3 Steps To Optimize and Organize Your Children’s Closets
Before you know it, the kids will be starting school again. And, that means you should be thinking about ways to tweak or update your home to make your life easier! It is no secret that getting ready for school in the morning is a stress point during the day; which, is why we offer three interior design tips to upgrade and organize your children’s closets for a successful start to their morning (and, yours!).
Step 1: Having a spot for every item is key. The goal is to have your kiddos be able to open their closet doors and find exactly what they need without having to rummage through piles and piles of “stuff” to find that perfect pair of shoes that will match that very specific shade of “aubergine” that forms part of their school colors and uniform. Again, this will not happen if clothes are overflowing and shoes are piled on top of each other because your little (and, not-so-little) one are unable to park their shoes in their respective shoe cubbies. So . . . the first step is to de-clutter their closets – ridding them of clothes that no longer fit, shoes that are so worn out that they cannot be repurposed, and accessories they didn’t even know they had. You get the picture. Now, go grab some bins and purge.
Step 2: Decide what’s next. Are you going to do a full blown make over or just an update to make everyone’s life easier? If you are on the fence on this, consider that a custom closet install is almost always worth the investment. Why? Because many existing closets have a great deal of wasted space. And, the more custom you go, the more you can make full use of the whole space, such as even going all the way up to the ceiling. As for resale value, custom closets trigger peace of mind in the eyes of a potential buyer because they, too, will be able to appreciate the functionality and use of all that storage space.
Design Tip: If, however, you’re leaning toward a semi-custom install – we suggest using metal vertical tracks that give you the maximum ability to adjust, as needed, as your kids grow up. Most homes have studs spaced 16″ apart; and, for maximum strength, we suggest hanging the tracks at the 16″ and drilling directly into the studs. Again, this will give you the most amount of flexibility, if you want to adjust hanging heights and continue your organization will into the future. Note: ClosetMaid, The Container Store and Ikea are all accessible resources.
If you know this is beyond your ability, working with a custom closet shop, a professional organizer and/or an interior designer is definitely a good way to go.
Step 3: Now that you have your structure in place, it’s time to focus on the details. And, details really do make the difference! Again, access is key – so make sure hanging heights are adequate and easy to reach. And, don’t be afraid to mix and match hanging space with storage shelves. But, remember to leave some wiggle room to be able to easily remove and replace items. Also, providing appropriately sized hangers and/or non-slip ones will undoubtedly make everyone’s life easier. And, lest we forget the hamper, which can easily be integrated right into the closet.
Design Tip: Now that those closets are organized, now what? Maintenance, of course! The most common mistake we see is having too much height in between shelves. The higher you stacks folded shirts or pants, the more they are likely to topple over. And, let’s be real, the little angels will NOT take the time to gently pull out what is at the bottom of the stack. The solution, you ask? A few more shelves! Think about 5 to 7 layers max for easy maneuvering. And, use boxes and/or dividers for added organization.
If organized closets are on your to-do list this year, we wish you luck. We see and design many closets as part of our projects and wanted to share the above tips with you to help get your project started. If you want more than just advice, then don’t hesitate to call us today! We will get this project designed and completed for you and we’ll do so though a functional and beautiful approach.
Until next time, happy organizing!
Yours,
Dorota
Dorota | Blog 