Organizing Your Child’s Bedroom

Keeping your child’s room clutter-free while organizing it can be quite a chore. The moment things are put away, in no time they are out again. With a little clutter control and some new habits taught to your children, you can make messy bedrooms a thing of the past.

To start, a good kid room storage system will also encourage the positive habit in your child of putting things back where he found them. This can be considered the Montessori method, pioneered by Madame Montessori, who taught children about storing related items together in a designated spot.

The thinking here is once you show your child where a particular toy goes then he may be persuaded to return it back there the next time he finishes playing with the toy. It’s all about your child knowing where his things belong. This technique also teaches your child to become the keeper of his own belongings.

When it comes to storage containers you can usually come up with some great ideas by looking at office and kitchen organizers. For instance what about shallow wicker trays similar to the plastic in and out letter trays you find in many offices? Such trays are ideal for everything from homework and artwork to hair accessories and game boy games. In a baby room, trays are ideal for storing folded undershirts and socks.

The right storage containers for organizing kid rooms are often a question of money and taste. A customized closet system may work best for one family’s kid room stuff while another family would be happy with a storage system made up of recycled boxes from the grocery store. Whatever your budget there is an organizing solution for you.

Once you have figured out where you will put everything, now you must weed out items in the bedroom not needed. Start with your children’s clothes. Box up and give away items that don’t fit anymore. With children growing fast, this needs to be done quite often. Simplify the clothing that remains. Does your child really wear all 25 T-shirts or does she just favor a few?

One of the most genuine excuses children give for not hanging up their clothes is that they can’t reach the rods. Once you have purged the excess clothing, you need to make sure your child can access what’s left. Lower the closet rod and install shelves at child-accessible heights. Also consider investing in child-sized hangers and open plastic baskets or bins for socks and underwear.

As for toys, a good kid room storage system will also encourage the positive habit in your child of putting things back where he found them.

Label everything. You don’t need to get fancy with professionally made labels. Simply print some out on your computer and tape on.

Now put the labels everywhere on the inside and outside of drawers, on shelf edges, on the outside of the plastic bins etc.

Organizing kid rooms can be fun as long as you have a good storage system in place.

Stephen Nickse is the founder of Closet Solutions, a leading provider of quality boston closets, strategically headquartered in the nation’s design capitol, Boston, Ma. For more information, please visit www.closet-solutions.com

Taking Your Garage Back

Remember when you were able to park your car in the garage? And remember when the garage was simply a place that only the car lived. Now the garage is home to workshops, sports equipment, lawn mowers, extra refrigerators and more.

So how do you take your garage back?

Here are a few easy suggestions:

• Hang shelves and hooks to store things along the walls. Hanging items gets your clutter off the floor and makes items more accessible.
• Organize your overflow of clutter with utility cabinets or custom garage cabinets.
• Keep your workshop essentials clean, protected, and close at hand with toolboxes and chests.
• Use a storage system made especially for small things, or try the old-fashioned method: nail baby food jar lids to a board mounted above your workspace. Screw the jars onto the lids to hold tiny things. Small items can disappear without notice.
• Get back your garage and expand your space with the purchase of a storage shed or renting storage.

Garage storage cabinets makes use of the space you have in the vertical plane and helps get your stored items off the floor. Garage storage cabinets have come a long way in the past several years. Custom cabinets come in numerous colors and are clean looking. The cabinets are also built with the kind of quality that lasts a lifetime.

If you are a do-it-yourselfer, just hanging up items in your garage will make an incredible difference in how much space you gain within your garage. Here a few ways to add more storage:

• Add shelf space with the use of four lengths of chain and eight hooks. You need a plank, four equal lengths of chain and eight hooks. Fasten one hook to each corner of the plank and one hook to a corresponding spot in the ceiling or beam above, then slip the chains into place.
• Keep tools organized by hanging them on a pegboard. You'll keep the area tidy if you have a specific location for each tool. Once this is done, paint a silhouette of the tool on the pegboard for other users to have a placement guide.
• Ladders can be hung from rafters and bikes can be hung from the walls. (However, if you aren't the type to be bothered to lift your bike, see the next suggestion.)
• Use electric tape or paint to mark off a "reserved parking" space for anything with wheels.
• Use an old golf bag for long-handled tools such as shovels and rakes, or hang them individually from hooks or grabber holders. If the item doesn't have a hole in the handle, screw a cup hook into the tip. (A cup hook is a hook meant to hold a cup. One end is made of a screw, while the other end is shaped in a curve. Screw the screw end into a wall of shelf, and slip the handle of the cup onto the curved end of the hook. This is a standard item that can be found in any hardware department.)

If all of this sounds like too much work for, there are companies who install custom cabinets in your garage for you. Either way, you will hopefully get your garage back.

Stephen Nickse is the founder of Closet Solutions, a leading provider of quality boston closets, strategically headquartered in the nation’s design capitol, Boston, Ma. For more information, please visit www.closet-solutions.com

Garage Organizer Sale Boston, MA

The
boss
has
gone
crazy!
$795. for this eight foot wide garage setup. Impossible!

