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Articles Tagged with: closet organization

Tips On How To Care For Your Custom Closet

Perhaps you’ve already taken the plunge, having a custom closet system installed in your home and are wondering how to keep it looking its best. Or, perhaps you’re in the research stage and want to learn more about what care a custom closet requires. Either way, you’ve come to the right spot!

As a custom organization company based in the Twin Cities and in business for over 14 years, we’ve designed and installed hundreds of custom organization systems. We pride ourselves on delivering quality designs and products and we’re happy to share that caring for your custom closet is really easy! All you need to keep your custom closet looking its best is follow these simple tips.

A SIMPLE WIPE DOWN IS BEST

Most of our custom closet systems are manufactured using Melamine laminate, a durable surface that comes in multiple finishes and textures. No matter which color or texture you choose, all they require for regular cleaning is a wipe down with a damp (not wet) microfiber cloth. If there happens to be a stubborn stain, a mild detergent can be used.

It is important to note that you should not use harsh cleaners on your custom closet cabinets. Acidic or abrasive cleaners can damage laminate surfaces. Also avoid abrasive scrubbers, such as steel wool. This also applies to your cabinet hardware and any closet accessories that you may have.

We recommend wiping down your closet cabinets surfaces every 6 months, the timing of which coincides with our next tip!

REGULAR DECLUTTERING

While a custom closet will have a tremendous impact on your amount of storage space and the ease of keeping items organized, even the most smartly designed closet system can get overwhelmed if you don’t occasionally go through and declutter. Don’t let your closet reach the point of chaos. We recommend pulling all items out of your closet every 6 months to sort through and reorganize. A great time to do this, if you live in a place where there are seasons, is in the spring and fall when you traditionally are transitioning wardrobes. Taking this step not only increases the longevity and crisp appearance of your closet, but it also allows you to assess what clothing items you have and want for the upcoming season. For advice on how to decide what to keep, and what must go, check out our blog, Powerful Questions to Ask Yourself When Organizing Your Closet.

NO LIQUIDS PLEASE

Standing liquid is the nemesis of just about any surface and melamine laminate is no exception. Avoid keeping any type of liquid in your closet or storing wet shoes on your closet shelving. We also highly discourage placing any sort of candle directly on a laminate surface as the wax can discolor the finish, not to mention be a fire hazard if lit!

USE AS INTENDED

Installed properly by a qualified company, your custom closet should easily last a long time. The only cases where we see disaster strike is when components of a closet are not used in the manner they were intended. Valet rods in particular often fall victim to this fate. Remember that a valet rod is designed to hold a few items of clothing. Avoid hanging your heavy handbag or other heavily weighted items on your valet rod, belt rack or pull down hanging rod. The overlying theme here is to avoid heavy items (no bowling balls or boxes of heavy books) on any surface and use common sense. Avoid using the various components of your closet in ways that are not intended.

YOUR MINNEAPOLIS & ST. PAUL CUSTOM CLOSET RESOURCE

We hope you found this information helpful and enlightening on how easy it is to care for your custom closet system! With a simple occasional wipe down and declutter and some easy common sense tips, your closet will bring you organizational bliss for years to come!

Looking for someone to install a custom closet? Closets For Life is your Twin Cities resource for inspired custom closet designs. We design, manufacture and install custom organization systems for closets, garages, home offices and more. Reach out to us for a FREE in-home consultation! 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.

REQUEST A FREE IN-HOME CONSULTATION

Still in the planning stages? No worries, we have resources for you as well! Head on over to our project gallery for inspiration and when you are ready, download our closet inventory checklist, a helpful tool to take inventory of your storage needs!

DETERMINE YOUR CLOSET STORAGE NEEDS WITH OUR CLOSET INVENTORY CHECKLIST

Imagine this scenario. You make the decision to revamp your closet storage, go through all the work and expense of upgrading your closet, only to find out that you underestimated your storage needs. Sadly, this is something we see all too often among customers who come to us after either tackling the project themselves using a pre-fabricated closet system or in some cases, using other closet companies who work with pre-fabricated components.

