Getting the Most Out Of Your Closet Space

custom homes walk in closetHomebuyers rank closet space pretty high on the list of must-haves when shopping for a new home. If you decide to build a custom home, you can enjoy the process of adding lots of extra closet space, and not just in the bedrooms.

No matter what size or number of closets you have to work with, there are some things you can do to maximize their usefulness. If your home was built in a time when some bedrooms didn’t have ANY closets, you might be stuck adding a wall of freestanding wardrobes.  Whether built-in or separate pieces of furniture,  you still have a clothes storage space to organize. Once you have gone through your clothing and donated anything that’s not in rotation anymore, here are a few tips to get started.

Lighting

You can’t keep your closet organized if you can’t see what you have. If you are building a new home, you have the opportunity to install motion sensor lighting that can conserve energy and keep your hands free. Replace your closet’s standard light bulb with an LED so you won’t have to swap it out for many years. If you have a walk-in closet with lots of space and room for seating, treat it like a “real” room and install a decorative light fixture, mirrors and some artwork. It will motivate you to keep the room tidy.

Streamline Hangers

Find out what combination of shelves and hangers works best with your wardrobe. If you wear lots of sweaters that tend to get stretched out on a hanger, then devote more space to shelving or bins. If your closet is a sea of dress shirts and suit jackets, then sturdy wooden hangers are the way to go to help them hold their shape. No matter what type of clothes hangers you prefer, try and keep them all the same for a more organized look. Again, it will help to keep you motivated.

Top Shelf Storage

High ceilings mean hard-to-reach shelving in the closet. Common sense dictates that most people store items in their closet’s upper reaches that they rarely use. The problem with that approach is that you end up never using it and it just takes up space. Try lining up a row of identical cubes or bins across the top level of your closet and using them for sorted, out of season clothes and shoes that you know you will be reaching for in 6 months. Or, set up vertical dividers that create open cubbies across the shelf to store purses.

Hooks, clear containers, over-the-door storage, and other accessories can help you to keep your closet clean and organized. The first step– whether you are designing a new home or simply starting fresh with a small closet — is to take a hard look at the clothes and accessories you actually use, and give them a proper “home”.

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