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Month: October 2023

What Are Some Hints for a Laundry Chute?

         A laundry chute is a beautiful, effortless way to direct laundry from the upper floors of a home down to the laundry area below.  Ideally, laundry chutes should be located in a central area of the home so everybody can access it.

          Laundry chutes can be made out of various materials.  Plywood, sheet aluminum, or 18" diameter furnace heating duct are excellent materials for this area.  Consider the placement of your laundry chute while still in the blueprint stages of your new home or addition.

          When designing your laundry chute, be sure that the opening of the chute is high enough off of the floor so that it doesn't intrigue children.  The opening of the chute should be a maximum of 12" square.  Placing a childproof lock on the door is an important safety feature.

          Design a particular area at the bottom of your chute to catch your dirty laundry.  A stackable wire basket system works very well.  Place a solid shelf on top of the basket system, which will allow you an area to place the bin that will be catching all of the laundry.  Sorting the laundry can be done in the bins below.  When you have filled a basket, you know it's time to do the laundry.

          The advantages achieved by using this system are fantastic.  You will no longer have to carry your laundry down numerous steps to the laundry area, and you will never have to sort your laundry on the floor again.  We hope you enjoy your new laundry chute and your organized laundry area.

Call for information: 610-433-0933. Or email ClosetLady@CreativeClosets.com

Ellyn Elstein The Closet Lady®

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What are some hints for organizing a closet for a handicapped person?

         An organized closet or storage area for a handicapped person can make life much easier.  This will give you the ability to reach most of the items in your closet without difficulty.

          Start by determining the needs of the person you are organizing this closet.  Consider the height to which this person can reach.  It may be helpful to use any difficult-to-reach area for out-of-season items or things not used frequently.  Pull-down rods give easy access to clothes hung high in the closet.  Be sure to allow adequate space for both long-hanging and short-hanging garments.

          Slanted shoe shelves are ideal for organizing your shoes up off the floor.  This will allow you to see and reach them easily.  Drawers or wire bins will be helpful in storing socks, undergarments, sweaters & accessories.  One advantage of open bins is that you can easily see what is in each bin without opening it.

          A closet carousel, similar to machines used by a dry cleaner, is another helpful idea.  They vary in size to fit into a 4'x6' walk-in closet or larger.  With the push of a button, your wardrobe now comes to you.

          Creative Closets, Ltd.'s expert design staff can help you organize this and all of your storage areas.  A personal customized closet will be designed specifically for your needs and can make an excellent gift for a friend or family member.  Give us a call today!

Call for information: 610-433-0933. Or email ClosetLady@CreativeClosets.com

Ellyn Elstein The Closet Lady®

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Are window seats a good idea?

         Window seats aren't just for curling up with a good book.  The space beneath a window seat is a great source for concealing a storage area, and it looks beautiful.

          Window seats are either "built-in" or "built-out". Built-in window seats are usually done during the construction stage of a home or during remodeling.  Build-out window seats can easily be built out of the existing space beneath a window.  A built-out unit can be designed and continued over the wall for more storage and a "built-in" appearance.

          Access to your new storage area can be accomplished in numerous ways.  One way would be to design the unit with a lid or hinged seat, giving you access through the top of the unit.  Drawers can be built under the seat giving you very easy access to stored items by just pulling the drawers out.  Doors can be built on the front of the unit for front access.  Consider the appearance of the rest of the door when designing this unit.

          Hiding a laundry chute in a window seat is a great idea.  A hinged door on the top of the unit will give you access to the chute.  Place a child-proof lock on the door to prevent any accidents.

          Creative Closet's Ltd. can custom design a window seat to fit all of your needs.  Call us for a complimentary consultation.  Enjoy your new storage area and your beautiful reading nook.

Call for information: 610-433-0933. Or email ClosetLady@CreativeClosets.com

Ellyn Elstein The Closet Lady®

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What are some organizing hints for a storage shed?

         A storage shed may be the solution to some of your storage problems.  If you are planning on building a storage shed first consult your local zoning board to ensure that you abide by all the proper codes for your area.

          A storage shed should be at least 6 feet wide and 4 to 6 feet deep.  A wide door opening is very important for easy access to your stored items.  Most storage sheds should be placed on 4 x 4 treated skids of lumber to prevent materials from deteriorating.

          Vinyl-coated steel shelving is perfect to use in organizing your storage shed.  The ventilated shelving will allow great air circulation which will eliminate mildew and that "musty" smell.  This type of material will not warp or rust.         

