Cancel the Clutter with Closets by Design

16 Sep Cancel the Clutter with Closets by Design

Clutter. It’s depressing. It’s exhausting. The disorganization that comes with clutter creates stress. The creep of stuff around the house can trigger the release of the stress hormone cortisol, which can increase tension and anxiety.

Even people with adequate physical storage space — including closets, pantries, and garages — may find that these spaces themselves can become the source of chaos. This is especially true if they are ill-designed. Are your closets stuffed to the max? Can’t find anything in your packed pantry? Then you might need a little professional help!

Closets by Design provides custom solutions for organization — including reach-in and walk-in closets, pantries, laundry spaces, home offices, and garage storage. We also provide all the accessories necessary to furnish a functional space — including cabinetry, shelving, cubbies, drawers, racks, jewelry trays, tilt-out hampers, and wall organizers. If you can imagine what your perfect space would be, we can build it. And if you cannot imagine what it needs to be? That is why we have professionals who can help you personally evaluate your comprehensive needs and what designs will best serve you.

If you are truly stuck, you might even want to make a call to us your first step in canceling the clutter in your home. Meanwhile, here are some tips to get you started.

Closets

If you have not done a thorough purge of your bedroom closet lately, it will make your decluttering project a little longer but more productive in the end. You will be able to really assess your space and what it lacks.

• Get rid of whatever you do not wear. To help you truly determine what you do not wear, try this trick. Face hangers in one direction and turn them around when you wear what is on them. After six months, clothes on hangers facing the original direction can be put in the donation pile.
• Hang tops and skirts over built-in shelves or drawers and hang long dresses and pants on higher rods where there is nothing underneath.
• Consider installing a system with slanted shoe shelves. A hanging shoe storage system is a temporary option, but shelves will help shoes last longer and keep them out of the way (yet on display).
• It is easy to make a mess if you do not have designated spots for smaller items, like ties, belts, and jewelry. Pros can install a tie drawer, jewelry drawer, and a sliding belt rack to help keep such items organized.
• Look for unnecessary items that may have intruded on the space, like unused sporting gear or electronics. Move these to garage or living room storage areas.

Pantry

You may turn your pantry inventory over quickly, but most of us have those jars and cans that seem to remain untouched.

• Remove everything from the pantry and purge! Check the expiration dates and toss everything that is past its prime. If you have food items that are still good, but you know you will never use them — consider donating to a local food pantry.
• After a quick wipe down, begin to put things back in an organized way. Clear containers and bins are helpful for corralling things by type, such as a bin for snack bars, one for chips, etcetera.
• Consider decanting pasta, rice, and cereal and baking items like flour and sugar for a more streamlined look.
• One of the benefits of having a custom pantry installed from Closets by Design is NOT dealing with wire shelving. It is so much easier to organize items on flat shelving.
• Some of the trends we are installing in home pantries include drawers with acrylic fronts so you can easily see what’s inside and wire baskets that pull out. These are great for storing vegetables.

Garage

If your car is in the driveway all the time because it will not fit in the garage, you are going to need a lot more than a broom and dustpan. Make a plan and pace yourself!

• Dedicate a full day or weekend to decluttering and organizing the garage. You can even make it a family project.
• Sort items into piles — Keep, Donate, Sell or Toss — with those “toss” items, be sure to identify the items that can be recycled.
• Keep items that you use frequently, such as pet leashes, within easy reach — perhaps on hooks by the door.
• Create zones for groups of things such as auto care, gardening, and sports equipment, so that like items are stored together.
• Place rarely used items, such as holiday decorations, on shelves or in cabinets. We install a line of extremely study cabinetry and shelving units specifically designed for garages.
• Tools like shovels and rakes as well as bicycles are best stored by hanging on the wall. Our slatwall system is perfect for these items. You can move the hooks around and even pop on baskets and bins to hold smaller items.

Imagine having a garage where there is also room for your car. Closets by Design can not only provide garage organizational solutions but also help you outfit custom work areas for carpentry or other hobbies.

Let Us Help!

Decluttering would be less of a chore for many people if they did not feel like they were just moving “stuff” from one place to another. Having a custom home organization system might seem like too much of a luxury, but quality, affordable options are available to you. Contact our professionals today for a free consultation.