 |
| Self-professed organizer geek, Alexis shares her know-how. |
Alexis is one of those super organized gals who thrives on helping the rest of us get it all together, in one place. Be sure to visit her blog because her tips are the kind that will help sell your home.
Even if your home is not on the market, you'll learn how to get better control of your schedule, finances, chores, paperwork, clutter, wardrobe, pantry, craft and scrapbooking supplies, your brain, and even traveling and moving.
As an example of the advice she gives, she's writing today about closets, and how to make them work for you, instead of against you. Closets matter to home buyers, and the bigger, the better, so listen up!
Alexis Says...
Regardless of the state of the rest of your house, the great thing about a closet is that you can shut the door (or at least you should be able to!) because people don't go peeking into closets when they stop by to borrow some butter.
But, when you're selling your house- all bets are off. You know the first thing that people do when they walk into a room is slide open that closet door to see whatcha got in there, and gauge whether or not everything that they've got is gonna fit in there as well.
Closet and cabinet space can make or break a deal for house hunters, so my challenge to you is to make some space in your closets to make them every home owner's dream: spacious and organized.
No matter which closet is your biggest obstacle, I have a few easy solutions that will leave you wondering what to do with all of your extra closet space!
 |
| Who can resist IKEA boxes like these? |
If your linen closet is overflowing:
- Store one extra set of bed sheets in each bedroom.
- Fold clean towels neatly on a shelf in your laundry room.
- Put the extra blankets to use by draping one neatly across the foot of your bed.
If you lack space for cleaning supplies:
- Keep a small cleaning caddy under a bathroom sink.
- Place every item in the room it is intended for: extra laundry detergent in the laundry room, dish soap under the sink, garbage bags in the bottom of the trash can.
- Create a small space for a broom and dustpan combo next to your washer or dryer.
 | |||
| Alexis made over her laundry room. She stores things where they are used. |
- Hang a row of hooks in your entry to catch backpacks and purses.
- Pare down the coat selection to 2 coats per person, and either part with the rest, or put them in a space saving bag out of site until the move is over.
- Keep hats, scarves, and other small items in a box on the shelf.
If your pantry is out of control:
- Stop buying in bulk. Unless you have abundant and well organized basement or garage storage, it might be worthwhile to put your bulk wholesale membership on temporary hold. Nothing shrinks a cupboard like an over-sized supply of food and papergoods.
- Empty prepackaged snacks out of their boxes and use a few large Tupperware containers to organize the snacks.
- Double your shelf space with a few risers to stack things like cans or spices.
 |
| Assigning a purpose to each closet simplifies things. Family Circle photo. |
If your bedroom closets leave something to be desired:
- Invest in slim space-saving hangers.
- Get into the habit of rotating your clothes seasonally so that half of your clothing is out of site at all times.
- Add additional storage, such as a free standing drawer unit, or a double-hung closet rod.
If you are the secret owner of a "junk closet:”
- Inventory the contents and define a purpose for the space. Then, find homes for random items that do not fit with the purpose.
- Prepare yourself to part with infrequently used items. It's not called a "junk closet" because it's filled with your most beloved belongings, now is it?
- Hide odds and ends in pretty storage options that unify the space rather than draw attention to its hodge podge contents.
No comments:
Post a Comment