How To Organize Bedroom Closets

Whether you have a standard closet or walk in, organizing your bedroom closets can be easily accomplished. It gives me a great sense of pride to open my closet and have everything organized and accessible.

Even if you have a small closet there are techniques that you use so you are using all the space you have available to your organizing advantage.

Take everything out of the closet and measure length, width and depth. The worst thing is to buy a product and it does not your space or your needs. Decide if you need more shelving space or hanging space. Make a layout of your closet and space in your needs. Now that you have decided what you need and what you want you are ready to start organizing your closet.

The first step to organizing your bedroom closet is to get rid of the clothes that you do not wear. Yes, you may love it but do you wear it, is the garment your style, does it fit? If you have answered no to any of these, then it is time to donate the garment. Make piles as you go through your clothes, donate or throw away. I personally donate all my clothes to Good Will.

When you put your clothes back into the closet, organize them so it will be easier for you to find items that you need. Hang all long sleeve shirts together by color and all short sleeve shirts by color. The same for pants.

There are add on clothing bars you can add into your closet or closet rods so that you can hang your shirts on one row and your pants below...saves a ton of space. You could also install shelving that doubles as a shelf and rod together increasing your shelf and bar space.

And for us short people an easy reach closet hook is great, no more standing on a stool to get what you want from your closet. Utilizing the higher space in your closet will increase your usable area.

I know that you are with me when I say all those little things in the closet drive you crazy! Belts and Ties slipping off the hangers is the worst. Invest in an inexpensive non slip tie and belt holder and not only will your bedroom closet be more organized but will lessen your aggravation level.

I know that most of us women, have more than 1 handbag, some lots more. There are also great ways to organize your handbags and still keep your bedroom closet organized.

OK, so I admit it, I am a shoe addict! I love shoes, heels, wedges, sandals, sneakers I have them all and then some. Hmmm now where to store than all and keep them organized.

You could keep them in their original boxes but then you can't see what's in each one unless you label them or use clear shoe boxes.
Depending on your space limitations, there are many ways to keep your shoes neat, orderly, organized and easily accessible.

Another option is to utilize under your bed as storage. By storing your shoes or other items under your bed, you will be freeing up space in your closet. This is a great option if you have a small closet or limited space.

I just have to say a word about hangers, it's a thing with me. I actually have colored hangers, blue to one son, green to another, black to husband. Plastic hangers or wood hangers with no slip pads are great. There are so many different types of hangers it's actually surprising. Wood, Plastic, Tiered, Pants, Shirts and the list goes on.....

Tiered Shirt and Slack hangers will save space in your closet by not using so many hangers.

Ann Cohen is a mom, wife, friend and caterer who love babies, "green", decorating and holiday's. Being able to entertain and decorate on a budget is important today and loves finding that "great deal." To get some more tips on how to's, green, organizing and saving money tips check out Organize Your Bedroom Closets and browse her selection.

Ann Cohen is a mom, wife, friend and caterer who love babies, "green", decorating and holiday's. Being able to entertain and decorate on a budget is important today and loves finding that "great deal."

Kitchen Organizers that Clear Cabinet Clutter

Are you tired of searching your kitchen cabinets and not being able to find anything? When you open a cabinet, are you flooded by an avalanche of cans, pans, or spices? These are some of the signs that tell you it’s time to organize your kitchen cabinets. The good news is that there are numerous solutions to help you address this problem.

Let’s start with the cabinets where you keep food, canned items, foils, wraps, and similar items. Get those cans out of the way with a three-tier can rack shelf that can hold up to 60 cans. It has an angled roll down rack — so when you remove one can, another rolls down to take its place.

Organize your plastic wrap, wax paper, aluminum foil, and freezer bags with an under shelf wrap wrack. This item clips to the underside of your cabinet shelf to keep all of these items in one place. You can also turn your shelf into a dual-level storage area with an additional kitchen cabinet drawer. With a drawer that slides out from underneath a wire shelf, this simple storage device doubles your cabinet space.

