1) Utilize storage areas that you haven’t considered before. Use pantry organizers, or even peg boards made for the garage on the insides of your closet doors. You can store all kinds of little things and keep them organized if you just think outside the box a bit. Use a trunk or wooden toy box for a coffee table. Display your television on a dresser. Buy an ottoman that opens up to reveal secret storage. Put your couches and beds up on risers to make room underneath for extra storage. You can buy medicine cabinets that recess into the wall and only look like a mirror when closed. Think about all the little places you can create storage that is out of sight so that you don’t see the clutter that may be stored there.

2) Next, declutter your surfaces. It’s hard, especially in a small space, to keep the flat surfaces of the house clear. One way to do this is to disguise the things that need to be out all the time, so that at a glance, the house looks neat and organized. Use containers and baskets with lids or tops for mail, keys, your wallet, and other things that you use daily. A charging station is great for keeping cords concealed. The more you can keep countertops and tables looking “empty” the more space the room will seem to have.

3) Use space saving hangers in your closets. These hangers are flat, velvet hangers that grip your clothing and allow you to hang them really close together. I love these because they keep all of my thin-fabric shirts from slipping around and getting crumpled up. They hang so flat together that the hangers themselves save about half the space. Then you can add hanging clips to cascade other hangers from them, doubling or tripling your closet space.

About the Author: Rick Miller is on the staff of Only Slimline Hangers, a leading online resource for velvet hangers which are space saving hangers, non slip hangers and slim line hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyslimlinehangers.com.

Design Inspiration: Keep it simple in a small room to avoid making the room look crowded or cluttered. Floating shelves, simple lamps, a single rug, and minimal throw pillows will help the room to look larger. Try using a large mirror on the wall instead of a large painting or photograph. Mirrors can create the illusion of more space. Empty corners also make a room seem larger. Instead of end tables or corner tables, try to get away with a simple coffee table. The more flat and empty spaces you can leave, the better the room will look. Add just enough decoration, such as flowers, candles, or books, to create the feel that you want without cluttering the room.

Color Inspiration: People used to believe that dark walls made a room feel smaller. However, a dark accent wall can make a room seem larger. It draws the eye to a part of the room that normally you wouldn’t be drawn to look at. This “looking around” effect makes the room seem bigger to you. The darkness also disguises where the wall ends, making your brain think that maybe it recesses further back than you thought. Dark floors make ceilings feel taller and dark furniture keeps a room simplistic and not “overly decorated”.

Lighting Inspiration: Lamps give a room a warm feel and track lighting helps to illuminate key elements or light colored walls in the room. These things give each small detail meaning, making the whole room seem more significant. Even a boring laundry room can seem luxurious with the right lighting. Installing interesting lighting is relatively inexpensive and can make a big difference in a small room. Don’t forget to take advantage of the natural light in the room. Use sheer curtains, if any. If there isn’t a window in the room, use a mirror to reflect a window from another room.

Organization Inspiration: If you need to use your small room often, you will inevitably need some storage space. Many couches and chairs are now made with hidden storage areas underneath the padded arm rests. You can find ottomans, coffee tables, and even entire couches whose cushions lift up to reveal storage. If you don’t have a closet, hang a decorative hanging rod by the room’s entrance for your guests’ coats and jackets. Stock it with interesting or high end clothes hangers, like walnut and brass hardwood hangers, to match your room’s décor. If you do have a closet, you can use space saving hangers, like velvet hangers, to make the most of the small space.

About the Author: Rick Miller is on the staff of Only Slimline Hangers, a leading online resource for velvet hangers which are space saving hangers, non slip hangers and slim line hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyslimlinehangers.com.

1) Do a major overhaul of your wardrobes. Things that you’re saving to wear maybe once or twice a year should be kept in storage somewhere, not in the closet that you both have to use every day. Be selective about what you put in the closet. Only allow your favorite items to go inside. Most people only wear about 25% of their wardrobes 90% of the time. Try a rolling garment rack for keeping dress coats, suits, formal wear, and other items that don’t get used very often. You can store them in garment bags or get a zip-up cover for the garment rack to keep things fresh and ready to wear whenever you’re ready.

2) Give away whatever you can. If something just isn’t worth keeping because the space is too small for it, go ahead and give it away. You can also get rid of clothing that is too tight, too big, too short, too stained, or simply out of style. Thinning out your wardrobe is the easiest and quickest way to get your closet de-cluttered and back on its way to being organized.

