So many of my clients make due with closets that just don't work well. And I did too - for 6 years. But this summer, in between all the family fun, my husband and I decided our upstairs hall closet desperately needed a redo.

The Problem: We are fortunate to have a hall closet on the second floor, unusual for our 1890s era home. However due to some very old water damage, the walls were bulging and crumbling. 

The closet was also an inefficient space. Like many of the closets I see in old New England homes, the closet had one shelf across the top, and lots of hooks underneath. It had one bar for hanging clothes on the left hand side...but the bar came out from the back wall towards the front. But this closet had potential.

Our Solution:  My handy husband removed the shelf, clothing bar, and ancient hooks. Then he tackled the wall repairs, redoing some plaster and painting. It took a few weekends but it was a brand new space.

Then the real fun began. One summer night we installed adjustable shelving from The Home Depot. Then loaded everything in.

What I love about the new closet:

• Shelving that uses the full space - vertical and horizontal.
• A clothing bar that goes across the back wall, making it so easy to see everything at once.

Check out the Before Photo (taken before we moved in, from the previous owners) and ta-dah! the After Photo.

I am so excited to finally put this space to really good use. If you have underutilized closets, fix (or hire someone) to address any structural issues, pare down what you are storing in the space, and enjoy your new storage.

Go Back to School: Fall Organizing Classes

Feeling overwhelmed by papers, piles, toys, and all the other "stuff" in your home?  Check out my classes this Fall and learn some new strategies to deal with the clutter.

10/17  Where Do I Put This? Simple Organizing Strategies for Busy Families

 Minuteman Community Education, Lexington MA   Register here

10/25  Organizing for Busy Parents

North Suburban Family & Child Resource Network   *open to members only

11/8  Papers, Piles & Projects: Strategies to Clear the Paper Clutter 

Minuteman Community Education, Lexington MA   Register here

Especially for Parents: Homework Helpers  

Try these tips to set up an effective homework spot for your child:

1. Clear the desk clutter. Does your child have a clear space to spread out and work? Remove anything that has piled up on the desk but isn't related to homework.
2. Have the most-used supplies (pens, pencils, stapler, notepad) out on the desk and ready to go.
3. Make sure your child's desk has drawers or another spot to keep the less-used school/craft supplies.
4. If your child prefers to work at the kitchen, stash supplies in a cabinet or basket.
5. Have good lighting for the workspace.
6. If your child likes to work on the bed, get a lap desk.
7. Provide a place for the papers. No matter where your child likes to work - desk, bed, or kitchen counter - be sure they have a place to store their school papers. A desktop file works great - label a folder for each class.

 For more back-to-school tips, search "school" on the That's Neat! Blog.