Okay, now it’s time to tackle the cabinets underneath your kitchen sink. You probably have sponges, cleaners, brushes, and other cleaning products scattered about in there. One thing that can help is a set of under sink sliding drawers, which are large enough to hold bottles, spray cans, and boxes as well as brushes and sponges.

If you want a storage system that perfectly fits your cabinet space, you should opt for an expandable under sink shelf. This shelving system has five removable rungs on each side, which allow you to customize the shelf to suit your specific storage area. You can also position the shelving trays to fit around your sink’s drainpipe if necessary.

You can’t forget about your pots and pans, which can swallow up cabinet space in a hurry. First, use a pot lid holder to organize the multiple lids you use to cover your pots and pans. This rack mounts to the inside of your cabinet door and holds up to five pot lids.

For more convenient access to your cookware, try an expandable chrome kitchen shelf. This product features a shelf that slides forward to make it easier to retrieve your pots and pans without digging through the back of a cabinet. If you want a storage system with flair, look for a Pan Tree (no, not a pantry)! This cylindrical plastic storage rack, which requires no tools for assembly, can organize up to 14 pieces of cookware so they are always within easy reach.

Wouldn’t it be nice to find the spice or seasoning you want quickly and easily? There are several spice storage solutions for you to choose from. Use a wire 3 tier spice rack to store seasoning containers on the inside wall of your cabinet. If you need something a bit less bulky, you can choose a spice clip set, featuring rows of plastic clips affixed to your cabinet wall to keep spices organized and uncluttered. Or you can select a more complete spice storage system like a spice stack. This three-tiered storage device holds up to sixty spices horizontally — but each shelf slides out and pivots downward for easy display and retrieval of all your seasonings.

Finally, let’s move over to the cabinets where you store your dishes and glassware. Again, there are lots of solutions that can help you get the most out of your storage space allotted for these items. Keep your wine, martini, and other drink glasses safe with either a stemware rack or a large stemware holder. Both of these racks are made of sturdy metal wiring with a chrome finish, and they mount easily to the top of the inside of any cabinet.

Instead of trying to stack your coffee mugs and risk breakage if the piles collapse, you should install a handy pull out mug caddy in your cabinet. This rack, which mounts to the underside of your cabinet shelf, has hooks for eight mugs and slides forward for easy access to all of them.

All of these creative, space-saving products will vastly improve your kitchen storage situation. Now you can save time by finding exactly what you need without rooting through all your cabinets looking for that can, pan, or spice. Not only will these organizers keep your items from falling out when you open cabinet doors, but they will also keep your kitchen looking clean and tidy.

Chris Martin is a freelance writer who writes about kitchen organizers.

Cleanup Is a Snap with these Kitchen Organizers

American kitchens are busy places. Today’s women spend on average over 1,000 hours a year in the kitchen, along with everyone from husbands to friends, teenagers and dinner guests. As a central hub of activity, kitchen organization is essential. Add to that the fact that kitchens often exemplify the excesses of American living, which inevitably leads to clutter. We have more dishes, pots and pans than we need. We purchase the newest kitchen gadgets in the hopes that, one day, we will have the need to make homemade bread, or freeze dry 200lbs of green beans. And when we think our kitchens have everything, we realize they lack the one feature we need the most — space! However, with a few helpful tips and some space saving kitchen organizers, your kitchen clutter woes will be a thing of the past.

Discard or Donate Seldom Used Products

When is the last time you used the food processor on top of the refrigerator, or the bag of pinto beans in the back of the cabinet? Donate food items you don’t need to can drives and charities, pass kitchen devices on to relatives who might actually use them, or have a yard sale.

