Top 10 Closet Storage Do’s and Don’ts: #2

This is the second in a series of Top 10 Closet Storage Do’s and Don’ts.

2. DON’T fill every last gap in your closet. Packing everything you can into your closet does not make you organized. I have maintained that it is wasteful not to take advantage of vertical space in your closet, but it is equally wasteful to compromise find-ability and accessibility, which is an inevitablility when it’s all crammed in.

DO leave room for accessibility. If you are keeping something you don’t need to be able to find, access, or use, you probably don’t need it at all. Disposing or donating items that no longer serves you well may be the best answer to getting your closet back. Prioritize what you are keeping. Seasonal and archive materials should be kept on upper shelves or in the back of a closet. On the other hand, items you need all the time should be located at, or just below, eye level, in clear, labeled drawers, where appropriate. Items whose frequency is somewhere in between should be located somewhere in between. When you use drawers be sure to leave room for them to open. Resist the urge to pile stuff on an open floor because it makes the shelves inaccessible. (See how in Tip #1). The best way to maintain accessibility and visibility on deep shelves is to store the same items in the back of the shelf that are located on the front. Anything else is likely to be forgotten.

Today’s key to unlocking clutter.

Don’t pack the daylights out of your closet. Visible means accessible.