1) Get out the summer clothes and store them away for next year. Go ahead and toss things that you didn’t wear or that didn’t fit right into a bag or box to give away to charity. This could also be the perfect time to clear out the clutter and have a yard sale to make a little money that can be put towards perfecting your closet for winter.

2) It’s important to clean your closet now that it is empty. Most people don’t take the time to dust shelves, baseboards and light fixtures when there are clothes in the closet. Vacuum the floor, dust and wipe down everything so that you don’t end up with dust balls or microscopic insect eggs on your winter clothing. This could be a good time for a fresh coat of paint or you may even want to go ahead and install that cedar closet liner that you’ve been dreaming of.

3) Now you can determine what kind of space you’ll need for you winter clothes. You’ll definitely need some hanging space for coats and some shelf or drawer space for heavy sweaters. You can make space by moving your top shelf up closer to the ceiling and adding an extra hanging bar down below. You can use the higher shelf for storing your summer clothes, luggage, ski equipment, or other things that you won’t need every day.

4) Hang your pants on one bar and your tops on the other. You may want to put an extra bar on one side of your closet for hanging longer coats and dresses that you don’t want to wrinkle. Use pants hangers for your pants. Some have non-slip bars or non-creasing clamps. If you use clips, use ones that won’t rust, snag, or imprint your pants while they hang. Use coat hangers for your heavy coats. Make sure that these are curved to help your coats keep their shape. Wider shoulders that slope down won’t pucker shoulders or wrinkle sleeves. You can buy petite hangers or extra large hangers for clothes that don’t fit perfectly on regular clothes hangers. Use specialty hangers that hold scarves, hats, and gloves to perfectly store those small winter items without forcing you to install extra shelves or drawers.

5) For the rest of your clothes, you can use space saving hangers, like velvet hangers, to make the most of the space. Space saving hangers are designed to fit flat against one another, using as little space as wire hangers. However, these hangers won’t cross up on the bar, rust, snag clothing, or bend, causing your clothes to end up on the floor. These have a non-slip velvet coating to hold clothes securely in place. The bottom bar is perfect for hanging pants or attaching movable clips for securing straps. You can coordinate outfits by hanging pants and shirts on the same hanger, or even add a hook to hang multiple items in the space of one hanger. Tricks like this can help you to double or even triple the space in your closet, making room for those winter clothes after all.

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.

Not only to the new space saving hangers save space, but they also prevent slippage. Are you tired of your delicate and slinky fabrics ending up on the floor? The new designs have a velvet surface that grips clothing without damaging it. No more junky metal clips that snag, imprint, and tear clothing. The clips that go with these velvet hangers are also covered in velvet. They offer a firm grip that is gentle on even the most delicate of fabrics.

So, you’re probably wondering how a hanger can double or triple the space in your closet. The first way that they save space is by design. The design is flat so that each one can tightly fit next to the other, without that annoying overlap at the hook. They may be slim, but the curves and construction keep this one stronger than ever. They’re virtually indestructible and can last you for many, many years.

The next way that they save space is by offering multiple ways to hang clothing. The clips are removable, so you can add them or leave them off whenever you want. You can coordinate outfits by hanging the pants or skirt on the same hanger as the shirt and jacket. The curved shoulders will keep from stretching the necks of your shirts while supporting the shoulders of your coats and jackets. The designers thought of everything here, including enough of a curve to prevent puckering and stretching at the shoulder, unlike most hangers on the market.

The last way that these space saving hangers help you to save room in your closet is by cascading. You can add very inexpensive cascading hooks to your order and turn your closet into a dream. You can hang shirts, pants, skirts, jackets and more, from multiple velvet hangers, simply by adding a hook around the neck. You can even hang multiple hangers from one or more hooks to take advantage of the vertical space in your closet that often goes unused.

You’ll love the space that you save, as well as the multitude of colors and designs that you have to choose from when you stock 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.

We need our closets to keep our clothing free from damage. We need to stay at least a little organized, or we’ll never make it through our day. The closet is often the first thing that you deal with in the morning when you get up. You’re just trying to get to work on time and you need to be able to quickly and easily find what you need. If the closet is cramped and cluttered, it can put you in a bad mood for the entire day.

