Get It Done: Strike the Coat Closet

Sometimes there are so many things in the home that require organizing that we don’t even know where to begin; I know that I don’t. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was your mess.

Take it one job at one time. Sit down and make a list of all the regions of your house you’d really like to see neat and organized. Hang it on the refrigerator or write it onto a chalkboard wall, and make it a goal to finish 1 job per week until you are done. In reality, you may even get fancy and turn it to a ideabook like that I did.

If the thought of making a list is overwhelming (I know the feeling), don’t worry. I’m going to make it easy for you by giving you one job per week which you’re able to accomplish within a few hours. Make sure you have sufficient time to complete the job and have a shopping trip; otherwise you will wind up with more of a mess.

We’re going to begin with the coat closet.

How to Organize Your Coat Closet

Approximate time:
1-3 hours, depending on whether you have to create a rush to the store.

Installation: Box for contributions, garbage can, box for items which will discover new homes elsewhere, notepad and pen for jotting down thoughts and needs across the way vacuum cleaner and dusting supplies.

More: Take a “Before” shot so that you can feel additional satisfied when this is over.

Getting started

• Take out everything and put it into a spot where you are able to organize it all.
• Thoroughly clean out the closet in the top to bottom. Dust shelves, corners, ceiling, walls, sticks and the flooring. You’ll be amazed and a little grossed out by what’s hiding in there. Then you’ll feel satisfied that it is all clean.

Hable Construction

Espresso Beads Storage Box – $98

Evaluate and kind

• Determine what will remain in the closet. For instance: outerwear for the current season, sports equipment, 1 pair of Wellies per family member, umbrellas, gloves and hats.
• throw everything that needs to find a new house (out-of-season coats, sweatshirts, additional shoes, toys) in a basket. Go put away this stuff right now; you don’t want it distracting you while you put the closet back together.
• Throw everything you are likely to donate into a different box, create an inventory checklist for tax purposes and put it in the car to take to Goodwill.

Pottery Barn

Kellan Shoe Rack – $89

• have a look at what needs to find a house back within the closet.
• Consider how it’s going to match. Can a shoe rack or baskets for umbrellas, hats and gloves help? Would you want some over-the-door hooks for bags and scarves? How about another shelf? Are you going to require a much better system for corralling sports equipment? Create a list.

Liquid Printer

Hat Boxes

Get the right boxes

Scout out your home for appropriate boxes and baskets. You may always cover plain old cardboard shipping containers with pretty paper to jazz them up, or you may require a visit to The Container Store, Target or Ikea. Look at each product and see what it needs, create a list of container sizes to fit your area, and hit the stores.

Hint: The gift-wrap section often has pretty boxes which aren’t so expensive and seem like classic hat boxes. Also check the office supply department to save some cash on appealing containers.

IKEA

BUMERANG Curved clothing hanger – $3.99

Shop

as you’re out shopping, catch fitting hangers which can handle the weight of coats. Hanging a winter coat on a cable and cardboard hanger from the dry cleaner is obviously a neglect.

Amazon

Honey-Can-Do On The Door Clear Shoe Organizer – $13.99

If you have room for this, a clear over-the-door shoe rack is great for keeping hats, gloves and other small items organized and easy to discover.

Contemporary Hooks And Hangers – $5.99

Enjoy restocking your closet

Place everything which belongs in the coat closet back in. Be a bit precious about getting all the coats face exactly the same manner and organizing things by color or length to make it seem photo prepared.

Admire your job

Tatum over at A Few Minutes of Me did a motivational task of organizing and sprucing up her coat closet. It is a fantastic lesson in maintaining your clutter corralled. (Another lesson: If you background the rear wall, then you’ll be more motivated to keep it clean so that it is possible to enjoy the view.)

Once you are finished, you are done until next week, when we will attack another issue spot around the home. Step back, admire your job and go reward your self.

More:
8 Incredibly Clever Organizing Tricks
Small Actions to Organizing Success

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