Make Space in your Coat Closet

Now that winter is approaching, it is a perfect time to organize your coat closet. You may just need light jackets now, but the time for big coats, hats, mittens and scarves can sneak up on you quickly. Be prepared by turning your winter necessity dumping ground into a warm welcome on the cold days that lie ahead.

First you will need to get some sturdy wooden hangers to hold those heavy coats and outerwear. If possible, store formal coats, such as long wool or fur coats in another closet. A spare or guest bedroom is a good option for getting the things that you don’t use very often out of the way. Hang your longest and/or bulkiest coats far back against a side wall of your coat closet. They’ll still be accessible, but back out of the way of useable open space. If they’re hanging near the center, they hang down in a space that you could be using for boots, umbrellas or other organization centers.

Install hooks on the walls of the closet to hang purses and bags that you use often. If you have children, you may find yourself needing a larger bag than normal. Once your little ones are bundled up with hats, gloves, mittens and scarves, you think you’re ready to go. Store extra empty tote bags on hooks or on a shelf at the top of the closet. Take an empty one with you to store all those little gloves and scarves that are so easy to lose once you’re in the store or where ever you’re going. You’ll be thankful not to have your purse crammed full when you get to the checkout.

When you’re not using all the little winter accessories, you’ll need somewhere convenient to store them while you are at home. Finding matching gloves and mittens can be time consuming if things aren’t where they are conveniently accessible. Sticking adhesive-backed Velcro strips along the bottom of the door can provide a fun place for little ones to stick their gloves and hats upon returning home. Fun options or special places down low will encourage small children to be organized and put their own things away. Another option is to hang a door organizer on the back of the coat closet door. Install the bar and you can arrange baskets easily to fit your needs. Little shallow baskets for kids’ gloves, a slightly deeper one for scarves and the deepest baskets hold hats. You can even designate different baskets for different family members so that you don’t have to dig through a pile of accessories to find what you’re looking for.

If you have sliding or accordion doors, you might consider a small drawer organizer that can be put on the floor of the closet. Ones designed for crafts are generally a good size for mittens, scarves and hats. A shoe organizer is a great idea for keeping pairs of shoes together for easy access. Once your coat closet is ready for winter, you can relax and wait for the cold knowing that you’ll be prepared and organized.