Evaluating Closet Space

• Evaluate closet space.
  
  To create more space for items in a closet, first evaluate what's not working. Identify what items, whether it's clothes, shoes or miscellaneous items, take up too much space and do not have a specific spot for storage in the closet. Write down a list of these items. Consider any dead space in the closet. Dead space is an area that is not being used for storage. Be creative and consider walls, corners and empty space near a ceiling. You can install shelves and racks in these spots.
  
  

Buying Space Savers

• Buy space savers.
  
  Set a budget before buying new containers and storage solutions. Search the house for boxes, plastic containers and any items that could potentially hold clutter. Jars and even hanging metal fruit organizers can hold loose items.
  Save space on clothing by installing double metal rods, one below the other, and fold clothes in half on the hangers to use both rods at once. Seal out-of-season clothing in vacuum sealer bags on a bottom shelf or in a large box. Install hooks in the walls and door to hold scarves, purses and hats. Make sure to buy at least one shoe rack, or use small metal shelves along the bottom of the floor. Place shoes on and under these shelves. Hang a plastic shoe organizer on the door to store more shoes or small items.
  Purchase cheap, decorative boxes and labels for storing similar items together. Mark the label to make items easy to find. For miscellaneous items, use clear storage containers. Their transparency makes it easy to find an item without rummaging through each box. To create more shelf room, add shelves along the walls or close to the floor, and install a rack in the top of the closet to store items that are seldom used, such as blankets during the summer.
  
  

Storing Your Items

• Sort items into categories and store each category in its own box. Add a magnetic dry erase board to the closet door. Write important memos here and use magnets to hang frequently used jewelry. A dry erase board that is half bulletin board works for hanging jewelry and keys on push-pins.
  Use smaller jars to store tiny items like earrings or extra jewelry chains and links. Keep all the jars inside a box to save room and make them easier to find. Sort photographs and scrapbook items into decorative boxes, and use hooks or a box for belt storage. Insert a small filing cabinet if the closet is the prime spot for storing old papers, and attach magnetic hooks to the side for hanging small baskets for storage.