No more cluttered closet with expert tips

How to organize a storage room

From the toys of now-teenage children to out-of-fashion accessories, from Christmas decorations to sports equipment, from canned food to household cleaning products: the closet often turns into a black hole in which to hide everything we don't want to leave around the house or that can't find a clear location.

Whether it is an alcove in the crawl space, an open or closed closet or a small room, the closet is a valuable resource that needs to be enhanced and made functional.
Regardless of the square footage available, we learn to look at this space with different eyes, designing it with a creative spirit. How to do it?
We talk about it with professional organizer Francesca Pansadoro, CDA advisor of Organize Italy and project manager of the Educare all'organizzazione project, targeted paths for young people and teachers.
She is then in charge of international relations of APOI (Associazione Italiana Professional Organizer) and a regular guest on Rai 3's Geo program with a column related to organizational issues.

Organizing closet, planning

When grappling with closet organization, the common mistake is to go straight into practice, without providing for an initial planning phase that allows us to think carefully about solutions that fit our space requirements, needs and taste.

Asking the appropriate questions is basic to getting the appropriate answers, keeping in mind that the ultimate goal is to take advantage of every available inch. Let's start by asking ourselves: what should or can our closet contain?

What to put in the closet

The choice starts from theanalysis of the objects we need to place there and the space under consideration, so as to achieve a good balance between needs and functionality.

An example?
If the closet is in the kitchen, we are not going to store footwear there; if it is in the hallway, we may consider that option.
We then proceed with a mapping of the house, so that the right item is located in the right place, considering whether the closet is inside or outside.
Some of the items for which it is difficult to identify a proper location are: the ladder, vacuum cleaner, ironing board and iron, brooms and cleaning products.
The advice is to make a list of the items, and then check whether the chosen space is suitable to accommodate them.

After deciding what to place in the identified area, aware of their footprint and the type of containers and supports needed (transparent cardboard or fabric boxes, container pockets, modular shelves, wall mounts for ironing board and brooms), we carefully take measurements to optimize and make the closet functional.

As for containers and boxes, the variety is really endless.
We go from straw baskets in different sizes to transparent boxes, which allow you to see the contents more quickly, to cardboard or fabric boxes, characterized by attractive graphics and colors that give a greater sense of order, to those with wheels that are very practical.
In the case of a non-sliding door, let's take advantage of the back of it, resorting to multi-pocket elements.
Even risers, usually used inside kitchen cabinets, can be very useful for optimizing the vertical space between shelves.

What can't be missed in an organized storage room

For an organized and functional closet, the use of labels is essential: they allow you to quickly recognize what you are looking for and not waste valuable time.

Organize storage room, materials search

Once we have clarified what our closet is to accommodate and what to buy for storage, we can move on to the phase of searching for supports.
Online makes it easier for us, thanks to the possibility of comparing products and prices and letting our imaginations run wild. In some cases, going to the local housewares or hardware store may be quicker, the important thing is to get there with clear ideas.
The more creative and fun we make the search, the easier and more enjoyable it will be to carry out our project, keeping it over time.

Supports and storage containers

Realizing that the choice of materials for supports and containers is contingent on where they will be stored and what they will contain, we can start with some basic assumptions.
Modular shelving, for example, provides greater flexibility, especially with nonlinear surfaces. A further suggestion is that they be made of an easy-to-clean material such as steel.
The advice then is to put the verticality of the walls to good use.
It can be useful to keep a ladder handy, anticipating where to place it.
We must not forget to pay due attention tolighting.
It is unpleasant to have difficulty locating what you are looking for, just because the light is not sufficient.

The extra idea? In the case of a room-storeroom, the advice is to paint the walls, choose wallpaper or wall hooks that make us smile, daring with colors we like, but that we may not have had the courage to use in other rooms because they were too bold.
Even if it is an unseen space, the closet speaks of us, therefore, it must cheer us up and entice us to keep it well organized over time.
Let's move on to the actual organization, relying on some universal rules:

• at the top, go the things you use less frequently
• bottom, the heavier ones
• In easily accessible areas, place items that you use most often
• take advantage of the verticality of the walls
• the ¾ rule applies: do not overfill the closet, leave ¼ of the space free for easy access to what you are looking for;
• label as much as possible
• in case of small children who will have to enter, store their items at their height.

How to keep the closet organized

Let's get to the biggest sticking point: how to keep the closet organized.
If you live in company, it is good to share the established organizational system with those who will have access to the closet. To make the given setup last, it is important to stick to the rule: a place for everything and everything in its place.

Organizing a storage room: let's get to work!

Once you've designed and purchased what you need to organize the closet, let's get busy.
Whatever the space in question, it needs to be cleaned and scented before filling it.
Grandma's old system with water and vinegar never disappoints, as vinegar has excellent degreasing and sanitizing properties. To keep bad odors away, on the other hand, a tub of baking soda is sufficient.
The advice is to bring the household together to explain to each member the work they have done, giving it its proper value.If everyone has the foresight to respect the organization set up, putting items back where they have been placed, it will be easier to find what you are looking for.
In addition, unnecessary discussions will be avoided and an atmosphere of mutual respect will be established.
Pictured above is an example of an organized closet, from Pinterest.
Finally, to ensure that our closet, over time, does not turn into a black hole, it is recommended that we periodically schedule an inspection of what can be removed or replaced.
In this way, our closet will remain the space we will have designed and organized with creativity and love. Good work!