I want to share one organization success story with you-Between Christmas and New Years, I cleaned out my frount hall closet(I don't know why we call it that-Its not like we have a back hall, or anything!)

Any way, I pulled EVERYTHING out -I don't know why there were dish towels in my coat closet......I actually went to Lowes and got a new shelf and put it up (almost) by myself, and bought -on clearence! some bright plastic baskets. Any outgrown/rarely worn coats hats boots etc were given to smaller cousins or donated to charity, any thing in there that didn't belong to us-cousin gloves, a jacket left by a guest were returned to thier owners, toys, sports equiptment and tools put in their proper places. Now, everything has a place in my closet. Mittens go in one of the baskets, gloves in another, All coats hung up, a plastic bin for shoes/ boots (because we have hardwood floors, we encourage people to take their shoes off at the door. I have a place for shopping bags, and there is even a small basket for those things that need to go somewhere else-you know, the dish that someone brought to dinner, the tool that was borrowed from Father in Law, the catalog you think your neighbor would like to see. For a month, I have stressed to my family (they would say nag)the importance of HANGING UP YOUR JACKET WHEN YOU COME IN THE HOUSE INSTEAD OF FLINGING IT ON THE COUCH!!!!! My husband and I have (finally) broken that habit-they say it takes about a month... the kids are doing much better they stil need a reminder every now and then. At the end of this month, the closet still looks great. My husband has remarked twice how nice it looks and its easier to keep clean-I can just glance at it now and see whats out of place. I'm am so encouraged by this, I'm tackeling the rest of the house, focusing on one area a month.

-- Kelly (KY) (Homearts2002@yahoo.com), January 28, 2002

Answers

Congratulations Kelly! This is something I am continualy struggling with. We have so much stuff around here. I am always asking myself if we really need something, and if someone else can use it instead. I have found by ridding out unwanted or no longer useful items, it seems like the house is much bigger.

I am going to do some more sorting myself soon. I am rearraning some furniture and am going to be giving away a couch, a TV, 2 recliners, a child's desk, 2 book shelves and some plants. I continue to try to simplify my life!

-- Melissa in SE Ohio (me@home.net), January 28, 2002.

Oh yes! Congratulations! I like the box for things going in and out of the house. I know about the harping about hanging up coats. It really makes a difference when you need to go to school in the morning, etc...

-- Ann Markson (tngreenacres@hotmail.com), January 28, 2002.

One more thing: Have you thought about putting some hooks on the inside of the door to hold bags of things or to hang a jacket--like one you quickly need to go to the mailbox or something?

My biggest beef was that I was the only one in the household who would CLOSe the closet door and it was in the front hallway. You can bet that the new house the closet door will not be next to the front door!! And our coats will be hung near the back door.

Do you have a place for backpacks? I found it doesn't pay to have hooks for these as a long term answer for kids because by fourth grade the backpacks are too heavy for the hooks (and my children--but that is another orthopedic topic!). I'm thinking of making little benches in the closet so boxes can be put underneath and it will be easier for them to pick up their backpacks.

Any other closet ideas? Keep them coming....

-- Ann Markson (tngreenacres@hotmail.com), January 30, 2002.