This client came to me through a previous client and had three closets in her front hall that she wanted some help organizing and stated that one of her goals was to get her vacuum to fit in one of them.
In the biggest closet, she had a cube organizer, shoes, jackets, a computer monitor from work, some paperwork and other random outdoor items. The small closet across from this had an ironing board, drying rack, mop, bucket and broom and her ski gear and boots. It’s a pretty narrow closet so proper use of it is really important. The other closet was more of a linen closet with multiple shelves that are unable to be adjusted height wise. The shelves are also quite deep so things can get shoved to the back quite easily and basically lost.
The first step is always pulling everything out of the areas you are working with so you can see what you have, declutter and get rid of garbage and then categorize what you want to keep. This can be a scary part and feel overwhelming which is where having a professional organizer is very beneficial. I can walk you through it all and keep you going so you don’t want to quit half way!
In this case, we got rid of an enormous amount of items… either they were garbage or recycling or items to donate or sell. There were a few bags of items in there that were already designated for donation but they had been forgotten about.
Once the decluttering was complete and the garbage and recycling taken out I got to work putting the puzzle back together. I moved the ski equipment to the bigger hall closet in the corner which gives her easy access to it during the ski season but it’s also not taking up other space that she needs year round. The computer monitor was going to go back to work and then we used a shoe hanger that she had and used it for her bike helmet, tennis visor and balls, a small foldable chair and then two pairs of shoes. The remaining shoes easily fit on the floor with lots of space. Her jackets hung easily and then we put up two bins, one with hats and one with summer outdoor items that she might need. The shoe hanger works so well for easy to grab items and it’s also super easy to put the items back when she gets home.
I made the small closet, the cleaning closet. The ironing board and drying rack went back in with the mop bucket, mop and broom. Since I had moved the ski equipment the vacuum easily fit in this closet. Goal achieved! It’s always one of my favourite moments when the main goal is complete.
After our decluttering, there were less bed linens so those that were leftover fit easily in her bedroom closet. We used bins (all of which she already had) to contain many of the items. Cleaning supplies, tea light candles, stationary, holiday decor, tools and DIY items were all some of the categories. Again, because of the bins, items aren’t going to get lost in the back and she will easily be able to pull out what she needs and also be able to check quickly on what she has or needs to buy. I think the after photos show a ton of progress and that they will be easily kept up because everything has its place. I’m heading back there in a week to help her with her kitchen cupboards and bathroom storage.