The boss feels bad about last Christmas, he didn't give away enough presents. So today he says to me "Jimmy, give away a couple dozen basic garage starter sets at less than our cost."

O.K., .. so who am I to argue with this insanity?

Here's what you get (and you should get it fast before he feels less generous):

2-24" wide by 24" deep melamine cabinets (72" panels).

2-24" wide x 8.75"tall drawers (16" deep) with thermofronts.

1-48" x 48" slatwall for tools and hobby storage.

1-48" x 24" melamine counter top.

16 shelves 24" x 24" for 'good stuff' storage.

Thats it!

But not quite all. The Boss says we have to install everything for you. And we have to eat the tax too, so the total price is $795. installed, NO more. (And definitely no less if you ask me).

It's white, It's clean, it's strong, and a full 3/4" thick.

Made in our Somerville factory, this is a great value and we do have options to add to it. Doors, baskets, hooks, hangers, butcher block or high pressure countertops. We have everything imaginable for a custom garage including PROFESSIONAL epoxy floor finishers. (way better than your painter could ever do).

The sooner you make a move on this the better. This price is so cheap that there is no money to pay a sales commission to our garage designer. That means I come to your house to discuss this or I send the Boss himself. Either way It's a good deal and pretty painless. You call, we come over, we talk and git'er done.

Lets get a move-on. This won't hurt a bit. Credit cards accepted. Ask about our 0% interest plan.

Jimmy the Production Manager

Getting Rid of The Clutter In Your Home

Are you living with too much stuff? Do you find it difficult to clean because there is just too much to move? Having clutter isn’t a sign of being lazy; it’s purely a habit that most of have fallen into.

To establish positive habits that will cure our cluttering before it becomes a struggle, try the following five suggestions:

1. Complete Things. Do you know the biggest, not to mention sneakiest, clutter creator? Unfinished business. Those newspapers we’ll get around to reading someday, the projects we’ve begun but never quite completed, and the papers we started filing but then found something more enticing to do. Whenever possible, finish what you start. If you are unable to complete a project, finish at least a measurable amount; you can then write the next steps on your to-do list and tuck the project away without fear of forgetting about it.

2. Give your ‘stuff’ the one-hour test. If there was an emergency situation, and you had no choice but to gather up everything that was important to you--in one hour or less--what would you take? What would you leave behind? This should give you an excellent indication of the items that are truly important to you, and those items that aren't very important to you at all.

3. Give Items Away. If you don’t know whether you want to keep something or not, give it the six-month rule. If you put it away and don’t use it within six months, find a new home for it.

4. Limit What You Buy - We are bombarded with opportunities to increase the amount of stuff in our lives on a moment-to-moment basis. Therefore, it is up to each of us to set our own guidelines of how much stuff we will allow to enter our homes and workspaces.
Practice conscious purchasing. Buying something simply because it is on sale adds considerably to our excess. In addition to considering where you will put the item or what you will use it for once you get home, ask yourself – in all honesty – will the item truly enhance your life or help you fulfill your purpose? Is there something more meaningful for which you would rather spend the money? (A vacation, a spa treatment, or a personal trainer, perhaps.) Many thrifty people find it helpful to ask themselves how many hours they will have to work to pay for the item in order to determine its worth. Whatever your motivation, pay close and conscious attention to the items going into your cart so you can make healthy, life-affirming decisions.

5. Keep a log. Take a notebook and keep a log of every item you use for the next 2 weeks. If it doesn't make it to the list, it's important to question 'why not?’ The answer may be that it's a seasonal item, and right now it's not the right season to be using that item. The answer may be that it's an evening gown, and you wear it once or twice a year for special occasions.

However, if the answer is that you may pick up on your crocheting hobby in a few years, or that a dress may come back in style someday, or that you haven't found a good use for that gadget yet but an idea may come to you, then that item should most likely be donated, sold, or dumped.

Getting rid of clutter can turn into a rather hefty task, depending on the amount and the emotional attachments associated with it. Much easier, then, is preventing clutter from entering our lives in the first place. By implementing even one of these habits, you’ll notice a decrease in the amount of stuff in your life – which will make living a clear, clutter-free life a natural result.


Stephen Nickse is the founder of Closet Solutions, a leading provider of quality Boston Closets, strategically headquartered in the nation’s design capitol, Boston, Ma. For more information, please visit www.closet-solutions.com

Murphy beds for sale Boston, MA

Make the most of your space with a Boston Murphybed and side cabinets.

This package includes all this,
Queen size Murphybed
Two cabinets with slide-out night tables
Four drawers and crown moulding on everything
$4700.

That's not all you get..
We will also install the bed for you, complete with a Comfort Dream mattress and...
The taxes are included for just $4700.*

See this Murphybed set-up and working in our Cambridge showroom.
617-628-2410 Call for address and personal showing

Meanwhile see more murphybeds online here at
http://closetsolution.googlepages.com/wonderfulwallbed

*Some rules may apply, no additional sales promotions will be applied to this package.

The sooner you make a move the sooner you get to sleep in comfort.
PS.
There are options for doors, glass shelves, lights etc., and today more colors are available
This bed can be Maple, Cherry, white, black etc.

