Tiny closets call for great efficiency. It can get out of hand in a hurry if you don’t have extra room. Start organizing from the bottom up. Consider a short dresser or an individual drawer. The type that is designed to go underneath a bed is extra wide and deep. These can be used on the floor for shoes, sheets, shirts, socks and underwear, whatever you need to keep down there.

You can place a shelf on top of this shallow drawer and use it like your new closet floor. Here you can put your shoes, laundry basket, sports equipment, whatever you can’t hang. You can also put a couple of shelves here and use cubby style containers to hold and organize all sorts of things. Baskets are great for organizing jewelry, socks, belts, underwear, and even things like your video camera, DVDs, video games and more. Keep things separated in different containers so that it’s easy to stay organized.

Now we move on to your hanging clothes. Don’t think that you have to keep your hanging bar exactly where it is. Many times, you can move it up a little and create more usable space down below. Look up towards the ceiling and see just how much space is actually wasted. Don’t worry about that top shelf being moved up high, you are only going to use it for storing things long-term. Here you can keep your out of season clothes, luggage, blankets, and other items that you don’t need very often.

When the shelf is up high, see if you have empty space extending from the shelf to the front wall of the closet. You can install a small shelf here, extending the top shelf all the way around, even in a tiny closet. You may even be able to continue placing shelves down those front corners of the closet, making space for folded shirts, shorts and jeans.

Now, it’s time to hang your clothes. You may have more clothes than you think could ever possibly fit into your small closet. However, you may not have thought about how space saving hangers work. They are standard sized hangers, but they slope more at the shoulder so that you don’t pucker your clothes. These hangers fit closely together, but the body is wide enough that they don’t get tangled. The best space saving hangers on the market are velvet hangers. They have removable clips that allow you to hang tops and bottoms on one hanger. Better yet, they have cascading hooks, so you can coordinate outfits or hang more than one outfit in one space. These hangers are really versatile and can double or triple the amount of clothing that you can hang 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.

Tiny closets call for great efficiency. It can get out of hand in a hurry if you don’t have extra room. Start organizing from the bottom up. Consider a short dresser or an individual drawer. The type that is designed to go underneath a bed is extra wide and deep. These can be used on the floor for shoes, sheets, shirts, socks and underwear, whatever you need to keep down there.

You can place a shelf on top of this shallow drawer and use it like your new closet floor. Here you can put your shoes, laundry basket, sports equipment, whatever you can’t hang. You can also put a couple of shelves here and use cubby style containers to hold and organize all sorts of things. Baskets are great for organizing jewelry, socks, belts, underwear, and even things like your video camera, DVDs, video games and more. Keep things separated in different containers so that it’s easy to stay organized.

Now we move on to your hanging clothes. Don’t think that you have to keep your hanging bar exactly where it is. Many times, you can move it up a little and create more usable space down below. Look up towards the ceiling and see just how much space is actually wasted. Don’t worry about that top shelf being moved up high, you are only going to use it for storing things long-term. Here you can keep your out of season clothes, luggage, blankets, and other items that you don’t need very often.

When the shelf is up high, see if you have empty space extending from the shelf to the front wall of the closet. You can install a small shelf here, extending the top shelf all the way around, even in a tiny closet. You may even be able to continue placing shelves down those front corners of the closet, making space for folded shirts, shorts and jeans.

Now, it’s time to hang your clothes. You may have more clothes than you think could ever possibly fit into your small closet. However, you may not have thought about how space saving hangers work. They are standard sized hangers, but they slope more at the shoulder so that you don’t pucker your clothes. These hangers fit closely together, but the body is wide enough that they don’t get tangled. The best space saving hangers on the market are velvet hangers. They have removable clips that allow you to hang tops and bottoms on one hanger. Better yet, they have cascading hooks, so you can coordinate outfits or hang more than one outfit in one space. These hangers are really versatile and can double or triple the amount of clothing that you can hang in your closet.

It helps if you start out knowing that you will need to be efficient with space before you buy furniture. You can buy a platform bed with drawers underneath for extra hidden storage. Try to work storage into every item that you buy. A coffee table can lift open to reveal hidden storage, or you can pick one that has drawers. You may even pick something unconventional, like a trunk, and use it as a coffee table. Ottomans can open up to hold knitting supplies, throws, magazines and more. You get the idea. Whatever you can buy that provides you a place to put extra things will benefit you greatly without using up any of your precious space.

Find wall units that work for what you own. Some people own a lot of knick-knacks or simply need to decorate. Instead of using your table top or counter spaces, hang small shelves wherever you can. Corner shelves are useful and take up very little space. You can use them for more than decorations, too. You can place a cup full of pens on them, stash books, or put a basket for your keys and wallet there. Finding a little space for all of the things that can quickly junk up your apartment is a great place to start.

Organize your entryway so that junk doesn’t enter your small area. If you have somewhere to put your keys, coat, hat, umbrella, laptop, mail, cell phone, and shoes when you come in, then they won’t end up on the kitchen counter or in a heap that you have to clean later. A small roll top desk is perfect for hiding away belongings while keeping them organized.

Keep your closets organized in a way that makes them ultra-useful. You can nail baskets to interior closet walls for storing things like socks and underwear so that you don’t need a dresser. You can build some shelves for linens, sweaters, books and more. Move the hanging bar up, making more use of the vertical space in your closet. Hang your clothes on space saving hangers like velvet hangers or cascading hangers 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.

First things first, clear out the closet. You need to get rid of as much stuff as possible before you start. Shoes that are scuffed, too tight or out of date must go. If they just do not match anything or haven’t been worn in over a year, chances are you will never use them. The same goes for clothes. If there is a stain, it’s too short, too tight, or out of date, it has got to go. Again, if you have not worn it in a year, you probably never will.

If you cannot bear to give everything to charity, consider giving it to friends or having a swap party with friends. You can inspire all of your friends to clear out the clutter in their lives as well. Have a party where everyone brings over their gently used items to share. Purses, hats, belts and shoes are most popular. Whatever is left after the swap goes to a local charity. It’s a fun way to do a good deed and see what treasures your friends have been hiding.

Okay, back to the closet. If you do not have a lot of time or money, you will need to organize on the fly. Get some inexpensive bins for things like socks, swimwear, linens and storage items. Keeping things separated will not only keep things where you can find them, but also out of sight for an organized look. Baskets, canvas crates and other containers can go on a shelf, the floor or anywhere that you find room.

If you still have small stuff to organize, like hats, belts, ties or purses, consider an organizer that hangs from the door or bar. If those seem too flimsy for your taste, you might want to build or invest in some cubby shelves to hold the containers for you. Or, install some drawers or extra shelves specifically for these items.

Now you are ready to hang your clothes. If you still feel like you have more clothing than space, you will need to invest a little in specialty hangers. Use slimlinehangers to make some extra space. Cascade these hangers with additional hooks that let you hang multiple items on space saving hangers. With the use of slimlinehangers, you can quickly double or triple your hanging space and get that closet under control.

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