Category Archives: Closet Organization

How to Utilize Closet Corners

March 26, 2018 admin Leave a comment

Does your closet have a few dark holes of wasted space? Think about the pesky areas where two walls meet, the dreaded corners. Learn how to utilize closet corners!

Adjust Closet Rods

Many builders grade closets have overlapping closet rods. This design creates awkward corners that are difficult to utilize. What can you do to fix this overlap issue? Organizing Junkie has a few suggestions on how to fix this problem.

For a quick fix, shorten one of the closet rods by at least 24” and then reinforce the hanging rod with a closet support bracket if needed. One closet rod will stop short of the adjacent wall, creating not only more hanging space but also making it easier to see and access clothes on both sides.

Instead of overlapping the closet rods, extend one closet rod all the way to the wall and allow the other to stop short. Be sure there is approximately 12 inches of empty wall space between the edge of the closet rod and the fixture on the next wall, whether it’s another closet rod or a beautiful shelf full of shoes. We vote for the shelf full of shoes! It’s like art for your closet!

Use Corner Cabinets

Another design option for your closet corners is a corner cabinet. You may like the look of two cabinets straight cabinets side by side, or you may prefer an L shaped cabinet in the corner of your closet. Either way, a cabinet gives you many storage options in your closet. Baskets or bins are the perfect way to store a variety of items. Or you can use this space to display bags and hats.

Creative Corner Solutions

Adjusting closet rods or using corner cabinets are common answers to the closet corner conundrum. But HGTV shared a unique solution.

Even in our homes, corners are generally considered dead space, but in closets they can be utilized in a surprising way to free up space for additional shelves and compartments. Lisa Adams, CEO and designer of LA Closet Design, suggests incorporating a corner carousel into your closet design to really utilize a corner that would otherwise go unused.

Picture it like a spiral staircase for your clothes. Not only would this allow you more storage space, it would be a fabulous design feature. Like the crowning jewel of your closet!

Another option for the corners of your closet is a series of hooks on the wall. Hooks are great for storing scarves, belts, hats, jewelry, purses…if you can hang it, hooks can organize it! Consider using hooks for any awkward wall space in your closet. They will add useful organization in a heartbeat.

We’ve Got Your Corners Covered

There are so many ways to make those closet corners work for you. Closet Envy knows how to conquer your most difficult organizational challenges. We can take on your closet corners, your paper piled office, your kitchen pantry nightmare, and turn them into pure organized bliss. Schedule your free consultation and find out what Closet Envy can do for you!

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DIY Closet Organization

March 12, 2018 admin Leave a comment

Have you been longing for a closet redo but its not in the budget? Here are some accessories to buy for your own DIY closet organization.

Divide and Conquer

Drawers can become a black hole of stuff. Digging through those drawers trying to find your favorite shirt is a frustrating endeavor to be sure. Organize those drawers with dividers or DIY your own. iHeart Organizing suggests up-cycling shoe boxes.

Shoe boxes can also be an amazingly helpful tool. I reuse them to keep a dresser full of clothes organized.

You can organize t-shirts, socks, or lingerie with your own DIY drawer dividers. Conquer that mess once and for all.

Hang It Up

A great way to add storage to any closet is to utilize the wall space. You, of course, use the closet rods to hang things in a closet. Adding a double rod is perfect for storing extra clothes, but what about all of those accessories? That’s where the wall comes in!

Do you have lots of tights or leggings that need a new home? Lana Red Studio suggests attaching clothespins to the wall.

I was cleaning out my closet and was very irritated by the fact that my tights didn’t fit anywhere in the closet. I keep my socks, underwear and stockings in separate boxes in my closet, but my tights just kept piling out of the box.

But suddenly I remembered all those tutorials on how to organize your jewelry and thought, why not use a similar method for my tights?!

I still had these wooden clothes pegs and found that they were just perfect for this project! I just simply glued the pegs to the side of my closet and used them to hang my tights on.

We love this organization idea! Not to mention the fact that all those tights and leggings bring a colorful design element to your closet.

