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

10. DON’T rearrange just a part of your problem closet. Many is the time I’ve gotten halfway through emptying a closet and the client suggests I leave the rest because it’s “pretty well organized.”  Despite that suggestion, I recommend that we keep going so that we can start with a clean slate.  Invariably we unearth items that don’t belong in the assumed categories, items that have long been forgotten, and items that make the client say “Hey, I was looking for that!”  The reason for this is the deeper we get into the closet the more likely the items are older and hidden.   As a result, many of the items can be tossed, donated, or reassigned, freeing up significant amounts of space for more useful items.  Stashing items in a closet can provide a false sense of control.  In reality, you have given control to your clutter, which gradually turns your closet into an all-consuming black hole.

DO empty 100% of your problem closet and start from scratch. The most important first step to getting organized is to purge the items that are no longer serving you well.  You cannot skip this step and be truly organized.  It’s much easier to rethink  the use(s) of your closet if it is 100% empty. 90% can be a dangerous place to stop, because non-dedicated zones tend to spread, sabotaging the dedicated zones.  I’m not saying you necessarily have to purge that last 10%, but at least take a closer look at it.  That last 10% can be a real missed opportunity.  For example, maybe you find boxes of old kitchenware that you never use that you can donate to your local Goodwill.  This then frees up room for all those winter clothes that have been cluttering up your bedroom since April.  Now you have dedicated a zone for seasonal clothes.  When October rolls around you can then trade out your boots and parkas for shorts and sandals.

Today’s key to unlocking clutter. Don’t negotiate with your clutter.

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

9. DON’T over-organize items you rarely use. Can you really be too organized? Yes. The ever-quotable Albert Einstein said “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler” and who am I to argue with Einstein? Perhaps it might sound strange for an organizer to say don’t organize too much, but, to me, the whole point of getting organized is to take the obstacles out of the way, so that you can focus on the more important challenges in life.  Therefore, I can’t justify spending a sunny day indoors organizing old files or owners manuals that you are unlikely to retrieve again.  Of course there are going to be some items you need to keep JUST IN CASE, but they don’t’ merit the same devotion as your more useful items.

DO focus your organizing energy on items you use the most. Maximum organizing means maximum visibility and accessibility.   For example, backup office supplies should be located below eye level, in clear, labeled drawers.  Office supplies DO merit careful organizing because they are items that require regular access.  Again, I want to take this opportunity to point out that when you can clearly see how many you have of one item, you are far less likely to make excess purchases and that saves money.

Today’s key to unlocking clutter. Spend your organizing energy wisely.

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

8. DON’T store seasonal items at eye level. The most valuable real estate in a closet is located at eye level.  This should not be wasted on items you access infrequently, like holiday, archival, and seasonal items.  If you happen to have some open space front-and-center, great!  You don’t have to fill it.  Save it for a more urgent need, because it will surely come up.

DO store seasonal items more remotely. Free up this prime real estate for batteries, light bulbs, paper towels and other everyday items by storing the wrapping paper, sleeping bags, and archive files in the back and top of the closet.  If everything is important then nothing is important.  You have to choose priorities.  At some level everything is important or you wouldn’t keep it, so the real challenge is to recognize the LESS important items and store them remotely.

Today’s key to unlocking clutter.  Making less important items less accessible allows more important items to be more accessible.

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

7. DON’T rely on your memory to identify a container’s contents. “I THINK I can remember what’s in there.”  Sure, you know now and maybe for a couple of weeks, but over time your memory of containers’ contents fades.  That’s OK!  You have enough challenges in life with your busy schedule and this unforgiving economy.  You don’t need to add “memorize contents of box” to your list!

DO label everything. So don’t think.  Know.  A clear label takes out the guess- work.  I often say the best organizing system is so easy it feels like you’re cheating.  Why NOT make it that easy?  Even with clear boxes and drawers, you should add clearly legible labels.  The written word reinforces the visual clues and if the container is emptied, the label provides a reminder of what the container has been designated for.

Today’s key to unlocking clutter. Labels enable.

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

6. DON’T store loose papers in shopping bags. The vast majority of paper I find in plastic shopping bags is garbage.  These bags tend to fall into the category I call “make-it-go-away” bags, which is not a good idea.  If, however, these bags are holding old archives and records you need to keep, it’s still not a good idea.  These bags can’t be quickly identified, if you actually do need to find some of the contents.  Also they are structureless, so the contents can’t be protected.  Finally, when things look like trash they tend to get treated that way.

DO store archives in lidded boxes. If papers are worth archiving, make a modest effort to store them well.    First, empty those make-it-go-away bags and toss what you don’t need.  That might triple your storage space.  Second, don’t overorganize the old files you are hanging on to just-in-case, but do make a point of getting them into a lidded banker box and at least indicate the year(s) on the outside.  Lidded boxes can be stacked to take advantage of vertical space.  Try doing that with plastic bags.

Today’s key to unlocking clutter. A lidded box allows stack-ability and visibility.

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

5. DON’T store regular small items in lidded boxes. Sometimes I’m in homes where there is no shortage of nice square, lidded, even clear boxes, but there is still a lack of organization.  What’s missing?  Accessibility.  Stackable boxes aren’t for everything.  They make the best use of space for seasonal, archival, and other lesser-used items, but if you need to get to items regularly, lids (and the boxes stacked on top of them) present discouraging barriers.  One of the unfortunate results is multiple purchases.