Organize Your Office and Become More Efficient

If you have stacks piled all over your office, whether that office is at home or away from home, having to rearrange these piles can be costly. For every hour it takes for your to find what you are looking for or resorting piles is time taken away from how you earn your salary.

But don’t despair. There are easy ways to get organized that if you take the initial time to address, can save you in the long run.

1) Take the time to put things away correctly. Cleaning you’re your desk for the sake of making it neat as an end in itself can be risky as you can for where you put everything. Take the time to put things away in their proper files.

2) Reduce Clutter. Clutter is rarely caused by insufficient space or time. The culprit is usually indecisiveness. So be selective about what you bring into your office and home. If you know what you value and what your goals are, being selective is not hard.

3) Create a place for everything. Open your mail in the same place everyday so it doesn't get strewn everywhere. Put unpaid bills together, separate from paid bills. Store all office supplies together to prevent duplicate purchases.

4) Do not use your entire desk surface as a giant In-box. Instead, determine your next action on every piece of paper and file accordingly. Tasks to be done soon (phone calls to make, questions to ask business associates) and current projects go into your "Action Files," which should not be mixed with Reference Files. Action Files must be kept close at hand.

5) That maxim, "Handle each piece of paper only once," is too extreme to be realistic. But it contains a grain of truth. Do try to take the next action that's required each time you handle a piece of paper. How about that seminar advertisement you left on your desk, as a reminder to decide whether to sign up -- you know, that paper you've shuffled ten times today already? Either call right now to get the information you need, or make a note in your appointment book to call later. Then you're that much closer to being done with it.

6) Don't save paper that you're not willing to spend time filing. If you don't file it properly, you either will forget you have it, or you won't be able to find it when you need it. It does you no good, and the result is the same as if you'd thrown it out in the first place. If you are set up to scan information into your computer, be selective. If you cannot imagine a specific situation when you'd need to refer to the information again, don't scan it. Most of us save a great deal of paper we'll never use again.

7) Use your day planner or a To Do List to help clear your desk. If you avoid filing things out of fear you'll forget to follow up, jot down a reminder in your appointment book or computer software.

8) Beware of stuff. The more stuff you have, the more you must find a place to put, and the more you'll have to clean, repair, and eventually replace. Stop buying things you don't really need just because they're on sale. You can always get more stuff, and you can always get more money. But you can never get more time.

9) Schedule appointments with yourself to get things done. Appointments aren't only for business lunches or seeing your doctor. They're for you, too. Commit to spending time on the things you keep "not getting around to." This works for everything -- from taking the next step on that back-burner project, to making sure you get yourself to the gym twice a week.

10) Get a good desk. This doesn't necessarily mean an expensive desk, but one that is right for your personal work habits, business activities and other daily needs. If you regularly refer to books, manuals or publications, a desk with an upright hutch would make sense. Or if you use a computer and have ample floor space, consider an L-shaped desk. You can keep your computer on one section and still have a large workspace on the other. This configuration allows you to avoid juggling two priorities on the same desktop.

Closet Sale Now

SAVE 15% off my already low prices on select items.

I'm warming up your winter with a February SALE! (ends for sure on march 15th)

SAVE $300. or more by making a timely purchase now.

Absolutely no compromise in quality or service ever. Everything's top notch, as always.

Custom gift certificates available..in any amount.

Call my office manager, Colleen to arrange a free consultation. I want to build you a beautiful closet.
Everybody loves a nice new closet.

I'm Steve Nickse, I approve this message.

New Year, New Closet

The New Year marks the perfect time to give your closet a fresh start. Many people make New Year’s resolutions promising to bring new organization and structure into their homes, and a bedroom closet overhaul is a good starting point to accomplish that goal. Streamlining the closet allows you to free up extra storage space you may not have realized you had, and in the process get rid of some outdated items that serve no purpose besides consuming space.

Giving your closet a new beginning for the New Year requires starting out with a blank slate. By removing everything from your closet, you can eliminate some of the organizational mental block that is common when you are simply accustomed to a certain layout. Once the closet is empty, clean all of the surfaces within to remove dust and dirt that has likely accumulated.

Next comes the moment of truth. Go through all of the items you removed from the closet and assess which are worthy of keeping, which can be donated and which to toss. This can be difficult if you are the type who has a tendency to hold onto things beyond their useful life. For clothing, shoes and accessories, ask yourself some basic questions about each item in question to help in your decision. Have I worn the item in the past year? Does the item fit, and am I comfortable wearing it? Is it still in style? Making an honest assessment of how much value you get from an item may give you the extra push to eliminate items you are holding onto for the wrong reasons.

You can also narrow down the contents of your closet by simply rethinking the items you store in it. Take a look at the types of items that are being stored there besides clothing, shoes, and accessories. Consider whether some of the items can be stored in other parts of your home, such as another closet, the garage or basement. Boxes, sports equipment, linens, out of season clothing, and other rarely used items are good candidates for relocation.

