With the spring months upon us, and summer on the way, it’s safe to say that the days of wearing boots of any kind are officially behind us. Still, what to do as we transition from the cold and snow to sandal wearing weather? At home, you could get organized (or even more disorganized) by throwing the winter footwear into a closet or back room, but what about sandals, and summer shoes? What if you have guests in your home, or if your kids invite five of their friends over to hang out? As they all take their shoes or sandals off, you’re stuck with a big pile of summer footwear, and you still have that messy storage closet with all the winter footwear.

There is a better and more efficient way when it comes to shoe organization. One at home solution is stackable shoe racks. With a durable steel and plastic construction, our storage racks are expandable, and they really make sense. Also, we have a shoe rack that is a tower and holds 50 pairs of shoes. These storage racks can be organized by season or by the differing rooms in your home.

Another great idea for avoiding a mountain of shoes, and a big mess, are our over the door shoe racks. With twenty pockets holding ten pairs of shoes, this is an easy solution for a big family looking to stay organized with shoe storage during any season. This is also great for freeing up a ton of space in your house, and you are no longer stuck searching for you or your family members shoes.

Lastly, if you still have a thing for racks, but are looking for something that hangs, then take a look at our hanging shoe holder. With a hanging shoe holder, you can truly be able to tidy up your home’s closet or personal space, and you will have your shoes available to you in a convenient and accommodating area. You can avoid the hassle and headache of scrambling and searching to find two shoes that match as you are getting organized and ready for work in the morning. Also, with summer coming up we have a flip-flop holder that holds 18 pairs, so you can quickly grab what you need at home and have a longer day of relaxation at the beach or pool.

It’s tiring, and frustrating after a long day to come home, and find that everyone has kicked their shoes off by the front door or to find shoes in random places all over the house. Why not simplify your shoe storage and get organized at the same time? You can do that by racking the shoes up, or by hanging them in our shoe holders. This is a guaranteed way to take care of the shoe storage details for all seasons, and for your home and happiness.

Here in the mid-Atlantic area, it’s about that time of year when the weather begins to warm up and time to pack away the sweaters and lighten up.  I’m a bit of a wimp where cooler weather is concerned, so I tend to keep my cardigan sweaters out year-round!  However, for the warm blooded, simply thinking about a sweater may make you sweat!  Anyway, I digress.  Switching the closet from winter to spring/summer is an event in my home.  I love rediscovering clothes that I had forgotten about and creating new outfits that I hadn’t thought of.  For me, I always feel as though I have a new wardrobe again, especially if I had purchased a few items on clearance at the end of the season.  

This is also a great time to purge items and to really think about whether or not you will wear something again.  I use this time to be honest about whether I love an item, or if I’m keeping it just because I’ve spent X amount of dollars on it. 

Taking the time to review your clothing from last year will also save you money.  Try some items on and mix and match separates that you hadn’t thought to put together before. You’ll find that you needn’t rush out to stock up on new summer clothes after all!

What if you live in a year round warm state, like Florida or Southern California?  It’s still a good idea to take the time to switch your closet.  Even if you don’t have dramatically changing seasons, it’s simply a good habit to go through your closet once or twice a year. 

So, schedule a weekend morning or afternoon, put on some music and dance your way from winter to summer!

Are you sometimes frustrated with always having to pick up your clothing  accessories off the floor due to not having a proper accessory organizer to house them? Getting dressed in the mornings can become quite stressful if you can’t find the right shoes, tie, belt or scarf due to a lack of organization.  When your accessories are hung on random hangers or folded on a shelf, you may find yourself constantly tripping over them when they fall on the floor, leaving your closet in a big mess.

With new organizational products appearing on the marketplace, it’s easier than ever to find suitable organizers made specifically to organize your clothing accessories.  Belt hangers, swivel tie racks and scarf hangers come in a variety of styles, sizes and price points. 

As for your shoes, depending on the amount of space you have, you can purchase a shoe stand, over-the-door shoe organizer or hanging shoe pockets that hang on the same clothing rod as the rest of your clothes.  Get those accessories off the floor and on organizers today!