3) Now you can use specialty clothes hangers to finish the job. Flat hangers, like slimline velvet hangers, keep clothing perfectly straight while making them take up almost half the space of regular, plastic tubular hangers. The velvet coating is very grippy and keeps clothes from slipping during your rummaging. Cascade these hangers from each other using tiny hanging hooks to create even more space. Cascading space saving hangers are great for hanging multiple items in one space. Tiered hangers can give you room for all of your pants and skirts in a very small area. Tie hangers, scarf hangers, and other specialty clothes hangers can help you to more efficiently use the space.

4) For items the need to be stored, try vacuum bags. These keep clothing fresh while compressing them down to a fraction of the storage space that they would take up in a box or big plastic storage container.

About the Author: Rick Miller is on the staff of Only Slimline Hangers, a leading online resource for velvet hangers which are space saving hangers, non slip hangers and slim line hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyslimlinehangers.com.

1) Get rid of as much clutter as possible. This means clearing out things that you either no longer use or do not have space for. You can’t warrant owning or storing a set of luggage in your closet if you don’t have space for your clothing. Consider storing bulky items in a garage, basement or attic. Clothing that doesn’t fit right, is no longer in style, or that you simply don’t wear should be donated or sold. You can sell or offer your clothes to someone locally online. If you want to have a yard sale, it’s a great way to get some extra money to spend on your closet.

2) If you want to stay organized year round, you need a system. It’s really hard to stay organized if your clothing for winter starts to take over your summer clothes. Make sure that you have spacious storage for items that are not in use. Keep out a few things to wear between seasons. These items should stay in your closet all year. Having a few things accessible will keep you from making the snap decision to get your summer clothes out on that first hot day, before you’re ready to swap out wardrobes. Those in between times when the weather can be both hot and cold can creep up on you and cause you to cram clothes into your closet, destroying your efforts to get organized.

3) Find creative places to store items that you are not using. Check behind the closet door, above it, high above the top shelf, and in the front corners of the closet. There may be hidden space that you can use to get organized. Use risers to create extra space underneath beds for excess shoes and clothing that is not in season.

4) Using the right clothes hangers can make a big difference in the closet that you use. Staying organized is easier if you have hangers that help you to do that. Space saving hangers, like velvet hangers, are made to fit flat against each other. They are very sturdy and have a velvet coating that keeps clothes from ending up on the floor. They are perfect for coordinating outfits and helping you to make the most of a small space.

About the Author: Rick Miller is on the staff of Only Slimline Hangers, a leading online resource for velvet hangers which are space saving hangers, non slip hangers and slim line hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyslimlinehangers.com.

1) Okay, so you do need to get rid of some things. “Out with the old and in with the new” is a great thing to keep in mind. When we get new clothes and shoes, we tend to quit wearing some of the old items. However, it can be difficult to part with old things because they may still fit, still be usable, or we still like them, but just don’t ever wear them anymore. Many people let things hang around their closets for years, in usable condition, before ever considering getting rid of them. Give what you can part with to charity, sell some things, hand them down, or simply throw them out. As new things come in, go through your old things again and see if the new items replace any of the old ones.

2) Keep a “give away” bin, bag, or basket in your closet so that you can easily and consistently keep up with letting things go. Use other bins for organizing smaller items so that you closet doesn’t become a huge cluttered mess. You can install some small shelves in the front corner of the closet, along the floor, or on top of an existing top storage shelf. You just need some cubby style spaces to keep bins and baskets to stay organized. Use them for socks, gloves, scarves, hats, pajamas, underwear, and more. These bins not only help you to stay organized, but they also keep things looking tidy.

3) If you still need more room in your closet, consider using clothing hangers that are designed to either save space or help you organize. You can use specialty hangers, like scarf hangers, tie hangers, belt hangers, or cascading hangers to hold multiple items in the space of one hanger. Using space saving hangers is necessary if you have a small closet or want to keep a lot in one place. Space saving hangers, like velvet hangers, help you to cascade items. They also have a flat design to hold things closely together in a small space.

About the Author: Rick Miller is on the staff of Only Slimline Hangers, a leading online resource for velvet hangers which are space saving hangers, non slip hangers and slim line hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyslimlinehangers.com.

