Stuff — we all have it. You know, that ever-growing stack of books in the corner or those shoes that live under your chairs and tables. Tools. Piles of paperwork. Whatever it is, everyone has some. If yours is beginning to take over your life and your home, there are professionals that can help.
Closets by Design, the nationwide leader in home organization, suggests some tips and tricks to help get our “stuff” under control. Brian Berendsen, general manager of the Chicago North Closets by Design in Addison, and Paul Ridsdale, general manager of the Chicago South/Southwest Closets by Design in Aurora, offer their expert advice and three easy tips to get organized.
1. “To see what you really have worn this year take all the hangers in your closet and turn them the opposite way so that the hanger point is facing you. Every time you wear something, put it back the normal way. At the end of the year, the hangers that are still facing you contain clothes you have not worn. Take those clothes and donate them, this will free up space in your closet.”
2. Berendsen also recommends what he calls a “cleaning buddy,” someone who will help you go through your stuff and advise you on what’s worth keeping. “Sometimes a fresh perspective is just the thing you need to make those kinds of decisions,” he says. It is especially helpful to pick a trusted friend, one who won’t hesitate to be honest about those platform loafers you keep hoping will come back in style.
“Platform loafers?” Berendsen exclaims, “You could fit three pairs of regular shoes in the space those babies are taking up!”
3. Put it away, right away. Ridsdale says that one of the biggest obstacles to leading an organized life is procrastination. Instead of putting something in its proper place as soon as we’re finished with it, many of us place it on the first available surface, and it immediately turns into clutter.
“Of course,” Ridsdale says, “it helps to have a place nearby for all of your possessions, and that’s what we at Closets By Design are here for.”
Closets by Design has two factories with design centers serving Chicago and suburbs; one in Addison at 150 S. Church St., Suite C, or call 630-501-0190 for an appointment to stop by; and in Aurora at 850 Ridgeway Ave., Unit A, or call 630-906-0000 to walk the showroom at your leisure. For more information, visit closetsbydesign.com.