Jacquie Ross is a Maryland based Professional Organizer, writer and owner of CastAway the Clutter! Jacquie has been writing for Home Storage USA since 2007. A member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), NAPO-Baltimore Chapter, and Maryland Association of Professional Organizers, she shows homeowners how to reclaim their time and space, and offers organizing and time management workshops.  Jacquie can be reached at jacquie@castawaytheclutter.com. Visit CastAway the Clutter to sign up for her free organizing tips at www.castawaytheclutter.com and register for an organizing workshop.

Homeowners who are blessed with large closets often have the same problems as homeowners with only a few square feet of closet space! This reminds us that having more space isn’t always the answer to being more organized. However, for those of us with small closets, we would love the opportunity to remodel ours to the closet of our dreams!  What we can all do, whether we have a small space or large walk-in, is improve it with the many closet organizing solutions available, without breaking the bank.  Simply updating your garment hangers can make all the difference in how your closet appears. 

If you’re ready to make a change, with a small investment, start with updating your clothes hangers.  Get rid of the dry cleaning hangers that sag your clothes and replace them with wood, cedar, vinyl, metal or friction non slip clothes hangers.  Your clothes will thank you by keeping their shape and lasting much longer.

Then, move on to better storage solutions for your folded sweaters and tops that may currently be falling all over the place on the shelf above the hanging rod!  You can pick up canvas, cedar and natural woven baskets, boxes, bins and containers.  If you have room for a small chest of drawers, you can add a 3-5 drawer chest that would sit below your short hanging clothes, providing a more “custom closet” feel. 

So whether you have a large walk-in or a small reach-in, you can still have an organized closet by selecting the right hangers, purging occasionally and storing your sweaters and tops neatly in containers or drawers that won’t create a big mess!

Jacquie Ross is a Maryland based Professional Organizer, writer and owner of CastAway the Clutter! Jacquie has been writing for Home Storage USA since 2007. A member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), NAPO-Baltimore Chapter, and Maryland Association of Professional Organizers, she shows homeowners how to reclaim their time and space, and offers organizing and time management workshops.  Jacquie can be reached at jacquie@castawaytheclutter.com. Visit CastAway the Clutter to sign up for her free organizing tips at www.castawaytheclutter.com and register for an organizing workshop.

Closets come in all sizes and can create frustration or delight.  It’s all in how you manage and organize your clothes!  If closet space is minimal, you can store your off-season or rarely worn items in another area of the home.  However, it’s important that you store them correctly, ideally in a dry and cool spot.  I keep my holiday party and dressier items in a zippered garment bag in a cool and dark area of my home and I’ve included small cedar hanging blocks. Since I only need these items once or twice a year, it’s out of the way, but still easy to access.  More importantly, I can find them when I need them!

Garment storage bags are ideal to store clothing that you only need access a couple of times a year, or to store during the off-season.  They are also fine for permanent storage if you have no closets at all – just be sure to select a breathable fabric. Some garment storage bags even include cedar inserts!

Garment storage bags, also known as closet organizers, come in a variety of styles, fabrics and price points and can be used to store all types of clothing. 

Jacquie Ross is a Maryland based Professional Organizer, writer and owner of CastAway the Clutter! Jacquie has been writing for Home Storage USA since 2007. A member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), NAPO-Baltimore Chapter, and Maryland Association of Professional Organizers, she shows homeowners how to reclaim their time and space, and offers organizing and time management workshops.  Jacquie can be reached at jacquie@castawaytheclutter.com. Visit CastAway the Clutter to sign up for her free organizing tips at www.castawaytheclutter.com and register for an organizing workshop.

By now, you’re probably in a pretty good routine with the daily school schedule. However, even with a solid routine, mornings can be a little chaotic, especially when Junior decides he’s not going to cooperate about what to wear to school today! Consider trying a different approach – let Junior think that he’s in charge of what he’s wearing by planning ahead with the kids closet organizer.

Your pre-school or elementary school aged child will feel all grown up choosing their outfits from the 6-day closet organizer! This brightly colored organizer features the days of the week on the front section of each storage area with the last section being for shoes. Find yours today at Home Storage Warehouse.

Jacquie’s Tip: At the weekend, after you’ve checked the week’s weather forecast, help your child to select several outfits that can be worn each day of the week. This will save time and frustration in the morning!

