Custom Closet Organizers

Do you dread going to your closet? Is it full of clothing, shoes, and accessories? Do you have to dodge falling objects, and then search endlessly for something you know is in there? If this describes the closets in your home, that you should look into custom closet organizers. They come in many styles and are made from various materials including plastic and wood. This is a great way to divide your closet into sections, making a space for each item. You will love being able to open up your closet and see everything neatly arranged and very simple to find.

The first order of business is to take everything out of your closet! I know this can seem overwhelming at first but it is necessary. Go through each item and place it in a pile depending on how you want things to be organized. Some people choose to organize their closet by colors of the clothing; others do it by the style of the clothing with piles for blouses, skirts, sweaters, etc. Pick a system that is going to work well for you. Once you have all of your piles in place you can start allocating closet space to meet those needs.

Custom closet organization doesn’t have to be difficult. You can be creative or you can use the internet or magazines to help you make a decision. Adding a second clothing hanging rack to your closet is a very simple solution if you have too many clothes to hang up. You can also use various types of hangers that put several pairs of pants onto one, reducing the amount of storage space they take up.

You can choose from various dividers, shelves, and baskets to customize your closet storage space. Many closets have a deep shelf on top but it is hard to keep piling more stuff on it. Putting in shelves or dividers will help you use more of that available storage space at the top of your closet. These products are quite inexpensive so organizing your closet won’t be too harsh on your budget.

Shoes are a common issue when it comes to closet organization. Install a shoe rack or even a wooden shoe storage box that attaches to the inside door of your closet. These are great ways to get your shoes together without taking up a great deal of space. It will also ensure you are able to find the shoes you want quickly on any given day.

Once you have installed the items you are going to use to keep your closet organized you are ready to start putting items in. This will be the really exciting part of the entire project. As you see your closet transform into an organized location for your clothing, shoes, and accessories, it will look more approachable and less like a jungle that swallows up your things. This memory compared to your old closet organization will help you stay motivated to put things back into their place.

Custom closet organization may seem overwhelming at first, but if you break it down into small tasks it will be easier. The time it takes you to complete the transformation will be a very worthwhile investment. You will save time each day as you go to your closet and find everything in its place. Who knows, you might even create enough extra space that you have an excuse to go on a shopping spree!

Closet Organization Tips

Making the decision to get your closet organized is a step in the right direction. The task can see too much in the beginning, but with some helpful tips you will get the job done. The amount of closet space isn’t what is important – how you use it is! Break the entire task down in to small, achievable steps. This will keep the project from seeming like it is too much to tackle. The first order of business is to decide to eliminate clutter from your closet forever.

Remove everything from your closet. Be honest about what you find in there. Analyze each and every item. Getting rid of things if very easy for some people, but harder for others. Why keep dealing with these items though each and every time you open up your closet? I understand some articles in your closet may have sentimental value. Store them in an air tight container in another area of your home.

If you have worn out shoes that you never wear get rid of them. If it doesn’t fit then get it out of your closet. If you have items that need to be sewn or have alterations done, this is the time to do it before you place those items back into the closet. Anything that you have just stuck in your closet for lack of a better place for it needs to be removed from your home or given a proper location.

Come up with a system for organizing your clothing. This can be by color, style, or season. You can also choose to separate them by where you wear them such as around the house, work, and casual. A good idea is to hang all the pieces of a particular outfit together. Keep in mind the goal is to maximize the amount of space you have available in your closet.

Make a list of what you want in your custom closet organization. Do you love shoes? Then you might need a great deal of storage for all of them. Maybe you need shelves for your sweaters or your favorite books you keep in the closet. Start planning your closet organization by measuring the length and the depth. You will need this information to start figuring out how many shelves and shoe racks you can install.

What type of look do you want to accomplish and how much money are you willing to invest in this project? Do you want the organization shelves and items to be permanent or something you can easily remove later? The answers to these questions will help you determine the type of materials you will use to complete your closet organization. You can choose from wood, wire items, baskets, canvas, plastic, and anything else you want to consider.

The key is to eliminate anything you don’t really need from your closet and then set the remaining items up in a way that works well for you. All of us have different ways of organizing so make your system unique to you. This will help you stick with returning items to their proper location in the closet. Take some time to research the various types of closet organizers and come up with a plan you will love.

photo credit: Dvortygirl.

Coaching

Many busy work-at-home-moms have a hard time managing our business and projects. Our homes become neglected because we are working and talking care of our children all day long (clean laundry – are you kidding?).

And then, your home business becomes a success. Soon you begin to gain more clients. You receive more orders to process and ship. Your need for organization and process becomes critical.

Putting together my knowledge of home management, my personal experience as a WAHM, and my 10+ years of professional project management, I can help you!

Through coaching, together we can develop the processes and procedures you need to manage your business. With me as your coach we will develop the tools and processes necessary for you to have an organized, successful business.

Topics we will cover during your personal coaching sessions include:

Time management and scheduling

Setting up your home office

Project management and tracking

Outsourcing

File organization (electronic and paper)

Balancing your home, family and business

 

WAHM Coaching Package Includes:

One 60 minute coaching session: We’ll get on the phone and discuss what you need. Together we will put together the systems you need to better manage and organize your business.