          Keep everything off of the floor in your storage shed.  Available floor space can be used for heavy equipment such as wheel barrels and lawnmowers.  If you have hinged doors that swing out, install storage racks on the back of the door for additional storage space.

          We hope that these organizing hints will help to make better use of the space in your shed.  Consult your local storage shed builder who specializes in building these storage units.  Creative Closets, Ltd. can help you organize the inside.  Space used unwisely is worthless.

Call for information: 610-433-0933. Or email ClosetLady@CreativeClosets.com

Ellyn Elstein The Closet Lady®

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The appearance of my bookcase is very disorganized, any ideas to help me?

         Bookcases, wall units, and other outstanding storage areas can often end up looking very cluttered and disorganized.  They do not have to appear this way and should be very orderly.  The time you save by being organized is priceless.  The following tips will help you in organizing this storage area.

          Bookcases can be built to have various components.  An open area to display books and knickknack is a nice way to display your interests and also allows you easy access to get what you want from this area.  Part of the unit can include doors.  This will enclose storage possibly for photo albums, loose papers, a television, and even the stereo.

          Drawers in your bookcase will add to the appearance and give you added storage for table linens, and games and your children's artwork can have its own special area.  Slanted shelves are an interesting way to display magazines or books.  Adjustable shelves are most important in this area to give you added flexibility.

          Books are usually not the only thing that ends up on a bookcase.  Stack things in different ways to make them interesting to your eye.  Albums can be stacked lying down or standing upright.  Break up a monotonous look by adding a vase, trophy, or an object that says something special about you.  Utilize the space from floor to ceiling, chances are once a bookcase is there the space will not be used for anything else.

          The way you display items on your bookcase will say a lot about how organized you are in general.  The expert design consultants at Creative Closets are experts in utilizing space.  Give them a call and let them organize you.

Call for information: 610-433-0933. Or email ClosetLady@CreativeClosets.com

Ellyn Elstein The Closet Lady®

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How can I handle my corner closet in an efficient way?

         Corner closets often leave you feeling frustrated, not knowing how to handle the wasted space.  Hanging clothes in this closet is very difficult and corners seem to be useless.  Corner closets can be as space-efficient as every closet in your home.

          Start by measuring your closet and writing down all the dimensions.  Draw a view of your closet down to a smaller scale.  Also draw a front view of each of the walls in this closet down to a smaller scale.  Also draw a front view of each of the walls in this closet.  Use a scale of a 1/2 inch equalizing 1 foot as your basic scale, this will make designing your closet much easier.

          When designing any closet, always remember that clothes hanging on a hanger take up 24 inches of space.  Hanging a rod across the center of the closet 12 inches from the door opening will allow you some hanging space.  Double hanging can also be done off of one or both of the side walls depending on how wide your closet is.

          Corners can be utilized by designing storage shelves in each corner.  Shoe shelves can also be designed in this area.  Shelves in the back corner of the closet can be used for infrequently used items.  If you have a swing door on this closet, use hooks or storage racks to maximize that space.

          Don't let an awkward corner closet back you into a corner.  With some planning and "creative" ideas, all your closets will be space efficient.

Call for information: 610-433-0933. Or email ClosetLady@CreativeClosets.com

Ellyn Elstein The Closet Lady®

Click Here To set up A Complimentary Consultation

We would like to organize a yard sale, any hints?

 Organizing a garage or yard sale is a great way to make a few extra dollars and clear your house of that extra clutter.

          The first thing to do is to get together with your neighbors and decide on a date as to when to have your yard sale.  The more people involved the more successful it will be.  Post signs and advertise your yard sale in local newspapers.  Consider a rain date now so that if weather is a problem, you will be prepared.

          Start in the attic of your home and start cleaning those unwanted items out.  Continue through your home until you have uncluttered your whole house.  Follow that old closet saying "if you haven't worn something in two years, get rid of it."  Remember that one man's junk is another man's treasure.

          Go through and make a list of those items you are going to sell at your yard sale.  Figure out reasonable prices for all your items and keep in mind that your goal is to eliminate this clutter from your home.  Mark each item with its price.  Be sure to keep a cash box on hand with extra currency and change so you are ready for business.

          The day of your yard sale be ready bright and early.  Be sure to have your signs posted days in advance.  Be prepared to negotiate pricing with people, some people live for yard sales.  Most of all have fun at your yard sale, get rid of that extra clutter, and make a few extra dollars.  Have a great yard sale!