Next, return everything to the closet in an orderly manner. Group like items together when hanging clothing, creating a section for sweaters, one for blouses, one for trousers and so on. Ensure that you designate adequate space for smaller accessories, such as belts and scarves. Bins and baskets situated on closet shelves make excellent storage options that keep smaller items organized and out of view. Use matching containers to contribute to a streamlined appearance.

Whether you have two pairs of shoes or a collection worthy of its own closet, shoe storage cannot be overlooked. Organizing shoes neatly on the closet floor is one option, but this method can impede walking room and be difficult to maintain. Shoe organization solutions vary from plastic boxes to hanging canvas containers to shelving, and the best style for you depends on your closet size, preference and budget. Having one organization system that accommodates all of your shoes will result in the most streamlined look in your closet.

Organizing a closet often frees up extra storage space that in turn makes it simpler to reorganize other areas of your home. Whether you aim to organize your bedroom or your entire home for the New Year, the closet is a great place to start.

About the Author: Stephen Nickse is the founder of Closet Solutions, a leading provider of quality Boston closets, strategically headquartered in the nation’s design capitol, Boston, Ma. For more information, please visit www.closet-solutions.com.

Closets on SALE now Boston MA

Celebrate life with a lifestyle change
Save 15% in February (til March 15th)

Select items are ON SALE NOW!
Drawers, baskets, pulls, accessories marked down below my already LOW PRICES.

Everything to get you organized is here for your asking.

Leave the painful closet clutter behind!

Get a new closet system with savings &
Don't wait, because this deal will definitely end March 15th.

Do the right thing. Call today.

I have personalized gift certificates available in any dollar amount.
Save yourself 15% on select items by making a phone call.
617-628-2410

My home page is http://www.closet-solutions.com/

Closet Solutions on Mylot.com

So here's me trying to feed this blog to Mylot.com .Todays technology is fun and frustrating at the same time.myLot User Profile
The link here may go somewhere,I don't know, It is hiding some html used to verify that I am actually the blog owner and have the authority to feed the blog to another site. I hate to give up so if this does not work the first time I will try again.

YES! IT WORKED. ANOTHER SUCCESS FOR THE COLLEGE DROP-OUT. MAYBE I WILL HAVE A SALE TO CELEBRATE A VERY SMALL SUCCESS.
Steve

All About Closets

Most closet companies work in a similar manner, first the call (from you), then the in-home consultation, then the plan review, usually at the company showroom. Mine is in Porter Square, Cambridge. One block from the Redline T . If you want to stop by, call first for hours.

closet explosion....problem solved!

How NOT to fix the problem. Look closely and you will see how she fixes the messy closet. With her foot she kicks all the stuff inside and then shuts the door. PRESTO all fixed...NOT! The inadequacy of this kind of do-it-yourself organization is the reason I am in business for over twenty years. You need a system of shelves and poles in order to be organized. And another thought..your young child may be pre-disposed by nature to be neat and tidy. Without a closet system that child will be frustrated by an inability to follow through with natural tendencies to be organized. I know this to be true. I have seen the kids express their ..anger (sometimes) or just plain frustration.

Here's some interesting poll results,

The Top 10 New Year’s resolutions or goals were ranked as follows:

1. Get out of debt or save money

2. Lose weight

3. Develop a healthy habit (e.g., exercise or healthy eating)

4. Get organized

5. Develop a new skill or talent6. Spend more time with family and friends7. Other8. Work less, play more9. Break an unhealthy habit (e.g., smoking, alcohol, overeating)10. Change employmentThe survey also found that 35% of respondents break their New Year’s resolutions by the end of January and only 23% of those surveyed don’t ever break them. Nearly 40% of those surveyed attribute breaking their resolutions to having too many other things to do, while 33% say they are not committed to the resolutions they set.

I can help you save money, (item #1). Just buy your closet from me instead of the high priced company.

That will help you with # 4 on the list: Get organized.

Just DOnate IT!!

Good idea, cute presentation. Donate closet clutter to someone who will appreciate your leftovers.You probably need more room and your closet is not supposed to be a warehouse for stuff that will never be worn again.If you have not worn an item in the last two years you probably never will. Give it away.

Space Makers Closet Interiors

This closet showroom video presents good ideas that you can specify for your own comfey closet. Look carefully at the component parts for ideas to incorporate into your plans. Shelves, short hang, drawers, etc. I can build everything you see in this video, from basic oxford white to over-the-top mahogany with all the trimmings.

When it comes to really fancy wood closets you may start thinking of calling your kitchen cabinet guy to do the work instead of Closet Solutions. Oops, that is not such a great idea because the kitchen guy has no idea how long clothes are, how wide a sweater shelf should be, where to get the right closet poles, etc.etc., on and on. We have a client now who loves the closets in her new house. The cabinet guys did her master closet in nice expensive wood. Very pretty, pretty dysfunctional too. They built the pedastal base 12" high and put double poles above that. No way can that work. She wants it ripped out and done over. What a waste. When you want a closet built right, call a closet specialist.

transFORM Closets @ Arris Lofts

transFORM is a trendsetter in the NYC, New Jersey, area. I have met with the owners at conventions on several occasions and can vouch for their above average intelligence and pleasing personalities. This video is similar to what I might put forth with regards to my own philosophy and product line. You will have to wait a little bit before you see my scarey face on a video..anybody know a good make-up artist?

