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Making the Most of Your Closet Space The world of closet storage systems has come a long way since our grandparents used old shoe boxes and wine crates to keep things sorted and tidy. The usefulness of plastic milk crates was immediately embraced as a great, free, way to add more shelf and bin space to the average closet. When the dairies started noticing their crates were vanishing faster than they could fill them with milk some enterprising folks started selling identical crates without the dairy names and in a wide assortment of colors. They were not free but they were very inexpensive and permitted some fun with color coordination. As manufacturers began to recognize a need for more elaborate closet storage systems, they quickly developed products to fill the void. Some of these systems actually perform useful functions while others merely look snazzy and only create more clutter. You, the end user, need to be a good judge of both quality and construction. Stay away from flimsy plastic that will only collapse under the weight of your garments and stick to heavy duty plastic or sturdy metal construction. Make sure there are no sharp edges to cause damage to your clothes or person. By far one of the most functional closet storage systems consists of interlocking units that are endlessly interchangeable and expandable. Once you decide on what you need the most of, closet bars, shelves, bins, etc, you can easily customize a group of units to fit your space. These systems to require that you gut you closet completely in order to make the most of the existing space but it is well worth the effort. If your budget does not allow for a complete closet refit do not despair, you can still cobble up a very affordable and functional system for organizing your closet. In addition to fancy expandable systems there are dozens of alternatives including plastic boxes of all sizes and shapes to fit shoes, sweaters, or blankets and comforters. These boxes come clear or in translucent colors for easy visual identification of the contents. As long as you have ample closet bar space it is easy to use hanging bags with individual pouches for shoes or handbags. Clear garment bags are useful for keeping special occasion garments clean and out of the way but easily found when a need arises. And don't forget about those ubiquitous and sturdy milk crates. They can be stacked on the upper shelf or floor and become instant bins for storing sweaters, jackets, and other bulky garments neatly and close at hand. Copyright 2007 Pamela Matlack Klein |
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