Deal With Your Hang-ups.

Next to a good mattress, nothing is probably quite as important as a great closet.

Well-planned closets have superpowers--they can make you appear more organized, allow for infinite possibilities of outfits, and even get you to work on time. For my favourite clothing item, I have designed a mythical “wall o’ shoes”--an entire wall of beautifully proportioned cubbies for little works of art I wear on my feet. Taller cubbies for boots are on the bottom row. Larger cubbies for hats and bags are utilized at the harder-to-reach top of the wall, with a stunning library ladder on wheels to easily access these treasures. Now, I just need the right house to build it in! Even if you are not a self-proclaimed fashionista, great closets are an asset to every home. All closets, whether large or small, walk-in or standard, can benefit from a good closet organizer. Available in all price ranges, from the custom designed to the DIY kits, appropriate utilization of a closet is imperative. There are many professional companies which provide in-home consultations, so now it’s easier than ever. There are also professional organizers who can help with these hard decisions.

Here are nine simple rules I use to help clients attain their ultimate closet.

1. If you haven’t worn it in two years, YOU NEVER WILL, so get rid of it. If it doesn’t fit, donate it. My favourite place for donations is Dress For Success who helps dress men and women trying to get into the workforce.
   
2. Anything with holes or rips in it, throw it out.
   
3. Keep shoes in their boxes and place pictures of the shoes at the front of the box so you know what’s inside. Not only does it keep your shoes neat in your closet, it will also keep them from getting dusty and make it easy to grab that right pair of shoes for the outfit.
   
4. Have a friend come over and go through your closet together. Friends can be more honest about what looks good on you and is worth keeping.
   
5. Place scented sachets or boxed soaps under sweaters to keep closets smelling fresh and to also keep bugs away.
   
6. Go through your closet and analyze how many black pants, jeans, white shirts, etc. that you need. Sometimes we get caught up in wearing the same things, and buying the same items when we go shopping and accumulating a lot of multiples.
   
7. Add a bright light to the closet to give the illusion of a large bright space.
   
8. Store out-of-season clothes in a spare closet, or pack away into air-tight waterproof containers. Very few of us have the luxury of a huge closet, so keeping out only the clothes that you will actually wear creates more space.
   
9. Matching wood hangers create a uniform organized look. Wood hangers are larger and help keep the shape of your clothes, but if space is an issue, invest in slim non-slip hangers.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CALIFORNIA CLOSETS

RENOVATIONANDDECOR.COM R&D AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 06