Customized detailed action plan as well as worksheets and checklists emailed to you within 24 hours of coaching session that you will be able to get cracking on immediately.

One-week email access for additional questions and support

Complimentary copy of Alice Seba’s special report 38 Ways To Not Become A Slave To Your Business (an 18 page report plus audio valued at $12.95)

Additional materials/handouts based upon your needs

WAHM Coaching Package: $70

$45 for each additional hour of live coaching after initial

Organizing and Simplifying Bill Paying

There are lots of ways to simplify your bill paying and keeping it organized. First let’s get everything organized.
Here’s how:

Keep all pending bills together in one designated area or folder.  The best thing to do to keep this task from getting out of hand is to do it as soon as you get your bill.  Place it where it needs to go. It will only take a minute of your time.  Keeping everything together will save you time in having to search through several areas where you could have placed them.  Once the bills have been paid place them in another folder labeled “Paid” so they will be readily available should you need to refer back to them.

Set up a weekly or monthly schedule for bill paying.  If you receive you paycheck weekly consider doing it the day you receive your paycheck or if you get paid monthly do it on that day or you can schedule two days a month whichever works best so you meet all your payment due dates.

Create an area for bill paying.  Keeping all of your bill paying essentials, such as stamps, checks, pens, envelopes, and bills of course together in one spot will speed up your bill paying process as you won’t have to keep stopping and getting up to go get things.  Just a few things you might want to keep in your bill paying area are your bill paying filing system, checkbook, envelopes, stamps, pens, pencils, a calculator, tape, a stapler and return address labels.  Take an hour or so and if you have recurring bills which you create envelopes for consider taking the time to prepare the years envelopes all at one time.  That way when you need it, it will already be prepared and ready for use.

Record your payments immediately.  As soon as you pay your bills mark them down in your checkbook register or computer software register so you won’t have to waste time looking for it later or worse get charged overdrawn account fees.

Immediately file your payment receipts and invoices.  Once you’ve paid your bills, marked them in your register and made the necessary notes such as date paid, check number and amount paid on them, file them.  Set up a category for each such as utilities, insurance, credit card, house payments, etc. for easier filing and locating of receipts should you need to locate them.

Reconcile your checkbook and file the cancelled checks just in case you need a copy of one later on down the road or for tax purposes.  To prevent those cancelled checks from piling up, store bank statements and cancelled checks that are more than one year in a separate area or box.

Limit the number of credit cards used.  Consolidating multiple credit card payments into fewer ones, not only help reduce the amount of paperwork, time needed to make and track these payments but you will also be able to pay them off earlier and reduce your interest paid on them over time.  Try limiting consolidating your credit card bills to two or three and dispose of the rest.

Simplify bill paying with online banking or inexpensive money management software.  Money management software can reduce the time it takes to pay your bills and come tax time it can make tracking expenses and creating reports for your accountant much easier.

Seven Must-Have Items to Help Keep Your Garage Organized

Keeping a garage organized can be an ongoing project.  Many times people store so many things in their garage they can’t even fit a car into it.  There are many things you can use to reclaim that spot for your garage.  Here are seven of the best things to help keep your garage organized.

1.  Shelves – Attaching shelves to the walls of the garage can increase your storage space.  There are also stand-alone shelving units that are perfect in the garage.  They are heavy-duty plastic or metal and can hold the heavier items that are often found in the garage, such as tools and sports equipment.

2.  Overhead storage – Overhead storage is a great way to get things put away that you don’t need as often, such as suitcases or holiday decorations.  If you don’t want to build permanent shelves, there are hanging shelf units that can attach to the rafters and provide a great storage area.

3.  Pegboard, etc – Pegboard, slotboard or slatwall are perfect options in the garage. They can have hooks and baskets attached to allow for storage of a variety of items of all sizes.  Brackets can be added to place shelves as needed.  They can be completely customized to hold tools – both for the garden and the garage, parts, cleaning supplies, and much more.

4.  Tool hangers – There are a variety of hanging systems to hold tools.  There are roller versions that grab the handles and hold them in place.  There are also standard hooks that will hold the tool, with the handles hanging down.  These will keep the tools out of the way, making things not only neater, but also safer.

5.  Store-Pod – Store-pods are a great addition to your garage storage system.  They are waterproof, heavy-duty plastic storage units that are attached to the beams above.  They look like a large plastic bag with shelves inside.  The front is a clear plastic door that zips closed.  They have ventilation slots that help reduce dust and mildew, while still keeping pests out of the things being stored.

6.  Sports storage – If you have a family involved with sports, there are always balls lying around, as well as shoes and other gear.  Instead of tripping on them, the garage is a great place to store them.  There are specially designed holders for sports equipment.  There are some for balls, bike racks and more.  There are bike racks that can be mounted on the wall or ceiling.

7.  Cabinets – Cabinets with a work surface are perfect for the garage.  You can close the doors and hide any possible clutter.  You also have a work area for projects that are too messy or noisy for the house.  Many of the cabinets also come with locks – not only to protect your tools, but also to keep small children safe.

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