But what about your other accessories like scarfs, jewelry, belts, and purses? Who’d have thought that bathroom fixtures could be the answer? Overthrow Martha used just that!

If you’re like me then you hate it when your necklaces get tangled and you can’t find the accessories that you want! I really needed to do something about it, but it’s hard when you’re on a budget! I would have LOVED to do a closet makeover, but unless you’re willing to give me some money or I win the lotto, then that isn’t going to happen!

I really wanted to have my favorite items visible so I came up with the idea of using bathroom hardware to hang up my necklaces and bracelets.

Theres no reason you can’t use bathroom hardware for scarves and purses too! Add some S hooks and you’re in business. Turn those bathroom fixtures into fabulous closet organization!

Build Your Own

If you have your own tool set and are handy with a hammer then you may want to build your own closet organization system. There are lots of tutorials out there like this one from Ana White using just one sheet of plywood. She has step by step directions as well as a video tutorial. Or you might prefer this tutorial from Better Homes and Gardens. You can save money by becoming your very own master builder! DIY closet organization to the extreme!

No Need To Do It Yourself

If you’ve read this post and thought to yourself, “you can’t pay me enough to DIY my own closet!” Then we are here for you! There’s no need to do it yourself when Closet Envy is in town. Schedule your free consultation today!

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Craft Closet Organization Ideas

March 5, 2018 admin Leave a comment

March is National Craft Month. The Craft & Hobby Association developed this month long holiday back in 1994 as a way to help people rediscover the wonderful world of crafting. You can’t craft if you can’t find your stuff. We’re here with our favorite ideas for organizing a craft closet.

Sort Your Stash

Your going to be shocked to hear this, but the first step is to sort and purge your supplies. Wait, what? That doesn’t surprise you? Maybe that’s because you’ve been reading our closet organization posts. We knew there was a reason we liked you so much!

Ok, back to your craft supplies. Gather up all your craft supplies in one place. That means you may need to walk around the house and pull supplies from all those nooks and crannies. You know you’ve got markers and crayons in random spots all over the place. When you have corralled your supplies in one space its a good idea to sort your items into categories. Then you can begin to determine how you want to organize.

This is also a great time to purge supplies that are dried out, almost gone, or simply items you don’t like any more. You can trash things that are too old to use, and donate things you don’t like to a local school.

Bins, and Baskets, and Drawers…Oh My!

Now that you have a sense of the different categories you need to store, and the amount of supplies you have, it’s time to start thinking of storage solutions. Bins, baskets and drawers are a great way to house your favorite art supplies. Some storage items work better than others. Open bins and baskets are perfect for over sized supplies such as yarn, fabric pieces, and other sewing pieces. These baskets and bins can sit on a shelf and allow you to easily grab what you need. Closed bins are just right for supplies that can spill. Think about things like colored pencils, markers, paints, scissors, etc. Once you have your items stored you may want to label each bin. This step makes it easy to find your favorite supplies at a glance. Drawers are another wonderful option for storing your supplies. Particularly when the supplies are the kind that don’t need to be mobile. If its an item you only use one or two of at a time then consider using a drawer system.

Up the Wall

If you have wall space in your closet a system like the Omni Track Wall is the perfect way to store unusually shaped supplies. This is an awesome solution for storing wrapping paper or ribbon. You can also store your crafting tools with a system like this. Turn your craft supplies into a lovely focus wall in your closet. Pretty and organized supplies seems like the perfect way to celebrate Craft Month!

Get Crafty Closet Envy

Are you wishing for professional help to get your craft closet in order? Closet Envy has the craft closet tutorial you need.

Step 1: Schedule your free consultation
Step 2: Let Closet Envy take care of the rest

With our help you’ll be crafting up a storm in no time!

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Coat Closet Organization

February 12, 2018 admin Leave a comment

Has your coat closet become a black hole of mess? Are there things piled on the floor, coats flung every which way, and random bits of life stuffed in every corner? It’s amazing how much stuff can fit into an entry closet. Here are our best tips for stellar coat closet organization.

Outdoor Gear

One of the hardest things to store is the never ending stash of hats, gloves, and scarves. If you have a shelf in your coat closet you can always add bins to store the various outdoor items. Martha Stewart suggests wire baskets.