At Closets For Life, we specialize in creating closet organization systems that are custom designed and manufactured to meet our client’s lifestyle and storage needs. No pre-fabricated components or constrictions here! Having the freedom to create a system that is truly customized means we can ensure that the closet not only meets our client’s current needs but also provides space to grow.

How Much Closet Storage?

One way we ensure a closet will meet our client’s present and future needs is by having the client complete a Closet Inventory Checklist either prior to or during their FREE in-home consultation with us. The process of filling out the Closet Inventory Checklist not only helps us in the design process to ensure there is ample space for each type of item, but it also helps our clients think through their storage needs and feature requests. Beyond a simple quantity count of items, our helpful Closet Inventory Checklist dives into the details of space planning, including inches of vertical hanging space needed for dresses, horizontal inches of short hang items like shirts, an inventory and measurement of shelf items, as well as a checklist of closet accessories to consider and other details. Simply put, it provides a comprehensive look at your closet storage to ensure that your new closet has both the features and the space you need.

Download Our Closet Inventory Checklist

Ready to take the next step of having us out for a FREE in-home consultation? Or just curious about how to take inventory of your current closet? Let us help you get started! Download our Closet Inventory Checklist today. Once downloaded, fill out the form yourself or we can complete it together at your FREE in-home consultation where we’ll review your space and discuss your needs and ideas. After the consultation, we’ll follow up with a proposed design and estimate customized to you! What have you got to lose? Let us help bring organization to your life!

About Closets For Life

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

A Spring Organizing Checklist: From Your Garage to Your Closet, it’s Time For a Fresh Start!

As we write this, it is March in Minnesota and Mother Nature has recently delivered another 5” or so of snow. For those of you who don’t live in a winter climate and are blissfully unaware of the psyche required to ensure a long winter, let us enlighten you. It doesn’t matter how much snow is on the ground, come March, Minnesotans are getting spring fever! We possess an almost super-power like ability to move towards spring despite whatever is happening outside our windows. That is why, come March, you’ll see us Minnesotans blissfully walking around without jackets in 30 degree weather and gung-ho to organize and spring clean. After all, we want everything in order so that come warmer temps, we are ready to get outdoors and enjoy! So, for all you Minnesotans out there (and anyone else who just wants to get their house into shape), we’ve whipped up a Spring Organizing Checklist, designed to help you give your home a fresh start.

Garage Organization:

Toss out worn gardening gloves, opened or expired seed packets and other gardening or lawn supplies you haven’t touched in the past year. Note – make sure you dispose of any lawn chemicals safely.
Once the snow has melted, move seasonal items such as snow shovels, skis and snowboards into storage and bring out the garden shovels, rakes and other summer items. Lack storage for these items? Consider installing an overhead storage rack, tall garage cabinets or other garage storage to keep these items tucked away when not in use.
Put away any tools that may have been displaced over the long winter months. If you lack tool storage, consider adding a Gladiator GearTracks Garage Storage wall, which offers customized and flexible tool storage.

Closet Organization:

Go through your closet and donate items you no longer wear. The end of a season is the perfect time to do this. If you haven’t worn an item all winter, get rid of it. Trust us when we say you won’t miss it next winter. Is your closet still over-crowded? Consider a custom closet system to maximize the storage potential of your closet.
Move items off your floor and give your closet a good vacuum. Too often, a closet floor becomes a collecting ground for items like shoes and boots which most of us usually opt to vacuum around. Spring is a great time to move those items out and, while you are at it, assess whether or not you should keep them.
Re-sort your items. We tend to keep the items we wear most often in one area of our closet which can lead to the other items getting forgotten in the back. A great way to combat this is to mix up your wardrobe by sorting it a different way. Some ideas include sorting your clothing by color or by outfit or by type.

Kitchen Organization:

Clean out your utensils. Move your most often used tools front and center and consider getting rid of those utensils you haven’t touched in over a year.
Go through your spice rack and pantry. Wipe down shelves, get rid of any expired or old items and move often used items to the front.
Get rid of excess cooking pans, bowls and plastic containers. When we get a new baking sheet, pan or bowl, too many of us simply add the new one to the mix without getting rid of the item it is replacing. And don’t get us started on plastic containers! They seem to multiply like rabbits (although never the covers?). Get rid of any stained plastic containers or the ones without tops. Find it hard to reach the back of a cabinet? Consider installing pull out shelves to existing cabinets. They are a game-changer.

