Evaluating your closet a couple of times a year allows you to purge items you no longer need and continuously make your space as efficient as possible. This will allow you to always find what you’re looking for, and only clothing you truly love will fill your closet. Plus, regularly embracing this process actually helps curb impulse buys when you’re out shopping.

Follow these thoughtful tips on organization from our experts to create the most streamlined closet you’ve ever had.

Take everything out: While it might sound overwhelming to clear out your entire closet, this step is indeed integral to the organization process. Take every — yes, every — item out, including clothing, accessories and shoes. This encourages you to be a bit more discerning about what you put back into your closet.

Divide your items into three groups: Sort through the contents of your closet and create three piles: one for items to give away or consign, one for sentimental items that you can place in long-term storage, and one for items that you wear regularly and definitely want to return to the closet. As needed, try on your clothes to help you decide where they belong. Anything that doesn’t fit, or you rarely wear, is ready for retirement.

Add garments back in: Once you’ve sorted your clothes, address the garments that are staying in the closet by grouping them into categories. Start by putting your shirts together, separated by short sleeve and long. Then, divide your pants, dresses, skirts and so on by casual and more formal, long and short. Use this process for each category of clothing. Once you have your categories defined, you can put everything back into the closet in sections, leaving a few inches of room between each one. If you’re feeling extra ambitious, arrange items within the sections by color.

Make space for shoes and accessories: These should be the last items you place back in your space. Ideally, if you have adjustable countertop shelves, you can create a full section dedicated solely to shoes. The best place to set your shelves is at eye level, which makes it much easier to find the pair you’re looking for when you’re getting ready. You could also use a shelf above your clothes for shoes. Accessories, such as purses, ties and jewelry, should be placed on designated shelves or specialty racks so that each item can be accessed and put away neatly.

The post How to Purge and Organize Your Closet in 3 Simple Steps appeared first on California Closets.

To ensure that the installation process goes as smoothly as possible, please follow the instructions below before our installation technicians arrive at your home.

1. Remove all personal items

Before work can begin, the installation area needs to be clear of all personal items so that our team can efficiently build in your new closet storage solution. If you have any items for donation, particularly women’s clothing, check with your design consultant to see if your local California Closets participates in a local partnership with Dress for Success®. If they do, simply drop off your items for donation at your local California Closets.

2. Clear the work area

For safety reasons, we request that you keep children and pets out of the work area during the installation.

3. Designate an entrance close to the driveway

Please allow our installation technicians to enter your home through the entrance that is nearest the driveway so they can easily unload their materials and tools.

After your system has been installed, the technician will demonstrate the features of your new California Closets products, if you’re available. He or she will also review any key warranty and care information with you.

Soon after your installation, you will be contacted by an outside survey company to request candid feedback about your overall California Closets experience. Your comments are valuable to us so that we can continue to provide the best possible products and service to you and our future customers.

The post How to Prepare for Your California Closets Installation appeared first on California Closets.

Here are some of the important design components to include in a baby’s closet to ensure easy storage transitions through the years.

Use tiers: Create three hanging rod tiers to hold baby clothes. As your child grows and clothing gets longer, adjust these rods to hold two tiers. This allows you to determine accessibility when your child becomes a toddler. Clothing you want him or her to wear on a daily basis should go on the bottom while fancier dresses or nice shirts can go up where he or she cannot reach them.

Install adjustable shelving: Like hanging rods, shelves can also change over time to sit at various heights. You might use these shelves to hold onesies and baby supplies when your child is an infant. The shelves can be adjusted to store toys and games when he or she is older.

Include cubbies: Cubbies are great for stacked items such as diapers and diaper cloths, and they can be used later for shoes, books and school supplies. An older child might use cubbies to display a collection, creating an interesting design feature right in his or her room.

Go for baskets: For babies, open storage is great for stuffed animals, blankets and blocks. Later, your growing child can grab a basket filled with toys, dump it out on the floor and play. When he or she is finished, everything goes back inside, and the basket gets tucked away. (This is a great way to teach kids how to clean up.) Baskets are also good for storing small clothing items because children can locate what they want without having to root around in a drawer.