Avoid mismatched gloves and misplaced scarves by keeping each family member’s cold-weather gear in individual wire baskets.

When everyone has their own place to store their outdoor gear you won’t have to spend every morning searching in vain for that missing glove.

Shoes, Shoes, and More Shoes

Those every day shoes have to go somewhere. And usually they just get piled by the door. But there are ways to get them organized so that you can stop tripping over those shoes.

Better Homes and Gardens suggests a shoe tray.

Street dirt stays off the floor with a shoe tray placed at the bottom of the closet. Choose a design that’s easy to rinse and wipe clean.

A shoe tray is great for boots and other dirty shoes. If you need a bit more shoe storage than that consider putting a shoe shelf below your coats. Utilize the space from the floor to the bottom of the coats to store those kicks.

Kid Stuff Galore

Kids have a lot of STUFF. And it just seems to multiply by the day. There has to be a way to deal with the kid clutter. A Bowl Full of Lemons had the same dilemma. Here is her solution.

I decided we should cut the lower shelf in half and put up a “wall” in the middle. That way we could put two coat racks on the left side of the closet – one above the other, and keep our shoes, backpacks, lunch bags, etc. on the right side.

Make one side of your closet a traditional coat closet and leave the other side to corral all of that kid stuff. What a great idea! And with a double closet rod the kids can actually reach to hang up their own darn coats. That’s pure genius right there.

When you are getting ready to organize the “kid stuff” side take a look at what you need to store. Think about how you can use hooks or bins to house the stuff that makes your sweet offspring who they are.

What About the Coats?

We know, we know, it is a coat closet. So what are you going to do about those coats? HGTV has a few suggestions.

Rods and hooks will allow for jackets to be hung, eliminating the habit of coats being tossed onto a living room couch or chair.

Hooks can be great for children (or spouses) that don’t particularly like to mess with hangers. They can just toss the coat at the hook and go. 🙂 Coat rods are better for the more civilized among us. Use a combination of both so that the animals and their trainers in the zoo that is your home both have what they need.

Once your coat closet is organized you’ll be able to grab what you need to go out and enjoy life!

Coat Closets Are Our Idea of Fun

If you have a coat closet that needs serious attention give Closet Envy a call. Organizing closets is our idea of a fun time. Our designers can help you figure out the perfect solutions for your organizational needs. Schedule your free consultation today!

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How to Maximize Your Closet Space

February 5, 2018 admin Leave a comment

Everyone seems to be talking about simplifying and reducing your stuff. But what if you like your stuff and prefer to keep it around for awhile? Sometimes you just need to figure out how to fit more in a closet. Who says you can’t keep all those things you love (and buy more)?!! Learn how to maximize closet space!

Maximize Your Closet Space

Normally we would start by saying purge your stuff. But not today. Today we are going to talk about how to keep your stuff and still make your closet work! So let’s start by taking a look at your closet. Do an inventory of your space. Are there hard to use spaces? Places you can’t reach? Look for the dark holes in your closet that you can never quite reach. Let’s turn those zombie infested dead zones into Hallelujah chorus singing perfection.

Who What Wear has these tips:

In deciding how to set up and store things, consider how frequently you use them. Try to keep everyday essentials front and center for easy access, and formal, seasonal, and occasional items in the very back of the closet or on a high shelf.

Double It Up

Many closets have only one closet rod. Unless you exclusively wear long dresses, you can maximize your space by using double closet rods. Double your storage for double the wardrobe fun. If you do wear at least a few long dresses, consider where you can leave a single rod for longer items, and where you can add a double rod.

Everyone seems to be talking about simplifying and reducing your stuff. But what if you like your stuff and prefer to keep it around for awhile? Sometimes you just need to figure out how to fit more in a closet. Who says you can't keep all those things you love (and buy more)?!! Learn how to maximize closet space! — Image courtesy of khongkitwiriyachan at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Go Low, Go High

Look up! Look down! How can you make those spaces work for you? If your closet has upper shelving this is a great space to utilize for out of season clothes, or other less used items. Consider investing in shelving dividers to allow you to stack folded items. Storage boxes are another great way to store lesser used items on those top shelves. If you have a lot of height and more clothes than will fit on double closet rods you could add a pull down rod up high. That way your clothes are still easily accessible and you are taking advantage of all of your height!

