Enjoy this guest post by fellow organizer, Beth Giles!

Your closet may be the smallest “room”, yet it contains the most individual items.  You want it to function well, with convenient access to items and stress-free use.  Here are a few CLOSET tips to tackle the space and help you reach that goal.

Clear out – Take every thing out of your closet, so you can begin with a clean slate.  As you consider each piece of clothing, ask yourself the following questions.  Does it fit? Have I worn it in the last year?  Do I really like it? Is it in good condition? Is it in style?  Do I really need it?  Is it different from other pieces I am keeping? If you cannot answer yes, with certainty, to each of these questions, then it’s probably time to say good bye to that particular piece of clothing. If you are still hesitant to get rid of a few items, place them in a box, tape it shut, and mark it with a date 6 months out.  If the box is still sealed in 6 months, leave it unopened and donate it to your favorite charity.

Let it go- There are many people and places that can benefit from your discards. Consider donating your items to Dress for Success, Career Gears, or your local shelters.  If you want your castoffs to benefit your wallet or closet, take your clothing to a consignment shop or schedule a clothing swap party with your friends.

Organize – Now that you know what will be going back into your closet, sort them by clothing type.  A few possible categories are shirts, jackets, pants, skirts, and dresses. Within each category you may want to specialize a bit more, arranging them according to additional characteristic such as color or sleeve length.

Step up the amount of space –Several ways exist to create more space in your closet.  An over the door shoe organizer can act as storage for more than just shoes. Placing all long hanging items in one area and short hanging items in another allows shelving or bins to fit under the shorter items. Double your hanging space by purchasing a secondary rod that hangs from the main rod.

Expose your closet – For your closet to function well, all your clothing should be easily visible.  If your closet has sliding doors, consider replacing them with bi-fold doors to make the whole closet visible at one time.  A battery operated “tap” light installed inside the closet can help you see the items in the darker areas of your space.

Think “One in, One out” – You have probably heard this many times, but it is very true. If you want to maintain an organized and clutter-free closet, remember that when you buy something new, something old must leave to create space for it.

Following these tips will put you on your way to an organized closet that can serve you well throughout the year.

© June 2010 Beth Giles

For more information about Beth Giles visit: www.nworganizingsolutions.com

Connect with Beth on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NWOrganizingSolutions

Since I just finished helping you decide how you would organize your shoes, I cannot leave the subject without mentioning the need for shoe maintenance.  I have some shoes that I really love.  I really love them because they are really comfortable.  I’m sure you have a few pair like that… I find that having a small shoe maintenance kit is a must since we want to keep our comfortable shoes for as long as we can.

Here’s a content list for creating a shoe maintenance kit:

• Buffing Brush
• Suede Brush (only if you own suede footwear)
• Sneaker cleaner
• Black and/or your color choice of shoe polish
• Scuff  polish
• Buffing cloth
• Shoe laces (if you wear sneakers or other laced shoes)

I put it all together in a clear zippered pouch (like those packages used for window valances you purchase).  You can store the shoe maintenance kit in your closet or the coat closet if you want your family to have easy access to it.

Here’s a photo of my shoe maintenance kit.

There are many types of products available to store shoes.  I am featuring three products that I have used personally.

The first one, a shoe cubbie system, is my favorite.  It holds your shoes in a relatively small space, they are easily visible and you can grab them out with one hand!  I love easy access.  That also means easy to put away!  This shoe organizer will accommodate 20 pairs of women’s or children’s shoes. Each individual space measures 4″w x 6″h, and allows you to use toe-to-heel storage placement for scuff-free storage.  You can also order this system with doors, in case this is not being put in your closet.

The next storage idea is the shoe container.  It is usually made of plastic and the see-thru or clear    types are best.  These can be stacked on top of one another or placed on shelves.  The downside is that you have to remove and replace the lid each time.  I have used these shoe containers on a shoe rack and put the lids beneath the shoes that I wear the most so that I do not hassle with the lids.  The upside of using lids is that it keeps your shoes dust free.  I also label each shoe container and organize the boxes so that all brown shoes, for example, are in the same row.                                            (But if you know me, you know that I label EVERYTHING!)

Lastly, if you like to put away the off season shoes, then I recommend using the underbed shoe storage bags. I take my off season shoes and put them away because it makes my closet area looks neater and there is not so many choices staring at me when it is time to get dressed (i.e. I don’t have to look past the sandals to find my rain boots!).  Another use for the underbed shoe storage bag is for the shoes that are rarely worn, like the formal shoes, or special activity shoes (such as my flamenco shoes… did I mention I dance??!)

In the end, these storage options are all very viable but you have to do what works for you; for your unique personality and your closet space.  Who knows, if you live on Hawaii you may just need a few baskets to throw your flip flops into and you’re all set!

I have been offering tips on clothes organization so far.  Dare I attempt the shoes next?

Okay ladies, I understand the love of shoes. I really do!  I remember when I was 16, I discovered Marshall’s and their shoe department.  The prices were so great and I had birthday money to burn, so I happily purchased 8 pair of shoes that day. Yes, 8 pairs in one day!  Thankfully I haven’t gone that hog wild since.  I usually purchase one pair of shoes at a time (unless my dear daughter is with me!).

In order to organize shoes we have to first talk about purging a few pairs. If you are anything like me and my girlfriends more shoes come into the house than leave it….

Set aside some time and have a good CD or your iPod ready.  Next, gather all your shoes from around the house and pull all shoes out from your closet.  Put on the music, and sort your shoes into 4 categories.

1. Needs repair
2. Fall/Winter
3. Spring/Summer
4. All Year (these include those oh-so-comfy favorites)
5. and I forgot to mention this last one – Donate (don’t hate me!)

Now take the ones that need repair and place them in a bag by the door to take to the shoe repair shop the next time you do errands. Then, in another bag, put the shoes you have decided to donate.  My advice: have your spouse or friend drop them off at a donation center for you.  Saying good-bye won’t be so hard that way.

Now you are left to organize Fall/Winter, Spring/Summer, and All Year’s shoes.  Stay tuned for shoe organization products in my next post!