MTV Producer Kalissa Miller updates her look

Dry cleaning solvents break down clothing fibres-take them out of the plastic bags before re-hanging your dry-cleaned clothes. Click here to leave my site and go to the Decorating Studio.

DecoratingStudio.com

The Closet of Tommy Shaw of Styx

Sometimes you need a little help deciding which orange jumpsuits to donate to the rock-n-roll hall of fame. If your old clothes are choking your closet just drop them off at the Salvation Army on the way to Nordstrums. How can you continue shopping when there is nowhere to hang the new bargains?

Video, closet bins and organizers are discussed on this nice closet video

The Closet Video subject matter presented here is closet bins and boxes, organizers for your comfey and functional closet.


Acrylic see-thru storage boxes serve as dust protectors, and because they are drawers you are able to access the items in the bottom bins without unstacking the whole stack as is the case with storage bins that are not actually drawers.

The bins with pry-off type lids are fine for items to be accessed on an occasional/seasonal basis, but I am not suggesting them for everyday use.

I sell acrylic boxes in several sizes for shoes, sweaters, scarves, and whatever else you can dream up. And thats because they are good organizing tools. I can't stand those shoe cubbie contraptions that require you to put 1 shoe in backwards and on top of the matching shoe. Nonsense.

Closet Designer Consultations are free at this time if you are in my area, (Boston) and kind of essential when planning a new home or home renovation project. Let me know if I can help. http://www.closet-solutions.com/

As always, I am wishing you well.

Steve Nickse - ClosetMaster

Closet Makeover Ideas

Closet Makeover ideas are better presented in pictures than read about.
That's how it seems to me, but written guidelines are not without merit.

Remember to use all the space, don't forget to put a shelf over the closet door, and go high with shelves if you have high ceilings. Make sure that it's easy to get to everything you will be using frequently.

Creative closet designers go back to the drawing board when their first ideas are not making perfect sense. I always design the best solution to the problem as I see it. Whatever it costs, so be it. Good stuff costs more. I would never design an insufficient closet system just to underprice a competitor.

Closet makeovers require thoughtful planning if they are to be successful,

so take some time with your local closet designer or ClosetMaster and get it right.

Divide the stuff, count, and conquer your clutter. Wardrobe storage needs consist of short hang, medium hang, long hang, shoe and sweater shelves, drawers and baskets..and little else. Just apportion them correctly and add a few twists of creativity to satisfy your particular needs, wants, desires.

Get comfortable and peer intently at closet pictures as seen on the internet, at my site, http://www.closet-solutions.com/ and others . Studying closets designed by the pro's will impact your own closet makeover design. Go to Google, click on 'images' and enter 'closets' as your search term . That way you will see closet pictures instead of a bunch of website listings.

These simple few ideas are brought to you by ClosetMaster Steve Nickse, owner of Closet Solutions near Boston and Needham, MA. Give me a call if you want some help with your local project. If you are not near Boston see www.closets.com for a nationwide list of professional closet Organizers.

Your Closet Makeover will be worth the effort, just wait and see.

Closet Makeover

There is no reason to treat your closet as a locker room, with all the bells and whistles available today you can enjoy your very own closet makeover. Valet rods are extendable sliding rods that are useful when debating with yourself over which little black something-or-other to wear out tonight.

Drawer dividers are under-rated and are a definite YES when considering their inclusion into any new or up-and-coming closet space.

Mirrors, full length - or just for the face, add an element of glitz that's a needful part of the closet makeover experience.

Plus this, mirrors are important helpers when preparing thyself.

Hampers- Consider one for dry cleaning and one for the rest of the dirtys. Include a lid please, so you don't have to see last nights crumpled blouse or sweaty sox for a couple of days straight.

With these few additions you'll be on your way to a comfortable closet of your own.

You can see some online closet pictures with more accessories and ideas at http://www.closet-solutions.com/

I am ClosetMaster Steve Nickse and again, I wish you well.

Closetsguru and Closet Solutions website

You absolutely need answers to these FAQ's found on the very new closetsguru website .

This site was designed to offer education and simplify the task of locating a reputable closet design firm in your local area.
Some of the subjects presented on this site are:

What are the benefits to home organization systems provided by a professional versus DIY?
How much does it generally cost to hire a professional home organization systems company/firm versus using DIY home organization products?
Where can I find a professional home organization systems company?
What can I expect when contacting a professional home organization systems company?
How do I hire the right person for the job?
What questions should I ask the companies I’m considering working with?
What kinds of materials are used? What are storage systems made from?
How do I compare apples to apples?
How long will installation take?

These are all good questions that you would do well to ask before buying a custom closet.

Apples -to - apples is a good one, where the speedy review does not help at all. If two closet designs 'are the same' to you, then you're better off checking twice. Designer 'A' has incorporated 10 drawers in his design, Designer 'B' has four drawers, plus 6 baskets. They are not the same. Drawers don't look like, or operate like baskets. Which is why drawers cost, (and are worth) , more money.

http://www.closetsguru.com/ and http://www.closet-solutions.com/ are valuable resource sites for closet information, tips and tricks, both in Boston, MA and nationwide.