Mudroom or Front Entry Organization:

Pull everything out and give your mudroom or front entry storage space a good cleaning. Before you put everything back in, look at each item to determine whether you’ve used it in the last 12 months and, if not, get rid of it.
Re-assess your storage. Not enough room for all your items? Consider storing winter items in another location when not in use or consider adding baskets, hooks or custom mudroom or front entry closet storage to maximize the storage capacity of your space.
Add a fresh coat of paint. The mudroom or front entry is the buffer between the outdoors and the rest of the home. It’s a battle ground and it shows. If a simple wipe-down of the walls won’t suffice, putting on a fresh coat of paint can help revitalize the space.

Home Office Organization:

Go through your paperwork and mail. Collect all random sheets of paper and mail from around your home. File anything you need to keep and recycle or shred the rest.
Speaking of your files, spring is a great time to go through your files. Too often, drawers of files become overfilled with items we once thought important to keep but no longer need.
Multi-purpose your office space. For many, a home office is combined with another area of the home like a living area or guest room. Consider how you can better integrate the two spaces. It might be as simple as adding some shelving and baskets to better hide away office items or adding a Wall Bed to free up space when the room is not being used as a guest room.
Clean your computer or laptop. We love this tip we came across for cleaning your keyboard. Take a Post-it and fold it in half with the sticky side out. Run it between the keys of your keyboard to get rid of dust.

CUSTOM GARAGE, CLOSET AND HOME STORAGE IN MINNEAPOLIS & ST. PAUL

Gone through the steps of spring organizing and still feel overwhelmed? Consider adding custom organization to your home. Custom storage can triple the storage capacity of your space, increase your home’s value and provide support to help you stay organized. Closets For Life, a custom organization company serving Minneapolis & St. Paul and the surrounding communities, specializes in organization solutions for all areas of the home including closets, garages, home offices, laundry rooms, kitchens, wine cellars and more. We offer free in-home consultations and follow up the consultation with a 3D design. What do you have to lose? Contact us today!

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!

Closets, Closets, Closets, Closets!

Any Modern Family fans out there? If you happen to watch this show on ABC, you’re probably aware that one of the main characters, Jay Pritchett, owns a custom closet company, Pritchett’s Closets & Blinds. Jay’s worst enemy is Earl Chambers, who betrayed Jay 30 years ago when he started his own company, ‘Closets, Closets, Closets, Closets!’. As a custom closet and organization company, we often have customers ask if we watch the show, to which we always answer, of course! We can relate to a lot of those story lines, and really, who can resist a good rivalry paired with some closet humor.

So, in honor of Pritchett’s Closets & Blinds and Closets, Closets, Closets, Closets!, we’re featuring some of our favorite closet organization projects, perhaps even projects Jay Pritchett and Earl Chambers would be proud to have completed!

A DIFFICULT LAYOUT WITH A HAPPY ENDING

It seems they are always running into difficult, yet hilarious, situations on Modern Family and here at Closets For Life, we also occasionally run into challenges but we never laugh them off! This particular project featured a very unique layout for which we needed a creative design solution. Our clients had purchased land with an old farmhouse and barn. Inspired by the original infrastructure, they built a new home styled like a barn with a silo addition attached in the location of the previous silo. While we completed several custom organization projects within this stunningly unique home, including a master bedroom closet, a mudroom closet, a home office and a guest room closet, the project that posed the biggest design challenge was the two young girls’ bedroom closets. The girls’ rooms were located in the silo portion of the home which featured curved walls all around, including curved walls along the back wall of the closets. Visit our blog on this project to learn more details and see additional photos.