You may think that your closet is too small, but even in a small closet, improvements can be made. Most people don’t realize that it’s not the small closet that is the problem, but the lack of efficiency that is to blame. Use these tips to make sure you’re using the space that you have wisely.

Take everything out and start to inventory what you have. You may have a lot of things crammed in there that you don’t really need anymore. Maybe some things can be given away to charity. Get rid of shoes that don’t fit right, are damaged, or have gone out of style. If you haven’t worn something in a year, get it out of there. Thin out what you own and then you can start to thin out what you allow to go into your closet.

The first rule of organizing is to categorize. If something doesn’t have a category, then you need to find one for it. Don’t allow yourself to keep a “miscellaneous” pile, box, or drawer in your home. That is pretty much the definition of clutter. Try hard to categorize so that you can easily keep things where they go.

After getting everything separated, you can assess the space situation. There is often wasted space in the front corners of the closet and at the top of the closet. Don’t be afraid to store long-term things up near the ceiling. Is there room for shelves on either side of the closet? You can put more in there than you think. If a good organizer still doesn’t give you enough room, consider space saving hangers, like velvet hangers, to get the job done. These can cascade from each other and hold specialty clothing so that you can save up to three times 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.

First, find the clutter. Even if you’re surrounded by it, chances are there are some areas that are harder to control than others. Most people end up creating clutter by putting their things down when they come in the door. If you don’t have a good plan, your keys, wallet, cell phone, laptop, backpack, mail, and other daily use items can end up in a heap.

Digging through heaps of things is not the way to start out your day. The stress that comes from living in clutter can be a very real health hazard. Starting off your organization process with the front area of your apartment will get you off on the right foot. Use an end table, a trunk, a locker style organization shelf, or whatever you can think of to hold your daily use items. Use hooks for bags, cubbies for shoes, a wall mount hanging bar for coats, and a small table for charging phones while organizing wallets and keys. Make sure that you make a place for other things that commonly pile up, like mail.

If you’re lucky, you have a coat closet in your apartment. This can be a great place, not only to hang coats and stow shoes, but also to hold shelves, bins, buckets, and other small items. Things like scarves, hats and gloves can get scattered if they have nowhere to go. Use door organizers to keep these things organized and out of sight.

Now that the living area is organized, spend some time on your bedroom. The bedroom closet can be extremely useful, even if it leaves something to be desired. Creating space for bulky storage items may seem like an impossibility. However, you can make the most of the space that you have by using space saving hangers, like velvet hangers.

Velvet hangers are flat and hang close together, much like wire hangers. But, they are much sturdier and won’t bend under the weight of the clothes. The velvet coating keeps clothes from slipping off while the curvature of the hanger is perfectly shaped for specific sizes and types of clothing. Cascading hooks and specialty styles can help you keep your closet organized while revealing more space than you may have imagined.

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) First determine what you need to clean. There are usually “hot spots” around small homes that collect junk. Tackle one area at a time. Use the counters, beds, dressers, or coffee table to start organizing. Take everything from the pile and divide it into categories.

2) Create a pile for each category so that you can get an idea of what types of organizational products you might need. You don’t necessarily have to spend a lot of money to get organized. For storage, you can use old shoe boxes, plastic zipper bags, things of that nature. Avoid making a miscellaneous pile. This is what generally gets us into clutter mode to begin with. Make sure that similar items are kept together so that you can find what you need when you need it.

3) You may want to install some shelves in a closet or in the corner of the room. Shelves give you a space to put boxes, bins and other containers that are storing your belongings. Label boxes so that you can easily locate things when you need them. As a general rule, store things that you don’t need very often up higher or down lower than everything else. Place things that you use more often at about eye level so that you can have quick and easy access to them.

4) Get creative with storage space. There are lots of furniture pieces on the market that are designed to save space in small apartments or homes. Couches have armrests that open up to reveal cup holders, storage for remote controls, magazines, and more. Coffee tables have tops that open up to reveal storage. Even ottomans can open up and provide storage for blankets or anything else that you need them to. If you don’t want to spend a lot of money, check thrift stores and used furniture places for trunks and other things that can serve as storage or tables.

5) You can make more space in your closets than you realize by utilizing space saving hangers, like velvet hangers. These hangers are all the rage because they allow you to double or even triple the space in your closet. The slim design helps clothes to fit closely together. The finger clips and cascading hooks allow you to coordinate outfits. The possibilities are endless. You just have to use your imagination.

