Get It Done: Attack the Coat Closet
With a concrete plan and a little elbow grease, you can tame your jumble of jackets in a single afternoon
Sometimes there are so many things at home that need organizing that we don't even know where to start; I know I don't. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither was your mess.
Take it one project at a time. Sit down and make a list of all the areas of your home you'd love to see neat and organized. Hang it on the fridge or write it on a chalkboard wall, and make it a goal to finish one project per week until you are done. In fact, you can even get fancy and turn it into a Houzz ideabook like I did.
If the thought of making a list is overwhelming (I know the feeling), don't fret. I'm going to make it easy for you by giving you one task per week that you can accomplish within a few hours. Make sure you have enough time to complete the task and take a shopping trip; otherwise you'll end up with more of a mess.
We're going to start with the coat closet.
Take it one project at a time. Sit down and make a list of all the areas of your home you'd love to see neat and organized. Hang it on the fridge or write it on a chalkboard wall, and make it a goal to finish one project per week until you are done. In fact, you can even get fancy and turn it into a Houzz ideabook like I did.
If the thought of making a list is overwhelming (I know the feeling), don't fret. I'm going to make it easy for you by giving you one task per week that you can accomplish within a few hours. Make sure you have enough time to complete the task and take a shopping trip; otherwise you'll end up with more of a mess.
We're going to start with the coat closet.
Getting started
• Take everything out and put it in a spot where you can organize it all.
• Thoroughly clean the closet from top to bottom. Dust shelves, corners, ceiling, walls, rods and the floor. You'll be surprised and a little grossed out by what's hiding in there. Then you'll feel satisfied that it's all clean.
• Take everything out and put it in a spot where you can organize it all.
• Thoroughly clean the closet from top to bottom. Dust shelves, corners, ceiling, walls, rods and the floor. You'll be surprised and a little grossed out by what's hiding in there. Then you'll feel satisfied that it's all clean.
Espresso Beads Storage Box
Assess and sort
• Determine what will stay in the closet. For example: outerwear for the current season, sports equipment, one pair of Wellies per family member, umbrellas, hats and gloves.
• Throw everything that needs to find a new home (out-of-season coats, sweatshirts, extra shoes, toys) in a basket. Go put this stuff away right now; you don't need it distracting you while you put the closet back together.
• Throw everything you're going to donate into another box, make an inventory list for tax purposes and put it in the car to take to Goodwill.
• Determine what will stay in the closet. For example: outerwear for the current season, sports equipment, one pair of Wellies per family member, umbrellas, hats and gloves.
• Throw everything that needs to find a new home (out-of-season coats, sweatshirts, extra shoes, toys) in a basket. Go put this stuff away right now; you don't need it distracting you while you put the closet back together.
• Throw everything you're going to donate into another box, make an inventory list for tax purposes and put it in the car to take to Goodwill.
Kellan Shoe Rack
• Take a look at what needs to find a home back inside the closet.
• Think about how it's going to fit. Would a shoe rack or baskets for umbrellas, gloves and hats help? Do you need some over-the-door hooks for scarves and bags? How about a second shelf? Are you going to need a better system for corralling sports equipment? Make a list.
• Think about how it's going to fit. Would a shoe rack or baskets for umbrellas, gloves and hats help? Do you need some over-the-door hooks for scarves and bags? How about a second shelf? Are you going to need a better system for corralling sports equipment? Make a list.
Hat Boxes
Get the right boxes
Scout out your house for appropriate boxes and baskets. You can always cover plain old cardboard shipping boxes with pretty paper to jazz them up, or you may need a trip to The Container Store, Target or Ikea. Look at every item and see what it needs, make a list of container sizes to fit your space, and hit the stores.
Tip: The gift-wrap section often has pretty boxes that are not very expensive and look like classic hat boxes. Also check the office supply section to save some money on attractive containers.
Scout out your house for appropriate boxes and baskets. You can always cover plain old cardboard shipping boxes with pretty paper to jazz them up, or you may need a trip to The Container Store, Target or Ikea. Look at every item and see what it needs, make a list of container sizes to fit your space, and hit the stores.
Tip: The gift-wrap section often has pretty boxes that are not very expensive and look like classic hat boxes. Also check the office supply section to save some money on attractive containers.
BUMERANG Curved clothes hanger
Shop
While you're out shopping, grab matching hangers that can handle the weight of coats. Hanging a winter coat on a wire and cardboard hanger from the dry cleaner is always a fail.
While you're out shopping, grab matching hangers that can handle the weight of coats. Hanging a winter coat on a wire and cardboard hanger from the dry cleaner is always a fail.
Honey-Can-Do Over The Door Clear Shoe Organizer
If you have room for it, a clear over-the-door shoe rack is great for keeping hats, gloves and other small items organized and easy to find.
Contemporary Hooks And Hangers
Enjoy restocking your closet
Put everything that belongs in the coat closet back in. Be a bit precious about having all the coats face the same way and arranging things by color or length to make it look photo ready.
Put everything that belongs in the coat closet back in. Be a bit precious about having all the coats face the same way and arranging things by color or length to make it look photo ready.
Admire your work
Tatum over at Many Moments of Me did an inspiring job of organizing and sprucing up her coat closet. It's a great lesson in keeping your clutter corralled. (Another lesson: If you wallpaper the back wall, you'll be more inspired to keep it clean so that you can enjoy the view.)
After you're finished, you're done until next week, when we'll attack another problem spot around the house. Step back, admire your work and go reward yourself.
More:
8 Incredibly Clever Organizing Tricks
Small Steps to Organizing Success
Tatum over at Many Moments of Me did an inspiring job of organizing and sprucing up her coat closet. It's a great lesson in keeping your clutter corralled. (Another lesson: If you wallpaper the back wall, you'll be more inspired to keep it clean so that you can enjoy the view.)
After you're finished, you're done until next week, when we'll attack another problem spot around the house. Step back, admire your work and go reward yourself.
More:
8 Incredibly Clever Organizing Tricks
Small Steps to Organizing Success
Approximate time: 1-3 hours, depending on whether you need to make a run to the store.
Setup: Box for donations, trash can, box for items that will find new homes elsewhere, notepad and pen for jotting down ideas and needs along the way, vacuum cleaner and dusting supplies.
More: Take a "Before" shot so that you can feel extra satisfied when this is all over.