryer located to the right of the pipes, we designed a solution to run along the wall of pipes using lower cabinets to hide the piping and valves while still allowing access. We custom notched the counter tops to accommodate the pipes coming up from the lower cabinets, delivering the work space our client desired without compromising the piping. A built-in fold-out ironing board was mounted on the left wall and the lower cabinets wrapped around the right wall abutting the washer and drawer. Installation was understandably tricky and we worked carefully to insure the piping was not compromised.

Our client was thrilled with the results. Not only did she gain the functionality she desired, the room was transformed from an unfinished, dreary space into a polished, organized room with the laundry cabinets and storage she had always wanted. The installed cabinetry, paired with new flooring and a fresh coat of paint, dramatically changed the feel of the room. Our client told us that she couldn’t believe it was the same room! To refer to a quote from the playwright Moliere – “The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it.”. Perhaps glory is a bit grandiose but we are pretty proud of our work and it feels great making our clients happy.