I am ClosetMaster Steve Nickse, I hope you have learned.

New Home Shopping – Weighing in on Closet Space

When looking to purchase a new home, the decision making process can be grueling. First there’s the stage of determining what features make a home a fit for you and your lifestyle. Then there is the time spent pondering what features you can and cannot live without when it comes to the inevitable tradeoff among wants, needs and budget rationality. One issue that often comes to the forefront of concern for home seekers is the availability of storage space in each of the homes being considered. More specifically, is there enough?

Home storage space comes in several varieties—basements, attics, garages and of course, closets. Each can be a valuable asset to a home seeker. But simply having an attic or basement is not sufficient for most households; the need for functional, accessible storage in the form of closets cannot be overlooked. While basements, attics and garages make excellent long term storage areas, closet storage provides immediate accessibility to items that are frequently used, such as clothing, shoes and linens.

How should a home seeker approach the subject of storage in a new home? Ensuring that you purchase a home with adequate overall storage space involves making an assessment of your current possessions and storage situation. How much storage space do you have now, and is it sufficient? Have you already acquired a majority of the items you intend to own, or are you just starting out? Would you benefit from more closet space, or would additional long term storage such as a basement be more fitting? Storage requirements vary widely among different people, making it important that you select a home tailored to the needs of your daily life. A motorcycle enthusiast would likely seek a large garage above all, while a fashion model may place more importance on having a large walk-in closet. Assessing how your current storage situation affects your lifestyle can give you a good idea of the mix of short and long term storage capacity that suits you or your family.

As with most major purchases, buying a home usually brings with it the need to make tradeoffs. Consider yourself extremely lucky if you find the perfect home in the desired location that embodies every feature you seek in a home—at the ideal price (but that doesn’t mean you can’t try!). Storage is just one of the aspects that home seekers consider in the quest for a new home, albeit an important one. Selecting a home with a suitable mix of short and long term storage that allows room for growth may prevent you from embarking on another home search in the too near future!

About the Author: Stephen Nickse is the founder of Closet Solutions, a leading provider of quality Boston closets, strategically headquartered in the nation’s design capitol, Boston, Ma. For more information, please visit www.closet-solutions.com.

Make the Most of a Small Laundry Room

Laundry is one of those ongoing household responsibilities that most people would eliminate if they could. Nonetheless, many of us are confronted with the challenge of conquering a mound of unwashed clothes more than once a week. Lacking adequate space in which to do laundry can make this necessary chore a dreadful one, but that does not have to be the case. Maximizing the functionality of a small laundry room is simpler than it may seem.

Perhaps your laundry area is cramped simply because it is packed with too many large objects. Some common laundry needs—such as drying racks, ironing boards, laundry supplies, baskets and tables—can take over a small laundry space fast. But why not consider making the switch to collapsible items to save space? For instance, a drying rack that attaches to the wall and can be extended for use and collapsed otherwise is a no-floor-space-required alternative to a free standing rack. Another space saving idea is to replace rigid laundry baskets with collapsible hampers, which can fold flat when not in use and be stowed in the space between the washer and dryer or flush with the wall. If you are one of the many people who cannot live without a working surface in the laundry room, you may consider replacing your standard table with a foldable one that can be collapsed when not in use. Putting away the table when not in use opens up valuable floor space that can double as an area for ironing.

Another way to maximize the utility of a small laundry area is to make the most of vertical space. With a washer and dryer occupying considerable floor space, vertical space is all that is available in many small laundry rooms. Shelves mounted to the wall above and surrounding the washer and dryer provide ample space for laundry supplies and solve most storage issues. Shelves can be installed fairly easily and inexpensively using boards affixed to L brackets. Replacing a standard washer and dryer with space efficient stackable ones is another option for using vertical space, though such specialized appliances tend to be more costly.

Manufacturers of laundry appliances and products are increasingly aware of the challenges associated with small laundry spaces, and many have begun offer products that provide the same functionality in smaller packages. Stackable washer and dryer units are a great example of space conscious innovations. Also, laundry detergent is now being manufactured in a condensed formula, which is packaged in a smaller container and requires less per load than regular detergent.

A few simple upgrades can make a big difference when it comes to maximizing the utility of a small laundry room. Before you perform a laundry room overhaul, assess what issues may be contributing to your lack of space. Are the washer and dryer situated in the best location to maximize the usable space in the rest of the room? Is the laundry room packed with items unrelated to laundry? Sometimes the answer is right in front of you, and all it takes to improve on your current system is taking the time to assess what you can do to utilize the space you do have more efficiently.

About the Author: Stephen Nickse is the founder of Closet Solutions, a leading provider of quality Boston closets, strategically headquartered in the nation’s design capitol, Boston, Ma. For more information, please visit www.closet-solutions.com.

Closet Organization Techniques – Don’t Skip the Final Touches

Complete closet organization can be a challenging endeavor, but one that is ultimately accompanied by a monumental sense of accomplishment. Once you have reassessed your wardrobe, parted ways with its nonfunctional components and established a less chaotic space for your treasured belongings, you can finally sit back and breathe a sigh of relief as you revel in triumph over your newly organized closet.