A TV-WORTHY CLOSET

We may be biased but we think this closet, with its warm romantic tones, Candlelight cabinetry with a walnut glaze finish, glass knobs, and Windsor crown molding, is beautiful enough to make a cameo on the Modern Family set. Featuring a unique floor plan and traffic flow, this was also our first project to win a COTY award back in 2011. We’ve since gone on to win an additional 5 COTY awards from NARI-MN. To see more photos of this stunning project, click here.

A PROJECT THAT GETS A LOT OF APPLAUSE

While this isn’t a closet, this multi-purpose room is our most popular project on both Houzz and Pinterest and it’s easy to see why. Beyond the beautiful cabinetry, as the only spare room in a 1,700 sq. foot condo, our clients needed this room to serve multiple purposes; a home office, a guest bedroom, an exercise space and a space for grandchildren to play. Featuring a Murphy Bed, built-in desk, ample shelving and cabinetry for storage, this project highlights how smart design and some creativity, can expand the versatility of a room without sacrificing aesthetics. To see more photos of this project, visit our feature page highlighting the project.

A GIFT THAT WILL OUTLAST RERUNS

When Closets For Life owner, Rick Lyrek, found out he would be a Grandpa with the arrival of his first grandchild last March, his choice of gift for the parents-to-be was obvious, a new closet system for the baby’s room! Living in an older home, the baby’s closet was very narrow and deep, making it difficult to view most of the closet contents. Also, with just a closet rod, the current closet didn’t offer many storage options, especially for mini-sized clothing! Looking for the perfect gift for a loved one, the parents of a new baby or a newly married couple? Consider gifting a custom closet organization system. It is a wonderful gift that will outlast even the reruns of Modern Family! Peruse our photo gallery for inspiration.

BE THE STAR OF YOUR OWN CLOSET

Whether you’re inspired by Modern Family or by our examples above, Closets For Life can help you be the star of your own custom closet. We design closet organization systems for all areas of the home, customizing our design to your needs and your space. Give us a call and have us out for a free in-home consultation. We can’t wait to show you what we can do for you!

Creating a Walk-In Closet from a Spare Bedroom

Many homeowners without a master bedroom walk-in closet have found a creative solution to creating the closet they’ve always dreamed of, transforming a spare bedroom into a closet! Annexing a spare bedroom next to the master bedroom and converting it into a walk-in closet can be as simple as adding a doorway and a custom closet organization system. Viola! A spacious walk-in closet that adds value to your life and your home.

A Bedroom to Closet Transformation

This was exactly what a recent client of ours did. Greg and Jane live in a home with traditional reach-in closets. With their kids grown and out of the house, they decided to convert one of the bedrooms into two separate spaces they’ve always wanted, a walk-in master bedroom closet and a laundry room.

Adding a doorway from their master bedroom bathroom opened up the flow of the space, providing one entrance from the hallway and the other from the bathroom. A half-wall was added to divide the space between the closet and laundry area while still allowing convenient access to either.

When we sat down with Greg and Jane at their initial consultation, they had specific features they wanted their walk-in closet to have.

As avid travelers, they wanted a closet island for packing a suitcase on top. They also wanted a bench on the end of the island to sit down while putting on shoes.

Jane wanted two drawers with built-in trays to easily store and organize her jewelry. With their frequent travels, she also wanted to be able to lock the drawers for security.

Greg stated that he likes to hang items on hooks so we incorporated matching hook strips for both Greg and Jane in the design. Jane also had many items she wished to store on shelves, rather than hang, such as purses and t-shirts. A cabinet dedicated to shelving space was incorporated to offer flexible storage space Jane can use as she wishes. The curved end of the cabinet softens one entrance and also provides a place to display art and pictures.

Finally, after going so long without a walk-in closet, Greg and Jane were eager to incorporate closet accessories that would help them utilize the space to its full potential. Closet accessories included in the design are pants racks, belt racks, tie racks, valet rods, jewelry trays and shoe shelves.

Within the adjacent laundry room space, we designed a base and upper cabinet to store laundry supplies. The base features a laminate top for folding clothes. We also included a hanging rack on the opposite wall. What a wonderfully short walk from taking clothes out of the dryer to the closet!