Compartmentalize now, create specialized storage later: While closed drawers can make items hard to locate, you will want to have some things tucked away. For babies, items like socks and pacifiers can be compartmentalized with dividers in a large closet drawer. For toddlers, these compartments can be used for little things, such as hair clips or art supplies, that aren’t stored well in baskets.

The post 5 Design Ideas How to Transition a Baby’s Closet into a Kid’s Closet appeared first on California Closets.

When you’re designing a workspace for your home, these five key features will help you create optimal storage — and allow you to show off your design style.

An appropriately sized workspace: A clean, open desk that’s free of clutter provides an ideal place to spread out and complete tasks with ease. Consider a long rectangular space or an L-shaped desk, depending on your needs and the shape of the room. If you have children or plan to work in this area with another person, you may choose to create a few separate workspaces.

A mix of open and closed shelving: Having both types of shelving gives you maximum office storage flexibility. Keep frequently used items in bins or display books and collectibles on the open shelves. Optional doors allow you to store items you’d rather not see, such as computer manuals or extra office supplies.

Easy-access drawers: Consider having a set of drawers near your workspace in which you can organize small items you need often, like pens, stamps and notepads. You can also add a lock to a drawer if you want to secure files, checkbooks or other sensitive materials.

Technology tamers: Keep cords hidden to create a fresh overall look that allows you to stay connected without having to battle tangled wires. A pull-out shelf for your printer provides quick accessibility when you need it and hides the bulky piece of technology when you don’t.

Decorative touches: Make your workspace more motivating by incorporating decorative elements, such as photos or art pieces that express your personality. These special items customize the space to your taste and lifestyle, making your home office so much more than just a utility room.

Walls of storage: Add utility to the walls above your desk with pin or fabric boards, or slat walls. Pin or fabric boards allow you to easily hang inspirational photos, mementos or reminders. With slat walls, on the other hand, you can easily store large or small items off of your desk, giving you more desk space and less clutter.

The post 6 Brilliant Organizing Ideas for Your Office Storage Space appeared first on California Closets.

Rather than feeling dread when entering this place in your home, you can transform your laundry room into a well-organized area that helps you complete all of your clothing-related tasks more efficiently. Here’s how to create a laundry room that fits all of your needs and functions seamlessly within your home.

Place shelving over your machines: Install built-ins over your washer and dryer for storing necessary supplies such as detergent and dryer sheets. If you have stacked machines, place shelving to the left or right of the unit. Having a mix of closed and open shelves allows you to hide cleaning bottles and boxes of laundry soap while displaying photos, collectibles and other design elements to liven up the room.

Include a built-in ironing board, folding area and dry hanging pole: Having these integrated workspaces keeps you from doing laundry-related chores in other areas of your home. With a well-organized and fully functional space, you can do everything you need to clean and care for your clothes in one room.

Don’t forget a sink: It may be helpful to install a sink in your laundry room close to the washing machine so you can hand-wash items and treat stains. This is especially true if your laundry closets are far from your kitchen and located upstairs or in your garage.

Make room for hampers: Having space for dirty clothing is crucial. However, how you decide to organize your hampers depends on your family’s needs. You might consider having one for each family member or having designated bins for whites, brights and darks that everyone uses. Creating a special hamper for dry-clean-only items might be a useful addition, as well.

Install a tall cabinet for oversized cleaning items: Many people choose to store their cleaning supplies in the laundry room, utilizing closed shelving to hide them from view. Having a tall cabinet to house tools, such as your broom and vacuum, is helpful so you can keep everything you need to clean in one centralized space.

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To get started on transforming this multi-use room, here’s how to determine which storage solutions best fit your unique needs.

Evaluate your needs: First pinpoint exactly what you need to organize. People often need zones in their garages for general tools, sports equipment, car care supplies, holiday décor and gardening supplies. Within these categories, you may want just general storage, or you may choose to incorporate a prep area for, say, wrapping holiday gifts or potting plants. If you have a family, and your home doesn’t have a mudroom, consider installing lockers or specialized storage for each family member. This will help keep winter coats and other bulky, person-specific items organized.

