Have you ever walked into your closet looking for something and tripped over something else you placed there in a hurry? Or tried insanely to find something you know is in your closet but can't quite place it because there are so many things EVERYWHERE? I am a very organized person, but this has happened to me many times.
This is the time for you to take control of your closet. In the process, you will take control of your time, your sanity, your life.
I recently worked with a family who is expecting a child. The child will be in the same bedroom as their 3-year old son. A 3-year old has much different needs than a baby, so this family really needed to get their spaces defined.
As children enter a family, space is a premium. Their "things" grow proportionately as they grow. Not only this, but this particular closet for the children is also a catch-all for other household items, such as old CDs, extra wires, large framed pictures not in use, amps, extra toys and baby play things. You get the picture--a real conglomeration of items in need of a home.
The first thing we did was measure the existing space and make a list of what current items needed storing. Then I gave the homeowner some homework to make a list of all items which will remain after the baby is born and finished using. They don't plan on having more children and after the swing and walker and mobile are past the child's use, they will be able to discard or donate them. Also, a list was assembled of household items which will need to be stored.
This is a great time to purge the old to make way for the new. This can be an emotional process. I find having a neutral third party helps to put things in perspective. My daughter helped me purge my closet and we got rid of an extra 10 bags after I went through it myself. I can honestly say I don't miss a thing we donated. Spouses are usually opposites and one is usually the pack rat, while the other holds no emotional attachment to "things." If you can agree on what needs to go and what needs to stay, you can really make some room for the future.
I then went to my favorite closet organizer. In this case it was the Container Store because budget was an issue. There are many closet space planning systems and budget must be considered when choosing where to shop.
The Container Store is a great place to shop. Their sales people are professionals and know their systems inside and out. They have done this many times before and have interesting ideas for storing items. We literally went through each item to be stored and found a place for it. When we were finished, every item on the homeowner's list had a home and extra spaces remain for future items.
Most closet organizers will install for a price, but really take a look at what needs to happen for installation. In this case, there were more drawer systems which are quite simple to put together. Just a couple of hanging brackets mean very little measuring and screwing. We opted not to have installation here, but I recommend that if you are adding quite a bit of tracks and are not really handy, installation will save a day's time and a lot of aggravation. Again, their installers are professionals and do this every day.
After discussion with the homeowner, a plan was put in place to create this new space so that when this closet is finished, there will be a home for everything and new baby will be a welcome site, along with all his paraphernalia.
Stay tuned for pictures of this family's remodeled closet which will change how they live every day, as this busy mom will be entering that closet several times a day.
As a neutral third-party, I can help you save time and turn a chaotic closet into a sanctuary of organization. Call me today to take the first step in organizing your life.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
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