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) Clear out as much of your old stuff as possible. If something doesn’t fit quite right, get rid of it. If you have shoes that hurt, are scuffed, or simply don’t match anything that you have, give them away. Making charitable donations is a great way to help your community and get some extra deductions on your taxes. If possible, have a yard sale or list your better items on an auction site. Use the extra money to upgrade your closet so that it can stay more organized in the future.

2) Come up with a wardrobe rotation system. If you have a closet that is on the smaller side, you may not be able to store your summer and winter clothing in there. Try to find space under the bed, in an armoire, or in the garage for clothing that you don’t use year-round. Be sure to use cedar accessories in your storage bins to avoid musty odors and to repel pests. If you prefer to keep your clothing hanging, invest a little in a rolling garment rack with a zip-up cover to keep your hanging clothes nice and neat while they’re in storage.

3) Space is at a premium, so use it wisely. If t-shirts take up more space hanging than they do stacked on a shelf, use the shelf. If pants stay better organized on pants hangers than stuffed in a drawer, designate one area just for pants. Designate areas, bins, containers, drawers or shelves for pajamas, socks, swimwear, and other small items that you may not want to hang. A simple cubby system down one side of your closet may be enough. Or, consider putting one on each side of the closet, leaving the hanging space in the center free for hanging clothes.

4) Find storage space wherever you can. Is the area on the back of the closet door being used? What about above the closet door? Near the ceiling? There is often space in the closet that we haven’t considered using before that is perfect for storing things that we don’t use every day. Consider placing some small shelves and racks around those spaces for things like hats and luggage that don’t get used very often.

5) Choosing the right clothes hangers can make a huge difference in the space that you use and how organized you are able to keep the closet. Space saving hangers, like velvet hangers, prevent clothes from slipping, puckering at the shoulders, or becoming tangled up on the bar. They are slim enough to fit closely together. You can also get cascading hangers that allow you to hang multiple pairs of pants on one hanger or coordinate outfits to save time and 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.

Make sure that your furniture is functional as storage areas. Furniture in the bedroom can make it look nice and finished out. However, if it doesn’t work for you, it can end up being a place to stack things. You can raise your bed with risers to create more storage underneath. Use a dust ruffle to cover what you have stored under there. Drawers on casters, flat plastic containers, and even shoe organizers are great things to put underneath the bed.

Your dressers may have plenty of drawers to store some of your extra items. However, if you keep all of your clothes in them, then they may not be serving you as well as they could. Arranging your closet so that it can accommodate your clothes will allow you to clear out most of your dresser drawers for storage. Now, you may be wondering why you should swap out using your dressers for clothes and your closet for storage, so I’ll tell you why.

Dresser drawers can be useful for storing clothes, but generally only for a couple of layers. You can’t see what you have when you get to those deeper drawers, so you end up unfolding the stack or not finding what you’re looking for. Drawers, especially deeper ones, can be great places to store items that you don’t have to get to very often.

If you use your closet for clothes, then you can more easily see what you have. You can use clear bins for smaller things and hang your everyday clothes. Using space saving hangers, like velvet hangers, will allow you to fit your clothing closely together without wrinkling them or having them slip off onto the floor.

Using closet and hanger accessories that are made to save space in your closet can help you to maximize the space, even if you don’t think you have enough room. Cascading hooks, specialty hangers, and hanging shelves are all very inexpensive ways of doubling or tripling the space in your closet. Using velvet hangers will help you ensure that your closet will look stylish and your clothes will be protected from damage.

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) Your attitude matters more than you think. If you’re totally stressed and sad that you have to live in a place so small, then you won’t get much done for a while. A negative attitude can cloud your judgment and keep you from using your creativity to make the space work. You need to adopt a minimalist attitude. You don’t need a million possessions to be happy. Possessions don’t make you who you are. Society dictates that we consume more and more each day. However, you have the power to rise above and live your life more efficiently.

2) Now that you’ve adopted your “can do” attitude, it’s time to get to work. You are probably surrounded by boxes and furniture. Go through and categorize everything. Rate your belongings on a scale of 1-10. If you really need it to live and eat, rate it as number one. These things will be the highest priority. Scale everything down to ten. Now, decide how much room you have by putting away everything rated as number one, then two, three, and so forth. When you run out of room, everything else should go.