All of the cabinetry was created with a clean, fresh white finish. The chocolate micro dot laminate tops match the chocolate cabinets in the bathroom, making the closet and laundry room feel cohesive rather than added on. The finished project is simple, yet sophisticated, and Jane and Greg are loving their new space! Contact us to see how we can help you create the closet you’ve always wanted.

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!

Closet Tips: What to Hang vs. What to Fold

It sounds basic but when trying to get the most from your closet space, determining which clothing items can be folded versus which should be hung can make a big difference. During our in-home consultations, we often find homeowners are focused on hanging space. However, a good closet designer (such as Closets For Life!) will take into account the type of clothing in your wardrobe. In many cases, drawer or shelving space designed for folded clothing is equally as important as hanging space in a closet design.

Not sure about the best ways to store and organize your clothing items? We’ve compiled tips from www.stylecaster.com, www.marthastewart.com, and www.shefinds.com on which items fair best when hung and which clothing items should be folded. Review these tips to find out whether you’ve been treating your clothes right.

What To Hang…

Jackets, Overcoats and Blazers: These items should be hung in a space with ample clearance underneath. For heavier coats, a curved suit hanger is recommended to better support the weight and help hold the shape.

Dress Pants or Trousers: Hang dress pants or trousers on hanger clips by their waist or hem, or fold them in half and fold them over a hanger. If you opt for the fold and hang option, make sure you use a thicker hanger to prevent creasing and slipping.

Dresses and Skirts: Dresses and skirts should be hung on a hanger. Use hangers with clips for skirts or padded hangers if a dress is made of delicate material. The only exception to this is if the dress or skirt is heavily embellished, in which case the items should be folded as the weight may lead to the items becoming misshapen if hung.

What To Fold…

Sweaters: Hanging sweaters made of any material will cause them to become misshapen. In addition, sweaters can be folded without causing creases or wrinkles.

T-shirts: Long and short sleeve t-shirts can get stretched out when hung so its best to fold them for storage.

Casual Pants: Casual pants made of heavy materials such as jeans, cords or cargo materials as well as most shorts can be folded without wrinkling.

Bras and Underwear: Other than silk nightgowns which fall under the dress category, undergarments such as bras and underwear should be folded and stored in a drawer.

Looking for More Help? We’re your Twin Cities Closet System Expert!

Feeling like your closet is in need of a bigger overhaul? Closets For Life is a custom organization company serving Minneapolis & St. Paul. We specialize in closet systems, garage storage solutions, home wine cellars and wine racking and more. Contact us for a free in-home consultation!

Small Closet Solutions

While we all love to gaze at photos on Pinterest or Houzz of beautiful, spacious walk-in closets, the reality is that many of us just don’t have the option of a walk-in closet. Many older homes were built before walk-in closet space grew into a mainstay of home design and own homes with reach-in closets instead.

However, just because a home has reach-in closets, doesn’t mean you can’t have smartly designed closet space that feels mighty! A custom closet organization system designed specifically to meet your needs and your space will maximize storage potential in your reach-in closet. Features such as dual hanging closet rods, built in drawers and custom shelves will have your closet space working over-time to keep your clothing organized and tidy.

pant-organizer In addition, the multitude of closet accessories available can add significant storage potential without taking up valuable closet real estate. Space saving accessories include pant hangers (pictured to the left), tie and belt racks, pull out hampers and more.

And while you may be tempted to visit your local home store to do it yourself, we urge you to at least contact a custom organization company (like Closets For Life!) for a free in-home consultation to see what we can do for you. Our experience means we know what questions to ask to assess your needs to design a system that you won’t out grow and that won’t fit awkwardly in your space. We are also able to offer customized options not available from a cookie-cutter system like textured finishes and custom pieces to meet specific needs.

Powerful Questions To Ask Yourself When Organizing Your Closet

Even the best designed custom walk-in closet or reach-in closet can get overwhelmed if you pack too many clothes into it but parting with items of clothing can be difficult. Whether it’s because the item has sentimental value or because it cost a lot of money, letting go can be hard. However, a once or twice a year cleaning out of items in your closet has many benefits including making your clothes more accessible, shortening the time you spend getting ready each morning and creating a place of a calm instead of chaos.