Anchor the space with built-in cabinets: Cabinets can organize a wide variety of items, including extra files, sports equipment and more. With everything hidden away, you can minimize clutter and streamline the overall look of the space. Adjustable shelves within the cabinets allow you to store large and small items alike.

Utilize vertical space: You probably have at least two walls that can be used to get items off the ground. Use slat walls, racks, hooks, baskets and bins to organize things such as drills and hammers or ski boots and bikes.

Add in custom shelves: Store boxes, flower pots, luggage and more with customized shelving that fits your needs. Go high with items you don’t need to regularly access (such as holiday decor) and use the space below for hanging items you use often.

Incorporate storage details: To make the most out of your space, use a magnetic strip for drill bits and small tools that can easily get lost in drawers. Be sure to label closed cabinets to ensure continued garage organization systems in right way. You might even consider covering door fronts with chalkboard paint for quick labeling that you can change when needed. Also, use clear storage, such as jars and bins, for small items such as nails and screws.

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It’s important to understand your storage options and how to use them to design the perfect space for your crafting needs. Here are some of the features you might consider when organizing your craft room.

A workspace: No matter what kind of crafter you are, you’ll likely need a counter or desk space on which you can spread out supplies and dig into your projects. You might want a long rectangular workspace or a corner (L-shaped) space, depending on how much room you have. If you’ll be crafting along with your kids, you may even want multiple workspaces, so everyone has ample space to create.

Cubbies: Open horizontal cubbies are perfect for storing construction paper, leftover fabric, sheets of felt and other flat supplies, while smaller cubbyholes are great for balls of yarn and other odd-sized objects. If you prefer to keep supplies out of sight, partitioned drawers are an ideal option.

A slat wall: Slat walls provide open organization by using hanging hooks and storage cups. They make storage easy for frequently used items such as scissors, markers and pencils — you’ll be able to keep everything off your workspace but still within arm’s reach.

Pull-out shelving: If you use a printer or sewing machine while crafting, a pull-out shelf is an ideal storage solution. It will give you quick access to the device when you need it and allow you to keep it tucked away when you don’t. Flat pull-outs are also useful if you need to keep stacked paper and clippings handy.

Baskets and bins: Store labeled baskets and bins on open shelves for efficient organization and easy access to supplies. These craftroom storage solutions make locating what you need and putting items away a breeze.

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By maximizing the space you have and implementing some easy storage tricks, you can stay organized from the first snowfall until the ice melts into spring. Here’s how to make the transition from summer to winter as smooth as possible in your home’s main closets and high-traffic areas.

In your clothes closet:

• Remove summer items, such as bathing suits, workout tanks and exercise shorts, then store them in a dark, dry place in your home.
• Hang winter shirts on the bottom bar of your closet and pants on the top one. Since shirts are bulkier than pants when hung, organizing your clothes this way gives the illusion of more space and makes each item easier to find when you need it.
• Fold your sweaters. When you hang sweaters, they can stretch and lose their shape. Instead, fold them, and then store them in short stacks on shelves. This will also keep your hanging space from getting too cramped.
  

In your linen closet:

• To prepare for the holidays,  iron your linens (tablecloths, runners, placemats and napkins) in advance. Then, hang them on pants hangers, and store them on a hanging rod. This will help you avoid having to dig through piles of rumpled linens when it’s time to host the family.
  

In your garage:

• Use containers, racks and baskets to store summer games and sports equipment, so you can keep these items out of your way when they’re not in use.
• Install wall hooks for large tools you’ll use often such as your snow shovel and leaf blower.
• Designate a special shelf for winter footwear to save closet space and keep your indoor floors free of mud and moisture.
• Utilize wall mounts for large winter sports items such as hockey sticks or snowboards. This helps encourage your family, particularly children, to put these things in their designated places after use.