DO store regular small items in drawers.  Picture this scenario.  It’s Sunday night, you’re having dinner in front of the TV, the game’s gone into extra innings, but 60 Minutes is on too.  Thank God for the remote control!   Only it’s at this very moment the batteries decide to give out on the remote.  Wouldn’t it be great to know that the problem will be remedied by a 15 second trip to your closet? You swing open the door and there it is, just below eye level, a clear drawer, clearly labeled “batteries.”  Because it’s not overloaded with other junk you can quickly see you have two AA batteries, but you need to buy more for next time.  You’re back in time to see the swing on the 3-2 pitch and it’s a home run!  That’s being organized and that’s a great feeling.  For small items you need to access often, particularly those you need to access quickly, a clear drawer is your best friend.

Today’s key to unlocking clutter.  A drawer does more.

This is the fourth entry in the series  Top 10 Closet Storage Do’s and Don’ts.

4. DON’T store ANYTHING in a rounded basket with a handle. I know how it goes.  A friend gives you a beautiful gift basket and when it’s emptied, you just can’t bear to part with it.  ”Surely I can find SOMETHING to put in it.”  Any time you find yourself trying to match a need to a container, STOP.  That’s a sure fire recipe for clutter and disorganization.  My advice is to fill that basket with flowers, candy, or cheese and give it back to your friend.  A gift basket is just about the worst organizing container imaginable.   Useful items, particularly squared ones like compact disks, tend to fit terribly in these baskets.  Furthermore, they’re usually tapered at the bottom, designed to make the contents look more plentiful and overflowing.  This is not an optimal storage feature.  They tend to fit poorly ON the shelves and wastefully BETWEEN the shelves, because of those stupid handles (not that you could stack anything on top of that exploding mess that’s coming out of the top anyway).   I’m actually not a huge fan of square baskets either.  The collect dust, they don’t hold identifying labels, and because they are opaque they tend to become clutter traps.  Sure baskets look nicer than plastic boxes, but inside a closet, who cares?

DO store in squared, sturdy, stackable containers. It’s a good opportunity to emphasize that what’s most important is to thoroughly edit your contents before containing them.  Once you’ve got a handle on the quantity you are keeping from each category, get an appropriately sized container for the contents and the shelf or spot it is going.  You will get the best variety of sizes from plastic boxes and I recommend clear plastic. Clear plastic not only provides visibility, but offers a smooth surface for a clear label.  This provides MAXIMUM visibility.  For seasonal, archival, and other lesser-used items, lidded, stackable boxes are the way to go.   The less rounded the boxes and lids are , the better.   Also avoid boxes that taper too much, in favor of boxes with more of a 90 degree angle.  Keeping the box lines clean ensures optimal use of space AND accessibility.  That’s a winning combination.

Today’s key to unlocking clutter. Well shaped containers can make all the difference. The more neatly your boxes fit into a closet, the more space you create for loose items in need of a home.

3. DON’T store items in opaque containers. Attractive boxes and baskets are intended for display-worthy spaces, not closets and other storage spaces. Colored plastic bins are good for hiding items, but not for organizing them. Under no circumstances should you store items of value in black trash bags. Trash bag contents tend to get mixed up with—well, trash.

DO store items in clear boxes. I know that some might argue that there are greener choices than plastic containers. The clear plastic containers I recommend are #5 polypropylene. According to thegreenguide.com they “transmit no known chemicals, but you may have a more difficult time finding someone to recycle your #4 and #5 containers.” I would argue that there is significantly less reason to get rid of a clear plastic boxes than other organizing “solutions”. I believe accordion files and Easter baskets recycle just fine. Clear containers enable you to see what you have, increasing the likelihood that you will actually use the contents and decreasing the likelihood that you will make excess purchases. Opaque containers often hold items you don’t want to deal with. If your space is limited, start by looking at what is hiding in those opaque containers. It’s probably time to reduce, reuse (donate), and recycle.

Today’s key to unlocking clutter.  Reveal don’t Conceal.

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.

With more people working from home and more families needing to squeeze another year out of a home that’s too small, there is a growing need to maximize storage space.  This is the first in a series of Top 10 Closet Storage Do’s and Don’ts.

1. DON’T waste vertical space. When storage space is at a premium, it is wasteful not to take full advantage of your closet’s height. No shelves make this difficult but underused shelves are a missed opportunity as well. Wasting vertical space may include the floor. Of course you want the floor of the closet open so that you can access the shelves, but an open closet floor tends to invite piles of shoes and other items, which compromise access. This can present a dilemma.

DO store vertically. If you don’t have closet shelves the easiest shelf system I have found to install is the Elfa system available at The Container Store. Save the more decorative boxes for more visible areas. To maximize shelf space, use clear stackable boxes for lesser-used items and clear plastic drawers for more commonly used items. While I love clear drawers, they should be limited to below eye level. My solution to the empty floor dilemma is large items on wheels. A large suitcase (with smaller cases nested inside) is significantly easier to roll out than twenty pairs of shoes and other loose stuff. The floor is also a great place for multi drawer towers on wheels. Regularly accessed items can be located front and center, but when you want to get an item off the shelf, you just roll out this single unit. Of course this only works if you resist panicky old habits like shoving small items on the floor, which would jam up the wheels of progress.

Today’s key to unlocking clutter.

Once all your clutter has gone OUT, there’s nowhere else for your extra stuff to go but UP.