Now it’s time to think about the floor. Real Simple has these tips to share:

If you have lots of long-hanging clothes, the whole bottom of the closet can become a no man’s land,” says Morgenstern. “Group your short-hanging pieces at one end of the closet and your longer-hanging clothes at the other—that will open up lots of floor space, where you can place a little dresser or a stacking shoe rack.

Shoe racks are a great way to take advantage of that floor space. You can add shelves until you reach the bottom of your clothing. Everyone knows a girl’s gotta have space for her shoes. Another option is to add large baskets or bins in a row across the floor. Add a lid to those bins for a clean look if you are a toss it and forget it kind of person.

Back It Up

Another often forgotten space is the back of your closet door. There are many door organizers available to store any number of things. Think scarves, sandals, jewelry…you name it, you can hang it! Sleek and stylish on the front, organized bliss on the back!

Have double closet doors? Then you can double your storage! All that storage will have you singing a closet organization version of Baby Got Back. We’d love to hear a closet version of that song! Who wants to write and record it for us? 🙂

We Can Give You More

At Closet Envy we are all about more! More service, more design, more storage…a more beautiful closet just for you! Schedule your free consultation today! So go ahead and hit the stores! We’re here to help you fit more into that closet!

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Best Materials for Your Closet Remodel

January 29, 2018 admin Leave a comment

If you are considering a closet remodel you may be wondering what supplies to use. Here are some tips to help you choose the best materials for your closet remodel.

Wood Types

There are several types of wood that you might consider for your closet. You could use plywood, MDF, melamine, or solid wood. Each type has it’s own strengths and weaknesses (both literally and figuratively). Here is some information to help you decide what material is best for you.

Plywood

You’ve heard of plywood but do you know what it really is? Wood Magazine tells us what you need to know about plywood.

Plywood has many advantages. One is dimensional stability. Cross banded layers and balanced construction mean that hardwood plywood won’t shrink, swell, or warp as much as lumber. Its thin plies, lying at right angles to each other, as well as the various core materials available, produce uniform strength both with and across the grain.

Plywood also comes in various thicknesses. It can be bought in large sheets which makes it nice for big projects like a closet. Some of the down sides to plywood is the cost, it’s comparable to it’s hard wood counterparts, and limited stock. Dealers near you may only have three or four varieties.

Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF)

MDF is another type of manufactured wood product. One benefit of MDF is its price. It is less expensive than solid wood or plywood making it a good option for the budget conscious DIYers out there. Learn more from Hunker about how this product can be used in closets.

MDF stands for medium density fiberboard, which is a sheet product, usually sold in sheets that are 4×8 feet in size, that is made up of reprocessed paper waste. MDF isn’t as strong as solid wood or plywood but works fine for closet shelves. One way to make MDF more resistant to sagging is to avoid using it to span more than 3 feet. If you are putting it into a closet that is 2-feet wide, this isn’t a problem.

Keep in mind the size of your closet project when deciding on the type of material to use. If your shelves will span a longer stretch you may want to consider an option other than MDF. One nice thing about MDF is that it can easily be painted to fit your aesthetic. It’s a great way to add some personality to your closet design.

Solid Wood

Solid wood is yet another option for your closet shelving. Better Homes and Gardens has a few tips to share about choosing solid wood.

Not all wood is created equal, and that’s true for wood used for closet shelving, too. Softwoods, such as fir, might warp if used to store heavy items, while oak and cedar are more resilient. Types of wood vary by cost, as well, with hardwoods being more expensive than softwoods. Wood, which is widely available, might be sealed, stained, or painted. While some closet shelving units made from wood come prefabricated, wood can always be custom cut and designed to fit a specific space.

Something to consider when choosing solid wood is the cost. It does give your closet a lovely look, but the budget amount may have you rethinking that decision.