Getting organized “for good” may seem like a foreign concept! Most people feel like their organization efforts go to waste because the benefits don’t last long before everything is cluttered again. There is a good reason for this, and that is that most people don’t think very far into the future when they organize. Think of all the things that got you into a predicament of clutter and junk to begin with. Did you not feel like opening the basket to put your things away? Maybe you need an open container. Did you organize most stuff and then the little junk that was left got tossed into one “miscellaneous” box? These are common mistakes that people make all of the time.

Thinking ahead to determine what you might need in the future can change your way of thinking and help you to improve your use of a small space. If your closet if full of clothes that you don’t even wear anymore, then you need a bin or container in the closet, or right outside of it, for stashing clothes that you no longer wish to wear. Giving things away on a continual basis will help you to avoid overstuffing the closet. If you only own what you really like to wear, then there shouldn’t be that much excess crowding your shelves and hanging bar.

Use deeper bins than necessary for things like socks and pajamas. That way, as new items come in over time or as clothing gets bulkier when winter rolls around, your organization strategy is still in place. Use space saving hangers, like velvet hangers, to cascade outfits or multiple items from one hanger. You can instantly double or triple the hanging space this way. Using hangers that make space where there wasn’t space before can give you the extra room that you need to keep shoes and other accessories organized year round.

About the Author: Rick Miller is on the staff of Only Slimline Hangers, a leading online resource for velvet hangers which are space saving hangers, non slip hangers and slim line hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyslimlinehangers.com.

Make a plan for yourself and follow these rules:

1) Get rid of everything you possibly can.

2) Give clothing, shoes, purses, belts, ties and coats to a charity that accepts clothing donations. These items are often tax deductible.

3) Items that are in good enough condition can be sold to consignment shops or put out in a garage sale. If you have trouble selling or giving away clothes that mean something to you, go shopping for new items. Set a goal for how much money you need to make to replace the old items with new ones.

4) Commemorate heirlooms. Take photographs of important articles so that you can enjoy them after they are gone. If they are very important to you, then you should have them sealed in an acid free box so that they will last for generations to come. Otherwise, keep a scrap of fabric or just the photo.

5) Get rid of shoes, belts and purses. Many people keep shoes, belts and handbags for many, many years. These items may still be good, but they gave you a blister, or they don’t match anything. Maybe they are just out of date. Give those items to a charity, or have a swap party. Friends can get together and bring all of their gently used purses, belts, hats and shoes. Use dice to determine who goes first and take turns swapping items. When everyone has what they want, you can donate the rest to charity.

6) Sometimes we just want to keep those cute clothes that no longer fit. If it is possible for you to get back into them, keep them. Just store them outside of your every day closet. Large containers can be labeled with signs that dictate the size or weight you need to be to get into them. You do not have to get rid of them if you get them out of the way for a while. Then it will be so exciting when you are able to take down that box and swap out the wardrobes.

Save space in your closet with space saving hangers, like velvet hangers, to complete the task of organizing your closet. It will give you great joy to see your closet spacious, neat and uncluttered. Getting organized does not take long and it is well worth the effort.

About the Author: Rick Miller is on the staff of Only Slimline Hangers, a leading online resource for velvet hangers which are space saving hangers, non slip hangers and slim line hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyslimlinehangers.com.

Living in a small space can be very rewarding, but it also presents some challenges. Overcoming these challenges can help you to feel like you’ve “won the war” against big house living. Not only must you conquer organization, but you must also use your creative mind to figure out the best ways to live in a small space. Simplifying your life means eliminating useless or unnecessary items from your home and making the most of the space that you have. Many people report better health, less stress, and less spending because of their decision to live in a smaller home. When it comes to spending money, you’re forced to ask yourself “will it fit” instead of “can I afford it”. This change can free you from much of the commercialism and free spending that many people are plagued by.

One way to be successful in a small home is to only buy high quality, efficient products that hopefully serve more than one function. Investing a little in quality will save you from buying more products to replace the one that breaks or doesn’t function as you expected. For example, one set of built-in shelves will last you forever, taking up very little space, whereas multiple cheap plastic drawer systems take up space and break, resulting in the need to invest in the shelves after all.

