http://www.bin-store.com/blog

It’s easy to remember to organize your bedroom closet, because that is an area of your house where you spend a lot of time. What about easily forgotten spaces though, like your coat closet? The entry hall is an area we tend to pass through quickly on our way to get comfortable, and odds are you may not use the coat closet all that often. And even if you do, you probably shove your coat, umbrella, or boots inside without looking. When’s the last time you checked inside to see what kind of state the entry closet is in?

It’s smart to break out your cleaning supplies and dive into the coat closet about once a year, and this is the perfect time to do it. If you live in an area where you need to use heavy winter gear, you probably have set most of it aside for the year. It may still be in there, cluttering up the works, and you will need to decide what to do with it.

Start out by pulling everything out of your coat closet. Get your boots, sports supplies, umbrellas, and other items off the floor, and even consider pulling your coats down from the rack. Once you have everything out of the way, you can get out your vacuum cleaner, get the floor cleaned up, and dust any shelves your closet might have. Wipe down for mold with bleach or vinegar, and wait for everything to dry off.

It is a great idea to put your heavy winter items in storage at this point, unless of course you live in an area that is cold year-round. If you have room in your closet, you can stow them in your top shelves. Otherwise, you may want to fold them up in some large plastic storage containers and put them in an attic or in your basement where they are out of the way. Make sure everything you store is dry before you put it away.

If you don’t already have them, some plastic storage bins for the floor of your closet are a great idea too. You can use them for shoes, boots, outdoor toys and sports equipment. That way you keep your floor from collecting rainwater and dirt. This prevents mold from making a home inside your entry closet, and saves you from having to put so much energy into cleaning the closet floor later in the year.

Now you can put back everything that you will need to enjoy the summer. Later in the year you can take the opportunity to switch your winter gear back in and pull out your summer gear and put that away in storage where you had your winter gear. When you organize your coat closet in conjunction with the seasons, you keep the things you really need accessible. You may even find yourself using your coat closet more and ignoring it less—which in turn will help you keep it organized and clean throughout the year.