Thermally Fused Laminate

Closet Envy uses Thermally Fused Laminate (TFL) to create all its premium products. TFL is produced by thermally fusing a sheet of decorative paper directly to a substrate such as MDF or particleboard.

Benefits of TFL include:

Durable – resistant to scratches and impact
Environmentally friendly – uses less resources to produce than HPL
Designer and Architect Friendly – any design can be used as the decorative paper
Budget Conscious – costs less than HPL to provide the same look and feel
Sustainable – using recycled wood products creates an endless supply of raw material

Let Us Help You Choose The Best Materials for Your Closet

Do you find yourself wishing for someone to walk you through the process of creating your dream closet? Closet Envy can help you make each and every decision. We’ve got the best materials, the best designers, and the best installation crew to make your closet dreams come true. Schedule your free consultation today!

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Closet Organization Hacks

January 15, 2018 admin Leave a comment

It’s the time of year when most people are looking to get organized. Why not start with your closet? Here are a few of our favorite closet organization hacks!

Ring It Up

Shower curtain rings aren’t just for the bathroom anymore! You can use them to organize all kinds of accessories in your closet. You can use the rings on the closet rod or hang several on a hanger. They are perfect for getting your scarf collection under control. Or you can use them help hold your hats. Simply hang the back of your ball cap on a ring. Have a few too many purses to fit on your shelves? Use a ring, or two, or fifteen to hang those handbags.

Want a high end look to organize those accessories? Check out our Synergy Elite collection for scarf, tie, and belt racks.

Pop the Top

If you have a small closet you may find that your closet rods are stuffed with hangers. Give yourself a bit more room by creating a daisy chain effect with soda can tabs. Use them to hang multiple hangers together. By going vertical you can save more space in your closet. Skirts and shirts are great items for the daisy chain solution. They are thin enough to hang vertically with ease. Who knew your soda habit would come in so handy?!!

If you have a tall closet you can utilize the top space with a pull down closet rod. There’s no need for a step stool or a 6’5″ spouse to take advantage of vertical space. You can reach all by yourself (with the help of a pull down rod, but we won’t tell).

Boxing Day

Your love of shoes just got you one step closer to an organized closet. It’s time to upcycle those boxes for some organizational bliss. Use them as drawer or shelf dividers to hold your lingerie, socks, even ties. You could even cover the boxes with decorative paper and use them on your shelves to hold any number of items.

Pull out divided drawers are another way to create the same organizational function. They look divine and store your clothes all at the same time.

You’re on the Hook

Does your closet have some blank wall space? Pegboard is a great way to take advantage of that space for organization. It’s not just for tool storage anymore! Paint the pegboard for a splash of color and then start your organizing engines! If you have 800 million earrings you could just store those. For the rest of us, you can use those hooks to organize scarves, belts, purses, as well as jewelry galore.

The Omni Track system is another amazing way to use your wall space to organizer your favorite accessories. We can hook you up!

Closet Organization Masters

If you’re looking for someone to hack your closet call the closet organization masters! We can take your closet from mess to the closet of your dreams in no time. It’s practically a super power. Schedule your free consultation today!

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New Year, New Closet!

December 26, 2017 admin Leave a comment

New year, new closet! Spring cleaning has come early this year! Start the year off right with a fresh take on your closet organization.

Cull the Closet

Are you surprised that the first step is to purge? Of course, you’re not! You have to cull the clutter before you can create the closet of your dreams. If you haven’t worn it in the last 6 months to 1 year it’s time to say goodbye. Even if it’s a piece that still has a lot of life left in it, if it doesn’t give you joy to wear it, pass it on to someone else.

Cincy Chic has these tips for getting started.

Start by taking all the clothing items out of your closet that you havent worn in the last month. Try on each piece of clothing and ask yourself a few questions:

Does it fit?

Is it flattering?

Does it fit your life style?

Does it need repaired or tailored?

Answering these questions will help you decide what to keep and what needs to go! No need to hold on to those clothes that might fit you someday. Let’s be honest, when someday rolls around you are going to want to go on a shopping spree!

Did you know there are only 7 days in a week? It’s true! Which means you can easily take your t-shirt collection down to about 10 shirts. Do you really need more than that?