Call for information: 610-433-0933. Or email ClosetLady@CreativeClosets.com

Ellyn Elstein The Closet Lady®

Click Here To set up A Complimentary Consultation

I have a very small pantry and would like to know some options for gaining more space.

         Pantry space is very important in organizing your kitchen and eliminating a great deal of clutter from your cabinets.  Space in your pantry as well as all of your storage area should be designed to maximize all of the space.

          The simplest solution may be to reorganize your existing pantry with solid adjustable shelves.  Add wire pull-out bins, and you have storage for potatoes and onions.  A solid top on the system always gives you that extra work surface when the bin system is pulled out to the kitchen.

          It may be time to plan and reorganize your entire kitchen.  Remember that everything must work together.  An organized pantry works wonderfully when your cabinets are organized.

          Utilize as much space for your pantry as possible.  Pull-out pantry racks are available for the interior of your pantry in various sizes.  Build your pantry as as high as possible, things used infrequently can be stored in that area.

          Don't forget your door when organizing your pantry.  A swing door is the best type of door to have in any closet.  Pantry storage racks work great on door interiors and also for small areas within your pantry.  Hooks on the back of the door can hold aprons and accessories for the kitchen.

          Creative Closets, Ltd. design consultants are experts in all phases of organization.  Call us for a complimentary design consultation.

Call for information: 610-433-0933. Or email ClosetLady@CreativeClosets.com

Ellyn Elstein The Closet Lady®

Click Here To set up A Complimentary Consultation

What are some organizing ideas for the sports equipment in our garage?

         Sports equipment in a garage can often end up very disorganized and difficult to find.  The following hints will help you find a place for everything.

          First, go through your garage and eliminate anything that you no longer use or need.  Make a list of all the sports items you would like to store in your garage.  You may keep your skis and ski accessories, bicycles, baseball and tennis equipment, basketballs, and yard games just to name a few.  You must designate one specific area of your garage to store this equipment.

          Special storage racks are available to store much of your sports equipment.  A heavy-duty steel ski rack will store your skis vertically along with a pair of boots and poles.  Tennis rackets and accessories can also be kept on a specially designed-storage rack.

          Rackets can also be hung from hooks or stored in a custom-designed unit that will hold them vertically and individually.

          Bicycles can be hung from the ceiling joists or from hooks off of the side wall.  Basketballs, soccer balls and other similar pieces of equipment can be stored on an upward-slanted shelf, to eliminate rolling.

          Wire drawer systems work well for storing small items. Yard games, toys for the sandbox and other games can be stored in this system.  When recreation time comes, roll the entire system out into the yard and back into the garage when you are finished using it.

          Sports equipment should be as organized as the rest of your home.  Creative Closets' expert designers can help you in any phase or organization, give us a call but beware... organization is addictive, and it will change your life!!!

Call for information: 610-433-0933. Or email ClosetLady@CreativeClosets.com

Ellyn Elstein The Closet Lady®

Click Here To set up A Complimentary Consultation

I am very disorganized and have a very small closet, do you think there is hope for me?

         Have no fear, there is hope for you.  The organization itself is our actual goal.  If we can help you organize certain parts of your life such as your closets, garage, and office, it can often lead to a very organized person.  The first step is deciding that you want to get control of this situation.

          If you have a small closet, then it is ideal to maximize that space.  Design your closet as you would all your closets, by being space efficient.  Small closets need attention too!  Upper and lower hanging an area can actually double your hanging space.

          When reorganizing your small closet, consider allowing all your closets to work together.  Organizing even a small closet can be the start of an organized person.

          Organizing children should be done right from the start.  Allow them a place to store all their things.  It is important to give children reachable hanging space and shelves to store all their toys.  It is unfair to reprimand a child for not putting things away if they have no reachable place to put things.

          Remember that your closet is one thing you normally have to deal with on a daily basis.  Looking into your closet in the morning, even if it is small, should not be a frustrating event.  A great way to start your day is by opening the doors to an organized closet.

          We hope that this article has inspired you to become more organized.  Organization starts in the closet, but it never ends.  Beware Organization is addictive, it can change your life.

Call for information: 610-433-0933. Or email ClosetLady@CreativeClosets.com

Ellyn Elstein The Closet Lady®

Click Here To set up A Complimentary Consultation