In your mudroom or entryway:

• Get shoes and winter boots off the ground by using shelves or wire baskets for storage. This helps you avoid losing items in the bottom of your closet and will keep your floors clean and dry.
• Designate hooks for wet raincoats so they won’t ruin other garments by hanging against them.
• Pair gloves and glove-scarf sets, then store them in bins or cubbies by family member instead of throwing everyone’s gloves and scarves into one big drawer. This will help kids and adults find the items they’re looking for more easily.

The post How to Get Your Home Closet Ready for Winter appeared first on California Closets.

To make the transition from winter to summer as smooth as possible, follow this simple step-by-step guide for your closet.

1. Purge unwanted items: As you remove your winter clothes for storage, do a quick evaluation of each item. If you didn’t wear it all season, it doesn’t fit, it’s damaged, or you don’t see yourself wearing it next year, then donate it, sell it or hand it down.

2. Wash storage items: Before putting away your winter clothes, be sure to wash and stain treat anything you’ll be storing so that everything will be ready to wear when you retrieve it next season. You’ll thank yourself for doing this later.

3. Choose the right place: Avoid warm, musty locations when choosing where to store winter clothes to keep mildew and insects away. A dark place is also ideal so you can prevent fading.

4. Prep your closet for new items: Before putting your summer clothes in your closet, wipe it down and vacuum it so it’s ready for your new wardrobe. It’s always smart to start with a clean slate.

5. Retrieve summer items and do a quick inventory: After pulling out your summer clothes, shoes and accessories from entryway storage, evaluate each item before putting it into the closet. Donate anything that doesn’t fit or is outdated, damaged or worn out. Getting rid of these things now can save you time when summer’s over and you need to store these items once again.

6. Organize items by type: Separate your clothing by its purpose — what you wear to exercise, play sports, swim, work in the yard, go out on the town and so on. Then, organize by color within each category. When you place your clothing back into your closet, leave a little room between each section.

7. Purchase storage accessories as needed: You may own items that don’t seem to have a designated place in your closet, like bathing suits or summer workout clothes. To keep these things organized, invest in some functional baskets or bins that you can store under your hanging space or on your shelves.

The post 7 Simple Steps How to Get Your Closet Ready for Summer appeared first on California Closets.

To design a child’s closet that can stand the test of time, here are some expert tips for this sometimes-tricky space.

Create accessibility: One of the most important parts of designing a kid’s closet is making sure that your child can access items him or herself, especially when it comes to getting dressed. Avoid drawers that hide clothing, and instead, segment the closet with higher and lower hanging tiers. Place items that you want your child to choose for everyday wear on the bottom. As your child grows, you can change the configuration to have the top tier hold pants and the bottom tier hold shirts.

Make sure there’s a specific place for everything: Having a designated storage for playroom and toys, T-shirts, games and school supplies ensures that your child will be able to put everything back where it goes once he or she is finished using a particular item. Label bins and baskets with their contents to make sure everything is easy to find. Even teens (and adults, for that matter) can appreciate this kind of organization.

Set kids up for success: Keep homework and study areas simple; children only really need a place to sit, paper, pens, pencils and potentially a laptop for their studies. Depending on the size of your child’s room, you could even integrate a desk into the closet that your child can use throughout their childhood and teen years. To keep this space streamlined, put everyday school items (such as a backpack) in a designated space in the entryway or mudroom, not in the bedroom.

Think about technology: You may want to incorporate a charging station into a child’s closet system. Even if he or she doesn’t have an iPad or devices requiring charging now, the chances are that will change in the coming years. A designated tech station for charging various devices can also make a teen feel more grown-up.

Include teens in a simple redesign process: You may choose to make some cosmetic adaptations to your child’s closet when he or she enters the teenage years. Changing out one or two doors or drawers, or even getting new hardware, is a very inexpensive way to reimagine the entire look of the room. These personalized changes can help a teen feel a sense of ownership in his or her space without breaking the bank.

Adapt as necessary: As your child grows, he or she may start to request more privacy. It’s important to provide drawers and cabinets for personal items so your child won’t feel the need to hide things all over the room.

The post How to Design a Kid-to-Teen Closet – Check Out the Brilliant Solution appeared first on California Closets.