Even when the organizational logic is just right, some minor details may be preventing your closet from becoming the perfect picture of closet harmony. These tips are designed to help you put some final touches on your newly organized closet that will streamline its appearance and serve as motivation to maintain the organizational structure you have worked so hard to create.

-Organize hanging clothes by type. Rather than the minimal separation of tops from bottoms, organize your hanging wardrobe further by classifying items by type. If your closet has a top and bottom rod, you may want to utilize the bottom rod for pants and skirts and the top for shirts, blouses and jackets. You may divide shirts by type, such as blouses, long sleeve cotton shirts, sleeveless, sweater and so on. Or, you may opt to divide shirts by use, such as work shirts, casual wear and athletic. Having a designated place for each type of clothing will give your closet a neat appearance and make it simpler to maintain your organization scheme over time.

-Invest in matching hangers for your wardrobe. The difference in appearance you can achieve by making this simple change is substantial. Matching hangers will not only create visually appealing lines throughout your closet, but will alleviate the issue of some items becoming sunken and lost between others because clothing rests at different heights.

-Standardize your shoe storage. Shoes pose a challenge in closet organization, particularly for people who are attached to a substantial collection of these ever coveted accessories. With some shoes on the floor, some on shelving and others tucked away into boxes, you sacrifice closet functionality and create an unorganized look within the closet you have worked so diligently to organize. Utilizing the same means of storage for every pair of shoes is a great final touch that will give your closet a finalized, streamlined appearance.

-Store small items out of view. Even if smaller items are neatly organized upon a shelf, the eye will perceive multiple objects collected together as disorder. If your closet is home to a number of smaller items, it is best to utilize a box, basket or bin to collectively store them. Having one or two simple containers situated on a shelf will portray cleaner lines to the eye than a conglomerate of items arranged independently in plain view.

Thorough closet organization involves not just arranging the contents of your closet in a way that facilitates accessibility, but creating an area that is both pleasing to the eye and functional. These final touches will make visiting your closet each day much more pleasant and will encourage you to maintain the streamlined organization you have worked to establish.

About the Author: Stephen Nickse is the founder of Closet Solutions, a leading provider of quality Boston closets, strategically headquartered in the nation’s design capitol, Boston, Ma. For more information, please visit www.closet-solutions.com.

Buying a new home? Look here for help.?

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Buying a new home? Look here for help.?

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Out with the Old – Purge your Closet for Sanity

Has accessing the items in your closet become a battle? If your closet induces stress more than it provides accessible storage, it may be time for a closet overhaul. The changing season marks the perfect time to let go of the items in your closet that you no longer have use for. But if you are like many people, getting rid of outdated clothing, shoes and accessories is easier said than done. These considerations are designed to help you determine if the time is right to donate or toss an item:

-When is the last time I wore the item? Nonfunctional parts of your wardrobe only cause clutter and prevent you from reaping the benefits of an accessible closet. If you have been through a full season for which an item is intended without wearing it, it may be time to donate it or throw it away. There are exceptions, however. Formal attire, for instance, may still have the potential for use even if it has not been worn in the past year, but should still be subject to the other considerations below.

-Why am I resistant to part with the item? Many of us have a tendency to keep old clothing around for the wrong reasons. Maybe it was a splurge, or perhaps we attach some sentimental value to it. Sometimes sentimental value is a perfectly acceptable reason to hold onto an item—a wedding dress, for instance. But the line must be drawn somewhere. Chances are you will not be able to hold onto every item that has ever been meaningful to you and have an uncluttered closet at the same time.

-Does the item fit me right now? An uncluttered closet has its foundation on functionality. If you hoard clothing that no longer fits, you are wasting valuable closet real estate that should be home to your functional wardrobe. Perhaps you have changed sizes, or the item has simply become misshapen with time and use. Either way, if you are not utilizing an item because it does not fit, consider sacrificing it in honor of functionality and accessibility.

-Do I feel good when I wear this item? While it is important for a piece of clothing to fit properly, it is not going to get any use if you do not feel comfortable wearing it. It can be difficult to let go of clothing that is still in good shape and fits you well, but if your style has changed, it is not doing you any good. Items fitting this description make perfect candidates to donate or take to a consignment shop where someone else can get proper use from them.

-Is the item damaged or stained? So the shirt has a hole in it. Does this prevent you from wearing it? Is the damage repairable, and if so, are you actually going to go through with the repair? While wearable items may be donated to an organization such as Goodwill, items which are stained or damaged beyond repair should probably be thrown away.

Remember, the best closet is a functional one. Narrowing down your wardrobe such that it contains only items that you actually use is the first step toward a clutter free, accessible closet that does not induce angst.

About the Author: Stephen Nickse is the founder of Closet Solutions, a leading provider of quality Boston closets, strategically headquartered in the nation’s design capitol, Boston, Ma. For more information, please visit www.closet-solutions.com.

Closet Organization Solutions – Kitchen Pantry

An organized pantry simply makes life easier in the kitchen. Food items are visible, accessible and easy to find. But the abundance of items many people store in the pantry can make this versatile kitchen closet an especially tricky space to establish order.