Making your waste receptacles easy to access, and separating your recyclables is another great way to reduce clutter. How often do empty juice bottles sit on the counter, waiting for someone to take them to the recycling bin in the garage? Eliminate that aspect of clutter with stackable recycling bins. These recycling bins provide an economic, odor-reducing design for recyclables and trash. The bins’ lids are recessed slightly for easy stacking and condensing. The color-coded dials allow you to label the contents of each bin, and they fit beneath most counters for out-of-the-way storage.

Make Frequently Used Items More Accessible

Recognize what you use most often, and make those items easily accessible. Infrequently used items, like the roasting pan that you only use during Christmas and Thanksgiving, can go on high shelves or in the back of cabinets. They can even be stored outside the kitchen in the garage or attic. Store frequently used utensils together, separating stirring spoons and steak knives in easy to reach places, and put the melon baller and lemon zester in the far back of the drawer! Utilize drawer organizers to help separate utensils that are used frequently from the ones that are not. The same goes with pots and pans.

Free up Cabinet Space by Hanging Items and Utilizing Alternative Storage

Items like pots and pans can be hung underneath shelves and cabinets, freeing up cabinet space for other items. Organizers like a shelf pot rack keep kitchens clean and clutter-free in true restaurant style. These racks instantly free up cabinet space, offer easy access while cooking and look fantastic. Plus, these racks easily install into drywall, with no studs required, and are made of steel.

Other handy products like a xix-tier kitchen wall rack helps to relieve clutter on tables, counters and drawers. This rack has a slim, understated design, but the strong steel frame holds anything from cookbooks to cans of food. Standing 45-inches high, this rack provides great storage in a place where you might never think to utilize space.

Create Convenient Centers of Activity

Store related utensils, food items, and devices close to where they will be used. If you can successfully break your kitchen down into practical centers of activity, this will greatly assist you in reducing kitchen clutter. Whether you store foods in a pantry, cabinet, a closet, or someplace else entirely, don't forget to go through periodically and clear out items that are hopelessly old or will never be used.

Stacking and condensing items in this area can be very helpful. Items like a stackable roll down can rack saves space and organizes canned food and drinks on easy to access shelves for fast retrieval and restocking. The rack’s compact shelves will fit neatly in either your pantry or cabinet, and stack or separate for custom fits.

Your cooking area includes your stove, oven, and the utensils that go with them. Make sure to store pots and pans, pot holders, spoons and spatulas in this part of your kitchen. A great item for this area is the Pan Tree, which organizes up to 14 pieces of cookware, including six pans, four lids and a Dutch oven conveniently. The Pan Tree easily stores in a cabinet or on a countertop.
Kitchen organization can be a daunting task. Remember to pace yourself. Unless you are moving in, don’t try to organize your kitchen all at once. It will be much simpler to go drawer by drawer, shelf by shelf, reducing clutter and creating the ideal kitchen
Leslie Silver is a freelance writer who writes about kitchen organizers.

Simple Moving Advice: Large Apartment to Smaller One
The time has come to move and you won't be living in a large living space like your previous one. This article provides advice on how you can best organize your new apartment to feel like home again.
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How Organization Will Save You Money

I'll bet you're wondering what organization has to do with saving money.

Actually quite a bit!

Imagine that you've been looking all over your house for that book/DVD/sunglasses/whatever and you can't find it. Or imagine that you're at the store and can't remember if you still have any bananas or jars of strawberry jam.

Simple things, right?

Well, when we can't remember what we have and don't know where to find what we have, we usually end up buying it again. And then, before you know it, you're like my aunt with 17 umbrellas.

My mother always says that once you replace something you can't find, you'll find the original missing item. I'm sure many of you have heard that as well. But for as many times as we've heard this, we still do not take action and bring some organization into our lives to avoid spending money when did not need to spend in the first place.

So, what do we do about this? The answer to almost every organizing problem is to have a system. Why a system? Because we are creatures of habit and mostly prefer to do things the same way every time. Not only that but with a system you have less to remember. You just follow the system.

There are a couple of systems you can put in place to help you save money in various areas of your life. Here are 4 areas in which you will want to find a system that works for you to help save you tons of money in the end.