Have a few (or 20) shirts you can’t stand to part with? Keep the ones you wear in the closet and store the t-shirts full of memories somewhere else. Or, if you have a crafty bone in your body, turn those logos into a super cute t-shirt quilt!

Get in Groups

When you are ready to decide what goes where, it really helps to get your items into groups. Hello Beautiful quotes the amazing Marie Kondo on the subject of categorization.

In “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up”, author Marie Kondo advises readers to remove clothing from every closet, drawer and laundry basket in the home and sort the items into categories: tank tops/camisoles, t-shirts, blouses, sweaters/cardigans, blazers, jackets, coats, pants, jeans, skirt, and shorts.

And if you have 18 VW bus shirts, by all means group those as well (and then perhaps purge, just sayin)!

Once you have items in groups you can do one last pass through to see if there are any other items that can be donated. Now it’s time to think about what will go where.

Use Your Space

Once your closet is empty it’s much easier to see the space you have and decide how best to use it. Don’t simply fall back on old habits. Think about what makes the most sense for the space you have.

Place the items you use most often in the most accessible space. Decide what items would work on the shelves, and what needs to hang. Do you have empty space on the walls? Add some hooks for more versatile storage. Be thoughtful about every item you bring back into the closet.

Don’t forget about the space down low. Your shoes have to go somewhere! Who What Wear reminds you to keep your shoes visible.

This one is simple: if you can’t see it, you won’t wear it. If you hide your shoes toward the back of your closet, you will continue to wear the same pairs over and over again. Even out the playing field and show yourself all of your options.

Say Yes to a New Closet this New Year

Want an even more amazing closet this new year? Closet Envy can help create organization solutions for any room in your home. Schedule your free consultation today!

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Hiring a Closet Organizer

December 4, 2017 admin 1 Comment

Have you been thinking about hiring a closet organizer? Here are some things to look for as you decide which organizer is right for you!

When It’s Time to Bring in an Expert

You’ve tried to declutter and organize your closet on your own, and it worked…for awhile. After a few months things started to look like a mess…again. If this sounds like you, it may be time to bring in an expert.

Closet organizers have skills that most of us just don’t have. They can look at your space and envision solutions that would never occur to us normal, life’s-too-busy-to-hang-up-my-shirt-or-fold-laundry kind of people. Once you decide you are ready to hire a professional closet organizer there are a few things to consider.

What Will It Cost?

Like with any service industry, the cost of professional organizers can vary. Things like the organizer’s experience, your geographic location, and the size of your space must all be taken into account when figuring the cost. Some organizers charge an hourly rate while others give a set fee based on the size of the project. At an initial interview the professional organizer should be able to give you a cost estimate. As with any home project unexpected costs might come up, so plan accordingly. You will also need to consider the cost of any supplies that might be needed to complete your organization project.

There is definitely a cost associated with professional organization, but we believe the relief of handing over the organizing reigns will be well worth it. The value of a clean and organized closet that allows you to find the clothes you love the most is truly priceless.

Questions to Ask

It’s always a good idea to interview several professional organizers to find the one that is the best fit for you. Before you begin meeting with your perspective organizers it’s important to create a list of questions to ask. That will allow you to compare apples to apples during your interviews.

The National Organization of Productivity and Organizing Professionals, or NAPO, has developed a list of suggested questions to ask when interviewing a Professional Organizer. You can see their list below or download a copy here.

How long have you been working in the organizing and productivity industry?

What types of services do you offer?

Are there areas you specialize in?

Have you had special training or do you hold any certifications related to your
work?

Please describe your process for helping clients achieve their desired outcomes.

Please describe a typical working session.

Will I work directly with you, or will you assign an employee or subcontractor?

What is your fee structure?

Do you work with a written agreement?

What is your cancellation policy?

Can you provide references?

I have tried to get organized before. How will this be different?

Finding a Professional Organizer

The reality is, anyone can call themselves a professional organizer. However, there are some ways to find a reputable and trustworthy organizer. You can always ask friends or family members for their recommendations. The best advertisement is a happy customer. If they don’t mind, see if you can take a look at their organized space. See if it fits the look you are going for.

