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by Elizabeth Thompson
Sharing a closet may not be a dream come true, but it doesn’t have to be a nightmare either. Space savers, organizational tricks, and cooperation go a long way toward maintaining order and peace of mind. So grab your spouse, roomie, or whomever you are co-closeting with and find out how to make this a consolidated (and blissful) effort.
Divide and conquer
Time to set boundaries. As tempting as it may be to keep all shoes in one area, all shirts in another, and so on, separating items by person makes finding pieces easy and cuts down on unintentional “borrowing”. So go ahead and divide up space, his/hers, mine/yours style. This clearly establishes where each of your items should dwell.
Curtain call
In mess distress? Whether you share with someone who is less than orderly or simply had no time to hang things up, it doesn’t hurt to have a plan B. Pretty curtains camouflage disarray in a pinch and also help to break up a larger closet into zones. As in, when the curtain is closed…no entry granted.
Bin style
An essential component to every shared closet? Bins! They keep things organized, out of sight and, most importantly, separated. This is also an easy way to stash your stuff and avoid disorder. Bins and baskets can be stored on shelves or in drawers for instant tidying up. Opt for different colors or styles than your partner to make finding your things quick and simple.
Hang tight
Utilize hanging space with the right tools. Hooks, hangers, and racks are a great way to keep the floor free from stray items and maintain neatness. Best advice here, make sure you have equal hanging storage for each person, this way you combat clutter and missing pieces. No draping over chairs or doorknobs allowed.
Color code
Sorting hanging articles by color not only makes them easier to locate, but creates a cohesive look. This goes for stackable items too. You’ll get a surge of rainbow happiness every time you open your closet door.
Shoe in
Shoes tend to take up a lot of area and can get out of control. What’s worse than constructing the perfect outfit and not being able to find a missing shoe, or stumbling over piles of footwear? If you are lucky enough to have built-in
use it! If not, shoe racks are handy for organization and maximizing space. They also come in a variety of styles to suit every closet and shoe type.
Clear vision
Transparent boxes are a convenient option for storing occasional use articles. An easy view means you don’t have to search through everything to find one bag, belt, or pair of shoes. Arrange by style or color and stack them up to save space.
Pretty neat
Jewelry and accessories can be tricky to manage, especially when there are two sets. Make finding your pretties a cinch with eye catching trays. Stash in a top drawer or on a shelf for easy access. An attractive way to corral small items and divvy up space.
Door space
No walk-in? No problem. Utilize closet doors with towel bars, over-the-door hangers, hooks…use your imagination. Perfect for hanging ties, scarves, belts, and bags. Add a mirror and makeup cubby to create a mini vanity for touch ups on the go. This also means you have an extra place to primp when the bathroom is in use.
Time piece
Even a large closet can feel tiny when more than one person is trying to use it. Stagger your time for most efficient (and pleasant) closet usage. If one of you is an early morning person, let them have the closet first. Someone tend to run late? A pretty and functional time piece will help to keep them on schedule.
Clean sweep
No laundry room or clothes chute nearby? A chic hamper or pretty basket holds items that need to be washed, so nothing gets put away dirty or falls into the great clothing abyss. One or two, it’s up to you.