Getting Organized: Storage Solutions & Ideas

If you don't think your new home will have enough storage space for all your things, have your designer or builder modify your existing floor plan to accommodate these needs before you begin construction. Closets can easily be modified to increase and improve your storage needs and help keep you organized in your new home. With the demand for additional storage space by consumers, you'll find most new home designs feature large, walk-in closets and additional storage spaces.



There are two basic types of closet designs, a walk-in and reach-in. A walk-in closet is exactly what the name would imply, a closet that's large enough for you to step into. Walk-in closets can be just a few square feet or as large as an entire bedroom. Either way, they create the same design opportunities and challenges.

Since walk-ins are larger, they allow for more storage, but require careful planning to maximize storage ease and efficiency.

Reach-in closets are popular in guest bedrooms, hallways and entryways. They may require creative planning, but by adding multiple levels of storage and incorporating shelves and drawers you can turn limited space into ample storage space.

The principle of increasing closet storage space is to level, layer and stack. By creating a layer of shelves one on top of another or by stacking different levels one on top of the other, you can easily double the storage space in closets. Vertical stacking tends to work best in most cases, but for smaller closets the use of hinged and pullout drawers will also work well.

A key place to assess your storage needs is your bedroom closet. Your closet organizer system should be customized to the types of clothing and accessories you own as much as possible.

A more affordable alternative is to use wire closet organizers that offer almost the same amount of organization but may not be as glamorous or durable. You may also consider designing a closet that incorporates both wire and furniture organizers. Some of the organizer units you might want to incorporate are shoe cubes so all your shoes are available at a glance, shelves for folded jeans and sweaters, tie racks, stacked rods, slide out bins for laundry and seasonal clothing and drawers for personal items.

Once your closet is organized, you can spend the time used searching through your closet on more productive things.

	When you clean out your closet, you don't have to throw anything out. If it's not worth selling, swapping or donating, you can find new uses for items that would otherwise end up in the trash. Torn cotton shirts can become cleaning rags. Other garments can be used to stuff in handbags or shoes to retain their shape when not in use. You can even use the legs of jeans or arms of sweats as covers for storing seasonal shoes.