Photo Credits: By Rubbermaid Products
Monday, July 23, 2012
Organizing the Coat Closet
By
Julie Riber
The coat closet is always crowded with many coats, hats, gloves,
umbrellas and other items that seem to find a home in the coat closet.
Many coat closets seem too small to hold all the coats and items end up
on the floor or crammed in so tight that nothing can go in or out. Many
of the closets have one rod and a shelf.
There are a few tips to make the closet hold more and be organized which will be covered in this article. As in all of the other closets we have covered, the first step is to remove everything from the closet. Sort the coats into seasons and sort the gloves and hats into types such as driving and outdoor. Separate the scarves and all other items so you know what you have at hand. Go through all the items to make sure they still fit, gloves all have a match, and you are not storing a coat you will never wear.
I always recommend purchasing an over the door hanger with clear pockets. You can purchase these at many stores and they are inexpensive. In the pockets, put the children's gloves, hats and scarves. This allows the children to retrieve the items instead of calling you each time they need a hat or gloves. It will also eliminate the constant gathering of gloves and hats on the floor when they cannot reach the shelf to put them away. It takes a few times, but they do catch on. These pockets are also a great place for guests to put their hats and gloves. The pockets can hold small umbrellas, binoculars, scarves, hoods to coats, and other items you keep in your coat closet.
If your coat closet has one shelf, and a large space above, consider installing another shelf. Purchase baskets to fit on the shelf (try for at least 3 per shelf). Place your driving gloves in one, hats in another and outdoor activity gloves in another. If you have a 2nd shelf or have decided to install another one, put items in baskets that are for the other season such as ponchos, umbrellas, rain pants, and maybe even stadium cushions.
When it comes to hats, I find many of my clients collect caps at different events or have them from work, but never plan on wearing them. To eliminate the guilt, they just throw them in the closet. It is time to give them to someone who needs and wears the caps. Do not keep items you will never wear in an already crammed space. Try keeping the winter hats in one of the baskets and the caps in another location if space is short.
If you have closet that is too small to hold all your coats, try separating them by season. Put only the current season in the closet. Fall and winter coats take up the most space as they are bulky. For spring and summer jackets, since they take up much less space and usually there are fewer, leave the long coats in the closet and just store the winter jackets elsewhere. Many stores sell cloth bags you can store your off season clothes in. Do not store coats in dry cleaner bags, as they contain chemicals and could cause harm to your coat. Make sure you look at each coat to decide if you need to keep it. Have you worn it in the last 2 years? Is it in the color and style you appreciate?
If you are lucky enough to have a larger coat closet, consider making part of it a double hang. This way you can fit twice as many coats in and not have to store out of season elsewhere.
Boots can go on the floor and if you keep your vacuum in the coat closet, put it to the side to avoid damage to the coats. Go through your coats at the end of each season especially if you have children. They can out grow them quickly and someone else could be using them. You might decide the color and style you chose 15 years ago is not what you currently like and look good in. Others can use your coats.
There are a few tips to make the closet hold more and be organized which will be covered in this article. As in all of the other closets we have covered, the first step is to remove everything from the closet. Sort the coats into seasons and sort the gloves and hats into types such as driving and outdoor. Separate the scarves and all other items so you know what you have at hand. Go through all the items to make sure they still fit, gloves all have a match, and you are not storing a coat you will never wear.
I always recommend purchasing an over the door hanger with clear pockets. You can purchase these at many stores and they are inexpensive. In the pockets, put the children's gloves, hats and scarves. This allows the children to retrieve the items instead of calling you each time they need a hat or gloves. It will also eliminate the constant gathering of gloves and hats on the floor when they cannot reach the shelf to put them away. It takes a few times, but they do catch on. These pockets are also a great place for guests to put their hats and gloves. The pockets can hold small umbrellas, binoculars, scarves, hoods to coats, and other items you keep in your coat closet.
If your coat closet has one shelf, and a large space above, consider installing another shelf. Purchase baskets to fit on the shelf (try for at least 3 per shelf). Place your driving gloves in one, hats in another and outdoor activity gloves in another. If you have a 2nd shelf or have decided to install another one, put items in baskets that are for the other season such as ponchos, umbrellas, rain pants, and maybe even stadium cushions.
When it comes to hats, I find many of my clients collect caps at different events or have them from work, but never plan on wearing them. To eliminate the guilt, they just throw them in the closet. It is time to give them to someone who needs and wears the caps. Do not keep items you will never wear in an already crammed space. Try keeping the winter hats in one of the baskets and the caps in another location if space is short.
If you have closet that is too small to hold all your coats, try separating them by season. Put only the current season in the closet. Fall and winter coats take up the most space as they are bulky. For spring and summer jackets, since they take up much less space and usually there are fewer, leave the long coats in the closet and just store the winter jackets elsewhere. Many stores sell cloth bags you can store your off season clothes in. Do not store coats in dry cleaner bags, as they contain chemicals and could cause harm to your coat. Make sure you look at each coat to decide if you need to keep it. Have you worn it in the last 2 years? Is it in the color and style you appreciate?
If you are lucky enough to have a larger coat closet, consider making part of it a double hang. This way you can fit twice as many coats in and not have to store out of season elsewhere.
Boots can go on the floor and if you keep your vacuum in the coat closet, put it to the side to avoid damage to the coats. Go through your coats at the end of each season especially if you have children. They can out grow them quickly and someone else could be using them. You might decide the color and style you chose 15 years ago is not what you currently like and look good in. Others can use your coats.
Julie Riber is a professional organizer in the central Ohio area
for over 5 years. She helps organize individuals spaces, time, and lives
and she helps businesses streamline processes, increase productivity,
and organize their spaces. She is a Golden Circle member of the National
Association of Professional Organizers and Immediate Past President of
the Ohio Chapter of NAPO. Sign up for her free monthly newsletter with
organizing tips. http://www.transformare.net
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