Jacquie Ross is a Maryland based Professional Organizer, writer and owner of CastAway the Clutter! Jacquie has been writing for Home Storage USA since 2007. A member of the National Association of Professional Organizers, she teaches homeowners and businesses how to reclaim their time and space. Jacquie can be reached at jacquie@castawaytheclutter.com. Visit CastAway the Clutter to sign up for her free organizing tips at www.castawaytheclutter.com.

Click here to see these and other shoe organizers and shop their Summer Sale.

Jacquie Ross is a Maryland based Professional Organizer, writer and owner of CastAway the Clutter! Jacquie has been writing for Home Storage USA since 2007. A member of the National Association of Professional Organizers, she teaches homeowners and businesses how to reclaim their time and space. Jacquie can be reached at jacquie@castawaytheclutter.com. Visit CastAway the Clutter to sign up for her free organizing tips at www.castawaytheclutter.com.

Young children need all the help they can get to stay organized. Being organized is usually not their focus! Make it a little easier for them with organized storage solutions and teach them how to use it.

Manufacturers are designing unique organizing products specifically for children, creating fun shapes in bright primary colors. Check out the fun Fire Truck Over-the-Door Hook Rack. Its bright red color and fire hydrant hooks add a fun twist which will grab their attention!

Check out the following clothes hangers sized for children’s clothing and the underbed storage bag that fits easily under the bed to store their off-season clothing and/or bed linens.

Visit Home Storage Warehouse for more children’s organizers. Jacquie Ross is a Maryland based Professional Organizer, writer and owner of CastAway the Clutter! Jacquie has been writing for Home Storage USA since 2007. A member of the National Association of Professional Organizers, she teaches homeowners and businesses how to reclaim their time and space. Jacquie can be reached at jacquie@castawaytheclutter.com. Visit CastAway the Clutter to sign up for her free organizing tips at www.castawaytheclutter.com.

If you’re ready to remove your dresses and summer suits from your closet, but would rather not fold them, what are your options? Very few of us have unused closets ready for our off season clothing!

The solution is a portable hanging rack or wardrobe that can be stored in another room or dry basement. For long term storage, select a wardrobe that zips closed and hang Cedar Hang-Ups alongside to repel moths.

View these and more clothing storage solutions here at Home Storage Warehouse.

Jacquie Ross is a Maryland based Professional Organizer, writer and owner of CastAway the Clutter!Jacquie has been writing for Home Storage USA since 2007.  A member of the National Association of Professional Organizers, she teaches homeowners and businesses how to reclaim their time and space. Jacquie can be reached at jacquie@castawaytheclutter.com. Visit CastAway the Clutter to sign up for her free organizing tips at www.castawaytheclutter.com.

Usually around mid-September if I haven’t rotated my closet from summer to fall/winter, it begins to get a little cramped, to say the least. Dealing with a small closet can be a challenge, so I keep only the current season available at one time. If you’re in a similar situation, you’ll probably find yourself getting out some warmer clothes, but may not have sufficient storage space to store them all at the same time. The best way to resolve this is to spend 2-3 hours one evening or weekend to properly rotate your closet.

Begin by removing each item of clothing and decide whether you want to keep, purge or donate. If it doesn’t fit, donate it. If it’s stained or torn, discard. Otherwise, fold or hang and store in a clean breathable container with a zipper close to keep out the dust and bugs.

Store Your Sweaters & Tops in Style:

The following are a few organization products specially made to store folded clothing. Purchase some moth balls or cedar chips to protect your clothing while in storage.

September is Closet Rotation month here at Make it Organized! So be sure to check back to read more tips on organizing and maximizing your closet space.  Summer sale now on at Home Storage Warehouse!

Jacquie Ross is a Maryland based Professional Organizer, writer and owner of CastAway the Clutter! Jacquie has been writing for Home Storage USA since 2007. A member of the National Association of Professional Organizers, she teaches homeowners and businesses how to reclaim their time and space. Jacquie can be reached at jacquie@castawaytheclutter.com. Visit CastAway the Clutter to sign up for her free organizing tips at www.castawaytheclutter.com.