Closets and Storage | |
If you have trouble finding clothes or stored items in your closet, it may be time to de-junk and get organized. The very first step in making closets accessible is to sell, give, or throw away unused items. Never love anything that can't love you back: be absolutely ruthless in discarding junk. When you have reduced your clothing and storage bulk to an absolute minimum, clean out your closets. Remove the top shelf and hanging pole, and install (or have installed) the neat closet organizers that are available today. The double clothes pole, with one pole just over 3 ft. from the floor, is just what is needed in a barrier-free house. Low shelves and clothes poles that are easily reached while seated are ideal for those confined to a wheelchair. Bi-fold, pocket, or sliding doors take up less room and are less in the way than hinged doors. In addition to installing closet organizers, you may want to exchange the doors for one of these other types. If doors are not a necessity, you might want to use lightweight draw draperies on a ceiling track instead. If you have a medium-sized closet, consider installing the Closet Carousel, a motor-driven affair that brings your clothes to you at the push of a button. The carousels are available in any of 10 different sizes, with the minimum space requirement being 4 ft. 6 in. x 6 ft.. There are available attachments that fit onto the carousel and permit you to customize the storage space to your own particular needs. Almost as handy as the carousel is the walk-in closet. Shelves and hanging rods can be set at varying heights to accommodate any variety of situations. With multi-level storage, several people can share the space, with space divided according to individual height limitations and general needs. If you have a closet that is deep, at least 3 1/2 ft. from front to back, you may regret the wasted space. Most modern closets are built so they accept suits or skirts on hangers, so closets are built to single-hanger depth or 24 in. Deeper closets can be made more useful by installing a clothes rod so it hangs 12 in. on center from the back wall. If the closet has a single rod, hang it no higher than 48 in. from the floor, with a shelf 3 in. above the rod. (In a child's room, hang the rod 30 to 36 in. above the floor. You may even install a double pole setup, with one pole set about 36 in. above the floor, and a second pole set about 78 in. above the door. Then install a StorMate unit in front of the hanging poles. The StorMate units are basically chests that fit on a floor track and can be pushed from side to side for access to storage at the back of the closet. The chests can hold clothes in drawers or in shelves, and the units can virtually double the storage capacity of the closet. Surfaces in a closet should be smooth but not slippery. Items stored on shelves should slide off easily but not so fast that they create a hazard. Don't overlook lights for dark closets. If you have your older wiring updated, have the electrician install closet lights where there are none, or install switches to replace pull-chain fixtures. Also available are battery-powered lights for use where re-wiring would be difficult. For the utmost in closet lighting convenience, install door switches that turn lights on and off when the door is opened and shut. The closet doorway should not have a sill or threshold. If the adjoining room is carpeted, run the carpet into the closet as well. Storage devices are available that can be assembled in almost any configuration. Adjustable shelf brackets, combined with steel or wire shelving, can be assembled so that shelves or a desk can be at any height, to make a home office. Coated wire baskets make excellent storage devices. You can find under-bed storage modules that are fitted with casters and can be rolled under the bed when needed, or place a bank of dressers against a wall to provide low level storage and easy access. Written by Gary Branson Reprinted with permission. Copyright HouseNet, Inc. |