Coat Closet: DIY Home Organization

Organizing a coat closet can be a real challenge. After all, there is a lot more to that closet than coats. Coat closets are usually near the front door, which means that they can quickly become a catch-all for everything from backpacks to sports equipment, keys and wallets to craft supplies. We often need more storage than our home has, so the coat closet becomes a convenient place to keep things that we want to keep close at hand. Use these tips to create spaces for everything that you want to keep in your coat closet.



The first rule for organizing any closet is to get rid of the junk. Throw out whatever you can. Make a stack of trash, important paperwork or artwork, things to give away and things to keep. With a coat closet that's cluttered with everything, you may also want to pile up everything that needs to get out of the coat closet and be put away in other rooms.



Enlist help from the family. Kids and idle couch lurkers can be put to good use. Ask them to put away five things from the pile, take out the trash, file the paperwork or bag up things to give to charity. Before you know it, the piles will be disappearing from behind you.



Clean the closet well while it is empty. Use cedar coat hangers or cedar closet accessories to absorb moisture and odors. This is especially important in coat closets because wet boots, jackets, backpacks and umbrellas are often stored here. Moisture can lead to mold and mildew as well as foul odors if you don't use cedar.



Now is the time to make some plans. Try to find room where you didn't know you had it. When you hang a coat, how many inches from the back wall is it? Four inches? Eight inches? This is valuable storage space that can go unnoticed. Carefully remove the screws from the hanging bar and move it back. Coat hangers should almost touch the wall. Now you have a few extra inches in the front corners of the closet.



Most people can create enough space in the front to install 12" cubby hole shelving in the front two corners. These are very useful in a coat closet because you can put baskets, bins and containers in each cubby. Label the baskets so that everyone can quickly find what they need. Each family member can have a bin for their own gloves and scarves, wallet and keys, etc. You can build the cubby system as high as you would like. Hooks can be installed down the back side for purses, umbrellas, tote bags loaded with grab and go supplies, and hats.



Use sturdy coat hangers to finish it off. Your closet will have a place for everything and help you keep the rest of the house clutter free.



About the Author: Joe Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for wood hangers, coat hangers and all types of clothes hangers which is recognized for the excellent quality and value of its wood hanger and coat hanger offerings. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyhangers.com .