3) Be picky about what you keep. You don’t want piles of junk all around you or you’ll always feel cramped and stressed. Try to get a few functional pieces of furniture that have storage inside. Install shelving above your doors, in the corners, and under the windows. Invest a little in closet organizers and a pantry organizer. Put large drawers under your bed and couch. Create storage wherever you can if you need to store more than your small living space will allow.

4) Bulky furniture is often unnecessary. You can make room for a large capacity armoire by getting rid of a dresser. Dressers are very inefficient. Clothes are stacked inside where you can’t see them or get them out without unfolding half of the stack. We end up hiding miscellaneous items in the drawers and soon they become crowded with junk. Using an armoire for blankets and other bulky household items saves you closet space. With some space saving hangers, like velvet hangers, some baskets, shelves, and storage bins, you can put every piece of clothing you own inside of the closet. When you store something, ask yourself if this is the most efficient way to store before you decide that the item is in its permanent spot.

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) If money is an issue, consider selling some of your extra clothing, purses and shoes. Recycling gently used items saves space and helps out someone in need. You can have a garage sale, visit a consignment shop, or donate items to charity for the tax deduction. Another option is to try auction sites or local sales sites to make a few dollars. You don’t have to spend hours listing each item. Simply list “bag of women’s clothing size 12” or whatever you think will get some attention on the site that you choose. Include pictures in your listing and you’re sure to bring in a few bucks for your stash.

2) There may seem like there isn’t much room to incorporate your personal style into your closet, but that’s not necessarily true. You can coordinate colors with containers, canvas hanging shelves, your laundry basket, shoe rack, hat rack, and clothes hangers. You can personalize these items with a little bit of paint. You may like turquoise paint with white dots, black and white stripes, or just about anything that makes the closet space unique and inviting.

3) Use the closet door for hanging things like hats, ties and belts. You can mount baskets for smaller items like socks, mittens and containers for jewelry. If you’re in a small dorm or efficiency apartment, you may also want to use the inside of the door for school books, phone chargers, camera equipment, movies, or video game storage. You can find a lot of space on the door that you didn’t know you had. Consider a pantry door organizer with adjustable shelves and baskets to make the best use of this space.

4) You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get a small closet organized. Use space saving hangers, like velvet hangers, to maximize the space on your hanging bar. These hangers fit flat together and save more space than you would think. They’re not flimsy like wire hangers and the velvet surface keeps clothes from slipping. You can get removable clips for hanging skirts, pants and shorts. Use cascading hooks to coordinate outfits and double the space. These hangers also come in a wide variety of colors and prints to accentuate the style and personality of 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.

1) Furniture, like couches, that wrap around corners can take up less space than separate chairs and couches. The “L-shaped” couch is a really popular way to save space without reducing seating. These types of couches can also help you divide efficiency rooms into separate areas. For example, if your living room, dining room, and kitchen are actually one big space, then an L-shaped couch can divide the areas so that they don’t seem to run into each other.

2) Furniture that has storage is very useful in saving space. When you live in a small area, you don’t necessarily have the storage space that you need. Couches and chairs now come with arms that open up to provide storage for magazines, remote controls, cup holders, and more. A hide-away bed built into the couch is also a great way to accommodate guests when you don’t have a guest room. Some ottomans open up to reveal storage areas for bulkier items, such as throw pillows and blankets. You can get couches and chairs that have hidden drawers underneath for storing everything from toys, to shoes, to valuables. Many coffee tables now have a top that opens up to double as a laptop desk or eating area.

3) Use the space underneath your furniture to hide useful items such as folding end tables or extra folding chairs. If your couch or chair has a skirt or slip cover, you may be able to put it on risers and make even more space underneath without anyone ever noticing that you adjusted it.

4) Choose furniture that can perform double duties. You may find that a table whose top folds down makes for a great entryway table. It can also be pulled out and opened up when you have dinner guests over. Stackable stools can be used as shelving, extra seats, end tables, and more. The more items that you can find like this, the more versatile your space will be.

5) You can give yourself extra storage by adjusting your clothes closet as well. Use space saving hangers, like velvet hangers, can double or triple the space in your closet. You can install shelving in the extra space to hide away more things that need to be stored in your small living 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.