Buying furniture and storage systems that have multiple functions is the best way to ensure that you avoid buying more later and make the best use of your space. A couch with a pull-out bed gives you a place for guests to sleep, without using precious storage space for inflatable mattresses. A chair whose arms open up to reveal storage for remotes, magazines, and your latest knitting project reduce the need for an end table or bulky magazine rack. A coffee table that opens up to store linens and throws can free up the small amount of closet space that you have. Using areas that aren’t traditionally used for storage will help you save space, too. You can use large, shallow containers for storing items underneath your bed, chairs, or couch.

In your closet, you want to make sure that you’re using as much of the space as possible. You can hang things up really high and use a hanger retriever to get them down. You can use space saving hangers, like velvet hangers, or cascading hangers to use a lot less space than you traditionally would to hang your clothes. Combining outfits or multiple items onto one hanger is an easy and economical way to save closet space.

About the Author: Rick Miller is on the staff of Only Slimline Hangers, a leading online resource for velvet hangers which are space saving hangers, non slip hangers and slim line hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyslimlinehangers.com.

1) Sometimes our closets become cluttered because we need to use them for storage, not just for clothes. Storage items can take up a lot of room, especially if the closet is small to begin with. You may have boxes that you never unpacked after you moved. You may need to store blankets, hide Christmas presents, store books, sports equipment, luggage, or any number of other items that are not only bulky, but seldom used. Try to get some of these things out of the closet and store them in creative places around your home. A storage chest can house blankets. A window seat may provide storage for books. Use risers to raise up your bed so that you can store clothes that are out of season. Get creative and try to narrow down the number of items that must be kept in the closet.

2) Go through all of your clothes and shoes that are left in the closet and rank the items that you own according to use. The things that you use the most should be kept near the front and center of the closet. Things that aren’t used as much can go a little further back, higher up, or lower down in your closet. Things that you don’t wear anymore should be eliminated. Most people are able to get rid of about half the clothes in their closet because they just don’t wear them anymore for one reason or another.

3) Separate your clothing into stacks of what needs to be folded and what will be hung. Determine how much shelf room each folded stack will take up and go from there. You may want to use baskets or hanging drawers for socks, underwear, accessories, and other small items. Shoes can be stacked in clear boxes up either side of your closet. Using special space saving hangers, like velvet hangers, can save you so much space. These hangers are flat, so they hang close together. They have movable clips for coordinating outfits or hanging things like shorts that don’t have anywhere else to go. You can also use cascading hooks to coordinate outfits and save around 50% of your precious space. The velvet coating keeps your clothes from slipping so your closet stays organized after you get it that way.

About the Author: Rick Miller is on the staff of Only Slimline Hangers, a leading online resource for velvet hangers which are space saving hangers, non slip hangers and slim line hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyslimlinehangers.com.

1) Correcting wasted shelf space will help you to make space where you didn’t know you had it. Most shelves are too far apart, too deep, or simply aren’t there. Many things that go into the closet need to be separated. One giant shelf just doesn’t help you to do that. Adding shelves and shortening your hanging rod or rods can give you that extra space that you need for organizing. Shelf dividers are great for sectioning off the shelves to keep the space more orderly. Shelf risers help to raise up items that are far back so that you can see what you have and avoid digging and messing everything up.

2) Drawers are really useful in closets. You can add deep and wide drawers to the bottom of the closet for your sweaters, socks, linens, scarves and other items. A small dresser can be used if you move your hanging bar up higher. You can use small drawer systems on shelves for things like underwear, ties, jewelry, and other small things that you need to organize in your closet. Drawers that slide underneath your bed can help you to get some bulkier items or storage items out of the closet.

3) Hanging racks are also helpful. There are ones for shoes, hats, and accessories that hang over the door. There are also hat stackers, purse hangers, and other kinds of organizers that can hang from your bar. You can install a tie rack, belt rack, or scarf rack on an interior wall to save even more shelf and drawer space.

4) One of the easiest ways to save space is to use space saving hangers, like velvet hangers. These hangers have a flat design and a velvet coating to keep clothing in place and hanging very closely together. They also have attachments, like hooks and clips, to help you hang more than one item on each hanger. Clips are useful for coordinating pants and skirts with matching tops. Hooks go over the top of the hanger and make a place to hang another hanger. You can clip outfits together and then two or even three outfits can cascade down from one hanger, doubling or tripling the space in your closet.

About the Author: Rick Miller is on the staff of Only Slimline Hangers, a leading online resource for velvet hangers which are space saving hangers, non slip hangers and slim line hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyslimlinehangers.com.