Opt for Storage Under the Bed
Get more mileage out of the horizontal space in your bedroom with sliding or rolling under bed storage bins. It's a great extension of your closet, allowing you to rotate your seasonal items or even store bigger, bulkier items like backpacks, purses and blankets. Plus, the storage hidden if you have a bedskirt. Stick a label on the outside of each container so when you peek under the bed you'll know exactly what you're looking at. Short on linen closet space? Another idea is to keep extra sheets for your bed here.
Tame the Shoe Pile
Organized Living
One of the quickest fixes to a bedroom closet overrun with shoes is to invest in a shoe rack. "I recommend a rack over a hanging shoe [bag] any day," says Julie Morgenstern, author of Organizing from the Inside Out. Bags tend to sag and take up valuable hanging space, which most people can't afford to give up, says Morgenstern. Plus, an expanding tiered shoe rack below your clothes keeps them accessible and away from dirtying or staining materials. If you have a mountain of shoes, Morgenstern actually says: "Don't throw anything out! Get all 20 pairs of identical black heels lined up nicely." If you enjoy abundance, often in about a year you'll give in to those 20 pairs and be ready to let some go, she says.
Get Your Jewelry in Order
If your necklace collection has outgrown its jewelry box, but you don't have enough for a jewelry armoire, try a hanging organizer. These organizers usually come with or snap onto a hanger and have plenty of clear pockets so nothing gets tangled. Earrings, rings, bracelets and even watches will all have a home here. Added bonus: Having it in your bedroom closet encourages you to wear jewelry more often.
Create a Reading Nook
Rescue your reading chair from clothes and magazines by adding proper organization to a bedroom's reading nook. Next to a comfortable chair, place a side table with drawers and/or shelves to keep piles of books off the floor. Keep one shelf for library books and another for your permanent collections. Magazines are best grouped in a magazine rack. To promote an uncluttered feeling, make sure you have fewer books than fit the space. If you read in bed, Julie Morgenstern recommends having a small bookcase as your bedside table.
Make Your Bed Every Day
Jonathan Allen
Remember when Mom used to force you to make your bed each morning? She was practicing the basic tenet of staying organized. According to Julie Morgenstern, "Don't think of [organization] as 'putting things away,' but think of it as positioning [something] for its next use." Treat your bed as the sanctuary it is by positioning it for use every day. If you spend three minutes each morning to tuck and fold, you'll develop a habit of keeping order in the room, which may translate into motivation for picking up the pile of clothes on the floor.
Take Proper Care of Specialty Garments
Courtesy of The Container Store
If your closet is a haven for vintage clothing or your wedding dress, take steps to organize them by making sure they're cared for. Get everything professionally cleaned, then choose hanger or box storage. If hung, get a quality hanger and wrap the dress or garment in muslin. If boxed, make sure the cardboard is acid-free and wrap each fold or crease in the clothing with acid-free tissue paper. Be sure to hang or store out of the way of your regular wardrobe, and check every year for damage.
Toy-Proof a Child's Bedroom
To tidy up toys, purchase some canvas clothes hampers or crunch baskets, like those from the Container Store. They're soft for your child and great for concealing clutter. Use different sizes for toys, like a smaller one for books and art supplies and a larger one for balls or stuffed animals. Involve your child in the organizing process — you can even turn it into a game — so he or she will be more likely to tidy up after playtime.
Here at Riverview at Nyack, NY would like to help you get organized!