You can also use the search tool on the NAPO website to find an organizer near you.

Hiring a NAPO member means that you are hiring a committed businessperson who values education and professional development, and who stays current on trends and advancements in the industry. NAPO members have aligned themselves with a respected association that leads and advances the organizing and productivity profession, and whose members adhere to a Code of Ethics.

While cost is always a factor, we encourage you to also consider how well your personality matches with your potential organizer. Organizing your closet is a very personal matter. You want the person you are working with to be someone that you trust.

Get Free Professional Organizing

Included with every Closet Envy project of $3,000 or more you will receive 2 free hours of on-site Professional Organization from Sorted Out organizing service, founded by Tonia Tomlin. Tonia and her company have been featured on HGTV’s Mission Organization. Get the closet of your dreams organized by one of the best! Schedule your free consultation today!

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Women vs Men: How to Make Your Closet Work in One Space

October 30, 2017 admin Leave a comment

It’s no secret that women and men are different. Which may have you wondering, how can one closet serve the needs of both genders? We’re here to talk about a women’s closet vs men’s and help you figure out how to make your closet needs work in one space.

Closets on Mars and Venus

Bella Ella Boutique recently did a study on the closet habits of Americans. We were fascinated by some of their findings.

It’s not much of a surprise that men own less shoes than women. According to this study most men own 5 or less pairs of shoes. Women own…more than that.

While men own less shoes, they are willing to spend more on a single pair of shoes. Sounds to us like men value quality over quantity. Women however, are all about the quantity of shoes. No surprise there.

Now here’s where it gets really interesting to those of us that love organizing closets. This study showed that men and women are very similar when it comes to how they organize a closet. Whether you live on Mars or Venus your closet is probably organized by type of clothing. Men are slightly more likely to organize by season and women like to organize by color.

Where to Begin

The first step is to decide on the division of space. While the running joke is that women have far more clothes than men, many times that simply isn’t the case. Our clothes and accessories may look different, and have different storage needs, but both genders need adequate space in the closet. Do an assessment and decide how much space is right for the woman and man using your closet.

One thing that is true across genders is that we all have far more stuff than we actually wear. If your closet is getting an overhaul it might help to start with an purge of your wardrobe. An easy way to assess what you truly wear is to hang all of your clothing with the hangers pointing out, or backwards. When you wear an item, wash it, and return it to your closet you can hang it like normal. After a few months, any items still hanging backwards are clothes that you don’t wear. Give yourself official permission to get rid of those items. They are not clothes that make you happy, and are simply taking up valuable space.

Now that you have decided how much space each person gets, and you’ve purged the clothes you don’t wear it’s time to start designing the perfect closet.

Make it Work

When it comes to designing a his and hers closet Tim Gunn would say “Make it Work.” The good news is, we believe it really is possible to design a closet that works wonderfully for both men and women. What you need to think about is what different clothing and accessory items need in terms of storage.

How Stuff Works has this to say:

So, how is space in a his and her closet fairly divided? How do you recognize where and when to increase the vertical heights of closet rods and shelf heights? A significant, though subtle, factor is that space can be used more efficiently on the man’s side of the closet. All his space can be double-rodded since nothing is longer than a suit coat or shirt, and the height of the shoe shelves need not extend above the height of his dress shoes or cushioned running shoes. A woman’s half of the closet must have sufficient space to hang dresses, as well as shelf space designed to fit high-heel shoes, knee-high boots, or wide-brimmed hats.

If the male side of your closet is slightly smaller than the female side it could be because men’s clothes are more efficiently organized. Since men’s clothing fits easily on double rods more clothes can be hung in less space. Dresses and skirts have more length which means that they need more space in the closet.

Both men and women can make use of pull out drawers and open shelving to store a variety of items. Versatile storage for versatile clothing. That’s one thing the genders can agree on.

Closet Envy

Still unsure how to make your shared closet work? We at Closet Envy are happy to help with whatever your organization needs. We understand the organization needs of Martians and Venusians. Set up your free consultation today!

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