Take charge of clutter with closet makeover

Organizational items turn wasted space into a color-coordinated room.
By HELEN MALANI
SCRIPPS HOWARD
Sometimes it takes hitting rock bottom before you make a change. For me, rock bottom occurred last year when I was 20 minutes late for a friend's wedding because I couldn't find one of my strappy black heels.
The monster that lived deep inside my closet had taken the shoe, leaving me with only one. After missing my friend walk down the aisle, I vowed to kill the monster. Spring cleaning had never been so cathartic.
It's about this time of year when your closet has gotten a bit out of control. A closet is one of our most used spaces, and probably one we invest the least resources in. It's as deserving of a remodel as any room in the house. I recently found some Web sites to spark your imagination on the possibilities.
For inspiration
Easyclosets.com offers a step-by-step virtual closet makeover. Enter the dimensions of your closet's walls and EasyClosets.com provides you with a suggested plan that you can tweak to your liking. Use it for inspiration, or purchase a self-install custom closet organizer.
If a total remodel is beyond your budget, an easy redo is completely affordable with a few essential organizational tools.
If you have space above your closet rods, put shelves in. Lightweight wire shelves will do the trick. Wicker baskets are attractive too. Or instead you may prefer clear plastic bins so you can see right through them. Sites like Organize.com, ContainerStore.com and TheStorageStore.com are great places to look at options.
Double hangers
To increase your hanging space with ease, a double closet rod suspends from an existing rod. When it comes to hangers remember wire bad, plastic good, wood better. Hangercity.com is a one stop shop for all hanger needs. And for lesser-used gowns, dresses or suits, a canvas garment bag is great for tucking them away in a corner of your closet. And unlike plastic dry cleaner bags, canvas allows fabrics to breathe.
Shoes should be stored in a way that makes them easily accessible. For your closet, that may mean a floor rack, hanging cubicles or an over-the-door system. For me an over-the-door wire shoe rack that holds 24 pairs has worked wonders.
Now that your storage system is in place, consider sorting your closet by color. All your black shirts, then blue, then white and so on and voil & aacute;, your closet becomes a beautiful room