The first step of organizing a pantry is simple—remove every item from the pantry. You may also want to use this first step as the opportunity to discard any expired items. Emptying the pantry will allow you thoroughly wipe shelves clean and erase any preconceived organization scheme that may be holding you back from a truly organized, clutter free kitchen pantry. Set the contents aside on countertops or a table so that you can assess what items you have and what quantities.

Next, divide the pantry items into broad categories. For instance, group canned food in one category, boxed meals in one, snacks in another, and so on. Determine the categories to select based on the types and amounts of items you store in your pantry. Then, within categories containing many items, divide the items further by type or purpose. For instance, the canned food category may be further divided into canned soups, vegetables and cooking ingredients (such as chicken broth, cream of mushroom, and the like).

Making and keeping your pantry organized and clutter free may involve establishing designated containers for items that tend to scatter or otherwise become jumbled. Examples of such items would be batter mixes, gravy mixes or any other items contained within irregular packets that do not necessarily stand neatly on their own. Determine what groups of items would be best stored inside containers, and find appropriately sized baskets, trays or bins to serve each purpose. Establishing designated containers for certain items not only gives your pantry a streamlined appearance, but makes it simpler to maintain your organization as you use and restock the items over time.

Now that all of your pantry items are neatly organized, you can get an accurate idea of the amount of shelf space needed for the items in each category. This phase may require some creative thinking to determine the best arrangement for the space in your pantry. Items that need to be most frequently accessed, for example, should be placed on the most easily reached, visible shelves. If your pantry is home to an abundance of canned items, for instance, you may consider doubling your functional shelf space by inserting a standalone shelf to hold a second row of cans on the same pantry shelf. If your pantry is also the place you store nonfood items such as a broom and mop, consider finding a place to hang such items flush with the wall so that they do not affect the accessibility of other pantry items.

Keeping your kitchen pantry neat and tidy involves establishing a clutter free, logical system of organization in the first place. If you have narrowed down, categorized and organized, yet still do not have enough space in your pantry, you may be unnecessarily storing too much in the pantry. If you need more space for food storage, consider relocating items such as paper plates and cups, pet food and sodas to another area of the home. Ease of access and upkeep are key objectives in creating and maintaining order in a kitchen pantry.

About the Author: Stephen Nickse is the founder of Closet Solutions, a leading provider of quality Boston closets, strategically headquartered in the nation’s design capitol, Boston, Ma. For more information, please visit www.closet-solutions.com.

Bringing Order to your Linen Closet

In theory, a linen closet is a perfect haven for storing linens such as extra bed sheets, towels and blankets. In practice, many people make use of this versatile storage space for linens, plus a horde of other items that just do not seem to belong elsewhere. In this case, the versatility of a linen closet can become the enemy as items seem to keep going in the closet but never make it out. The resulting chaos can make you forget you own half of the contents of the linen closet, much less put them to use.

The first step of instilling order in your linen closet is the same inevitable first step of any closet organization endeavor—remove everything from the closet. This will give you an accurate idea of the amount of space you have to work with, and may help you find some things you forgot you had. Next, assess with brutal honesty which items you want to keep and which to donate or throw away. Once you have determined what items to keep in the closet, it is time to convert the linen closet into a functional, accessible and tidy storage area once and for all.

The key to linen closet organization is establishing a balance between long term storage and accessibility. Reserve easily reachable, eye level shelves for the items that are most frequently used, such as towels and washcloths. If your linen closet serves double duty as a bathroom closet, items such as toothpaste and other often used hygiene products should also have a place on an easily reached shelf. Particularly if you have a collection of hygiene products or other smaller items, utilize trays, baskets or other containers to keep products in place and make for a clutter free closet.

One of the major challenges of maintaining an organized linen closet is the tendency of linens to unfold and maneuver with time and closet use, resulting in a disheveled mass of sheets, pillowcases and the like. There are a few ways you can combat this problem in your linen closet. You may consider purchasing a few appropriately sized, clear storage bins in which you can stack folded sheets, pillowcases, and blankets. Another option is to use shelf dividers, which will keep stacks of linens independent while taking up little shelf space. Another space saving method of keeping linens separated is utilizing vacuum compressed storage bags, which minimize the area consumed by your linens while protecting them from dust, moisture and insects.

As you create permanent, functional storage in your linen closet, organize it in a way that facilitates ease of upkeep based on the way you uses the items kept inside. Perhaps you separate sheets that are often used from less frequently used ones, or organize them according to size. Whatever your strategy, be sure to return items to their designated spaces after use, and periodically straighten the closet to keep it as tidy as the triumphant day you organized it.

About the Author: Stephen Nickse is the founder of Closet Solutions, a leading provider of quality Boston closets, strategically headquartered in the nation’s design capitol, Boston, Ma. For more information, please visit www.closet-solutions.com.

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You might want to see the interesting pictures I have posted here, closets, murphy beds, specialty spaces, all manner of wonderful things that are visible by clicking here. This is one of the official unofficial websites of Closet Solutions Somerville, MA

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