Organization adds ‘space’ to your closet

DEAR GAIL: I've downsized my home and with that came a much smaller master closet. It's still a walk-in but half the size of what I had. I just can't seem to get it organized or neat. I know I'm kind of fighting it, but it is what it is. Do you have any ideas so that when I walk in I don't get overwhelmed? -- Hannah D.

DEAR HANNAH: Having a large closet is great, but not something everyone is fortunate enough to have. I have an older home and limited closet space. Along with a small walk-in closet, my other three bedroom closets house office items and, well, my Barbie doll collection. I'm not ready to set it free yet. Instead of having a custom closet installed, because it still isn't large enough for my things and my husband's, I had a sliding door closet made for his clothes on a wall we weren't using for furniture. It sure helped but I still had to get creative with my closet.

Since my closet isn't the most important area in my home to me -- I know, can you believe that coming from a woman -- here's what I did to get it organized and visually uncluttered, without spending that much.

1. I grouped types of clothes together: jackets, shorts, pants, skirts, dresses, sleeveless, short and long sleeve. I did separate my suits because I don't always wear them as a set. Then, within the groups, I put them by color. I know this sounds like a lot of work, but it wasn't all that bad. Do it in stages if you have to. Believe me, it will be worth it -- no more endless searching in the morning.

2. Although it was nice and organized, it was still visually cluttered since I had multiple types and colors of hangers. I wish I could say I bought all new wood ones but, no, the wood would take up too much room. So, being frugal, I looked at how many hangers I had of each color in mine and my husband's closet. He doesn't care what color hangers his clothes are on. I had enough white for all my black, clear for all my colored tops and purple for my dresses. So one at a time I switched the hangers. Again it will be worth it, and amazing what a difference it makes.

A little tip: So you're not searching for empty hangers on wash day, hang them in one area.

3. Now what about the shoes? Are yours tossed on the floor or in boxes and you have no idea which pair is where? Here's what I did. For the shoes I wear daily, I purchased a clear hanging shoe organizer. It holds 20 pairs of shoes and only takes up 6 inches. For the ones I rarely wear, I put them in boxes on the upper shelf. If you don't want to purchase clear boxes, just put a picture of the shoe on the outside of the box.

4. I happen to have a few built-in shelves on one wall where I have my sweaters, jeans and my at-home comfy clothes. If you have a small odd wall, you can do what my mother-in-law did, buy a bookcase and secured it to the wall. It works better than piling them up on the upper shelves and having them fall on top of you when you pull your favorite out.

5. And, of course, don't forget the back of your closet door. We happen to hang our robes there, but it's a great place for belts, scarves, purses and hats.

Now with all that said, if you're looking for a custom closet, I suggest hiring a qualified closet design consultant who will be able to help you determine your exact needs. Even if you plan on doing it yourself, it's worth the money to hire an expert for a couple of hours. There are so many great accessories to help you organize everything and it's amazing what they can design for a small space.

Here are four favorites of Kathy Crook from Absolute Closets.

1. Hydraulic lifts are pull-down closet rods that enable you to utilize all of the space in a closet that has a 10-foot ceiling. They're also great for handicap accessible applications.

2. Shoe tree that goes in a corner that rotates for easy viewing of your shoes.

3. Spiral clothes racks are a great corner solution with a 360 degree turning radius. You can hang 40 items from top to bottom.

4. Hanging battery-operated rods that light up.

Hannah, I hope this helps you get your new closet organized, so you don't start off your day frustrated in your closet.

Gail Mayhugh, owner of GMJ Interiors, is a professional interior designer and author of a book on the subject. Questions may be sent by email to: gail@gmjinteriors.com. Or, mail to: 7380 S. Eastern Ave., No. 124-272, Las Vegas, NV 89123. Her Web address is: www.GMJinteriors.com.