Get Organized: Reduce, Recycle, Reorganize

Say goodbye to chaos and clutter!

Written by Martha Coffey

Photo courtesy of GarageTek

A combination of wall cabinets, wire shelves and baskets plus hooks guarantees optimal use of garage space.

Caught in that age-old struggle that pits you against all your stuff? Tired of spending too much time hunting for misplaced items? What better time than spring to wage all-out war on the disorder that threatens to overwhelm your closets and garage? No longer do you have to be known as the person who has everything but can find nothing.

Photo courtesy of Beyond Closets

Create a space unique to your storage needs. With
upgrades such as glass-front doors and central
island in a rich mocha shade, the closet can be both
functional and elegant.

Today there are many products to help you get organized. Homeowners can choose from in-stock closet and garage storage components or enlist the help of professional designers who will plan and build organizational systems to meet individual needs.

Clutter-free Closets

Toya Evans of Beyond Closets in Sterling, Virginia, suggests that homeowners begin by taking inventory of their possessions and eliminating seldom-used items. For bedroom closets, she recommends storing large, non-clothing items elsewhere and donating outgrown and out-of-style clothing to a charity.

Designer Danielle Haggerty of California Closets explains that what remains can then be organized in reach-in or walk-in closets that feature adjustable shelving, single or double-hung closet rods, shoe racks, cabinets with drawers, and even built-in hampers. The basic closet design can be accessorized with belt racks, swing arms for ties and scarves, valet poles, and divided pull-out trays. Some walk-in closets are even roomy enough for benches or chairs.

Get a Grip on Garage Gear

Gone are the days when the garage is just a place to park your cars. Now it must do triple and quadruple duty as the workshop, garden center, sports gear depot, toy shed, and more. Houses without accessible attics or dry basements have to rely on garage storage for Christmas decorations, out-of-season clothing, hobby and craft supplies, and other “stuff” too precious to throw away. Well-designed garage storage means having a designated place for all your belongings.

Photo courtesy of Potomac Garage Solutions

Potomac Garage Solutions can give your garage a makeover with
Gladiator Garageworks GearWall® Panels, GearTrack™
Channels and modular GearDrawer cabinets.

Garage organization systems may include open storage such as pegboard and shelving, as well as enclosed storage such as drawers, cabinets, and carts. Open storage takes advantage of wall, floor, and even ceiling space and may include a series of counters, hooks, and stackable bins. Enclosed storage, on the other hand, may be a system of installed (fastened in place) or freestanding units.

The best systems feature easy-to-reach storage for frequently-used equipment such as brooms, shovels, lawn mowers, hand gardening tools, and seasonal sports equipment and designated spaces for out-of-season and seldom-used items. Denny Stotlemyer of the Closet Factory extols the advent of custom-designed garage storage systems that include new elastic straps that his company offers to anchor a golf bag to a garage wall. In addition to this type of low wall and floor storage, overhead or high wall storage is great for tall ladders needed only once a year to clean out the gutters, but only floor storage would work for the lawn mower during the summer months.

A place for everything and everything in its place leads to healthier, happier homeowners. After all, a tidy garage and closets mean less time wasted searching for stuff and more time to pursue springtime pleasures.

© 2005 California Closet Co. Inc.

Maximum organization is achieved with the help of open shelving, drawers, and double hung rods in both reach-in and walk-in closets.

The ABC’s of Closet Reorganization

A. Inventory your closet. Divide clothing, shoes, and accessories into three categories.

1. Things you love and/or currently wear

2. Things you’ve worn a few times in past year

3. Things that haven’t seen the light of day in over a year

B. Box and store items from #2. Donate or toss items from #3.

C. Review items in #1 to determine how much hanging, shelving, and drawer space you’ll need.

Photo courtesy of Closet Factory

A rolling bin does double duty, providing seating and enclosed storage. Tall cabinets with see-through lucite doors offer adjustable melamine shelving.

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