LeaRae Keyes

If you are a pack rat like me, organizing your closets is a high priority. If you aren't careful, closets can become a place to dump everything that does not have a place elsewhere.

One way to prevent your closet from becoming cluttered and becoming a place to dump stuff is to create spaces too small for junk. These spaces should be specifically designed to hold stuff that belongs in your closet such as shoes, sweaters, and out of season clothing.

Small cubbies or narrow shelves are great for shoes and slippers. Shelves work well for sweaters. High shelves that are difficult to access can be used for out-of-season clothing so you will only need to access these twice each year.

Place one clothes rod above another so you can get the maximum use of closet space. Most clothes rods are hung too high for the majority of our clothing. Most people can get two rods in with one about half way between the high rod and the floor.

The basic rule of closet organization is to design a place for everything and to keep everything in its place. This will also prevent items that do not belong in this space from drifting in and taking up residence.