1. Grocery Shopping

How many times have you been at the grocery store, without your list, and wondered if you should be an item you're not really sure if you have or need?

I'm willing to be it happens a lot. It happens more when you don't have a list. It happens even more when you don't know what you have in your kitchen.

Here's what I suggest. Go through your cabinets and fridge before you attempt to make a shopping list. The list you're about to make is what you can see that you're missing or low on. Next, depending on how often you shop (I suggest no more than weekly) and plan your menus accordingly. So, plan menus weekly if you shop weekly, two weeks at a time if you shop bi-weekly, etc.

Once you know what you're going to make, you can look at what you're missing (from your first list), and make your shopping list accordingly.

When you get to the store, do not deviate from this list. Take appropriate coupons if you want to, but don't go hungry and leave the kids at home.

2. Shoes

What woman doesn't like to have a variety of shoes? Unlike men, we must have different shoes for different outfits, occasions, and seasons. However, this love of shoes can go overboard.

This has happened to me, I must admit. While shopping for something totally unrelated, I saw a great pair of gray houndstooth heels in Target. The only problem was the heel was a little too high and the size 11 was probably one size or so more than I needed.

I reasoned that my feet would swell and I wouldn't be standing long anyway. Plus, the shoes weren't expensive. Well, I stood for a long time on the day I wore them, it rained, and they were too big. They were worn once and are now on their way to charity. What a waste!

I should have taken stock of what I had and thought about what I was going to wear on that occasion. Had I done that, I would have saved my feet and my money.

So, take note: know what you have before you start adding to your collection.

3. Clothing

What goes for shoes also goes for clothing.

I used to get clothing as gifts from my parents and internally wondered where they thought a 14 year old was going to wear a white ruffled shirt in 1995. (I eventually found a use for that shirt in one of the plays I was in.)

The point is, even though they were trying to be nice about it, the clothing choices didn't fit my existing lifestyle. We do that sometimes. Whether it's a trend or something great we saw on someone else, we figure it's just something we have to have. But, by thinking this way, we often ignore the fact that it's not our style, it's not flattering, or it's out of our budget.

The organization here also revolves around knowing what you have. This will help you determine what you actually need and if there is room in your budget and your closet for the things you want.

4. Bills

The key to organization and paying bills is really simple. Pay your bills on time.

One more time: pay your bills on time.

This advice is most important when the bill is a credit card or loan. Late fees and over the limit fees (sometimes as a result of late fees) can seriously hinder your ability to eventually be debt free. (Who wants to stay in debt forever?)

There are a couple of ways you can do this. You can pay the bills as you receive them in the mail (if you still get paper bills) or as you receive notification by email for electronic bills. Or, to make this more automated and ensure the bills are paid on time, sign up for a 3rd party service, one at your bank, or one offered by your creditor where the payment is automatically debited from a designated checking account each month.

There are a number of ways to have as much or as little control over this process as possible, but the point is to set up a system and stick with it so that you don't lose money to late fees and penalties.

5. Miscellaneous Items

This is the area where so many people get into trouble.

We find ourselves at the store and we see something we like. We think we have one at home, but we're not sure. So, instead of waiting until we get home to verify (or call someone who is at home), we purchase the item anyway and end up with multiples. (Remember the 17 umbrellas?)

It's good to wait to make some purchases anyway, but the more organized you become, the more aware you are of what you have. When you know what you have, then you also know what needs to be replaced or what you're lacking.

Once you start organizing, you will find a surprising number of items you have bought and you can't remember why or what it is even for. You will also find the things you thought were lost but were really just buried under foolishness and mayhem called clutter.

Do yourself and your family a favor and stop the foolishness. Get organized and save money. You'll be glad you did.


Wendy Stewart is your Go-to-girl for being in the know about small business, personal finance, personal style, and wellness. For more free tips on personal finance, visit her blog, Personal Finance Success, at http://personal-finance-manager.blogspot.com