Here are 6 questions to ask yourself when deciding whether or not you should keep an article of clothing (this includes everything down to your shoes, socks and underwear!).

Have you worn it in the last year?
If not, it’s time to let go of that item. Keeping an item for the small chance you might wear it sometime in the future is not worth the space. Sometimes we just tire of an item and sometimes a new item never transforms into the vision we had in the store. It is time to move on!

Is it ill-fitting?
Ill-fitting or too tight clothes don’t make anyone feel good or look good which leads us to our next question…

Does this item make me feel good about myself?
An item that doesn’t make you feel confident or happy when you put it on isn’t worth keeping. Clothes should make you feel great! If they don’t, it’s time to move on.

Is the item in poor condition?
Take a close look at each item. If it is stained, ripped or faded, let it go.

Is the item out-dated?
Fashion is always changing and it is fun to add new trendy pieces of clothing. Just make sure that when the trend has moved on, so have you.

If I was shopping today, would I buy this?
This is probably the most helpful question to ask yourself on those items you are just not sure about. If you answer truthfully, it will can be an eye opening factor on whether to keep an item. If you wouldn’t buy it now, it is time to go.

Best Collection of Storage Tips for Clothes

It’s no secret that a well-organized closet will help make choosing an outfit easier each morning. But knowing how to best store different articles of clothing can also extend the life of your clothing and allow you to utilize your storage space more efficiently.

We’ve taken the liberty of compiling some clothing storage tips highlighting the best ways to store everything from socks to sweaters to winter clothing.

Best Storage Secrets from Houzz
Did you know that even though rolling socks will keep them together, they lose elasticity this way? Instead, lay two single socks flat, one on top of the other, and simply fold them in half. This collection of tips from Houzz.com covers the best way to store socks, boots, purses and other items.

How to Store All Your Clothes from A-Z
A comprehensive list of how to store almost any clothing item, listed in alphabetical order, including tips on storing vintage clothing items. There is also a link on how to pick the right hanger which we found helpful.

How to Fold a T-shirt
Properly folding t-shirts can be a real space saver but unless you have worked at a clothing store, you probably don’t know how. Martha Stewart gives us a step-by-step tutorial (with a video and illustrations) on how to properly fold a t-shirt.

Taking Care of Your Gear-Winter Edition
While this link isn’t so much about storage, we thought this guide from Real Simple on how often and how to wash winter gear items was a great resource. For example, over washing down jackets causes the feathers to break, so twice a season is plenty. They also recommend drying your down jackets with three tennis balls to redistribute the feathers.

Help Is Here!

Looking for more than just some storage tips to help you get organized? Consider a custom closet system! Here at Closets For Life, a custom organization company serving Minneapolis & St. Paul, we design custom storage solutions for all areas of the home including bedroom closets, kitchen pantries, home offices, wine cellars and more. Contact us for a free in-home consultation and see how we can help you get organized.

Back to School, Back to your Mudroom

September likely means back to school time if you are a family with school age kids. This typically means making sure your kids have the right school supplies, buying some school clothes and thinking about your family’s before and after school routine.

Mudroom Organization

Ground zero for getting to and from school in most homes is the mudroom/entry. This is where kids store their backpack, jackets, shoes and more. It’s also where the dreaded ‘I can’t find my hat!’ and ‘Where is my backpack?’ hang-ups can arise. A well organized mudroom or entry space helps kids stay organized and get out the door on time. When running out the door to catch a bus, knowing exactly where their shoes, backpack and jacket are is a big help. When coming home, an organized layout will ensure items don’t get left in a heap on the floor (a mom can hope right?) until the next day.

Whether you have a spacious mudroom or no mudroom at all, there are many ways you can create an organized space that will have your child earning an A+ in their school routine. A custom mudroom organization system, whether big or small, designed specifically to meet your needs and space will help ensure a successful and less stressful start to the school year.

Check out Better Home and Garden’s mudroom photo gallery for inspiration and when you are ready to transform your mudroom or entry, contact Closets For Life for a free in-home consultation and design.