Great Tips for Choosing Furniture

Great Tips for Choosing Furniture

by: Keith Kingston

You’re finally going to do it! No I don’t mean tie the knot, I mean your finally ready to buy that new furniture you’ve been dreaming about. We adorn our bodies with fashion which makes a statement about who we are. Your furniture does exactly the same thing for your house. It’s your fashion statement for your home. Here’s some helpful tips on getting the most value for your money, and choosing furniture that will work with your home and your lifestyle. You’re friends will be green with envy when they see your new look. First you need to know the size of the rooms you are going to be furnishing, right down to windows, and walls that might not work well. You can either purchase a piece of software that will help you design a cozy room or grab a pencil and paper and start sketching. If you have any original pieces you are keeping, then make sure to work them into your room plan. Once you’ve decided what would look good where, and how large of furniture you can purchase, you need to set your budget. Decide how much money you are willing to part with and stick to it. Once you know how much your going to spend you’ll be able to decide on the type of furniture. Determine the type of use the furniture will get. Are you buying furniture for a family room or a living room? If your buying for a family room you’re going to want to look at furniture that’s built to hold up with high use. If your buying furniture for your living room, and it’s more of a show room then you might look at fancier, less functional furniture. When deciding on the type of furniture also take into consideration your lifestyle. Do you have pets that are going to claw or chew? Do you have small children? Is your home air conditioned? Leather is a great example of a piece of furniture that looks good, but can be downright uncomfortable in the hot weather, unless you have air. Once you’ve narrowed down what you’re in the market for, make a list itemizing each piece you’re looking for. Include sizes that will work, color preferences, all the fine details. You’d be surprised at what you’ll forget once you walk into the furniture store. It’s easy to get distracted because of all the choices. But with list in hand you’ll be prepared. Make choices that will last you for years. Don’t choose trendy furniture that you’ll be tired of in six months. Furniture is a big investment, so keep your tastes in check and choose furniture that will look and feel good for years to come. You can add some trendy small ticket items such as vases or wall décor. Keep your furniture colors easy to work with. That way you will be able to do a room face lift just by changing out small ticket items, like pillows, ornaments, and wall art. Once you’ve found that perfect piece of furniture, get physical with it. Check the construction of it, watch for low quality assembly. If you buying a couch or bed, sit on it, move around on it, see if it fits your body well. Check to see if you can feel springs, if the buttons are attached well, if the seams are finished properly. Don’t take any piece of furniture at face value, get underneath and check the entire construction of it. Once you’ve made your choices, all that’s left to do is pay and wait for delivery. If you have old furniture in the room, it’s easier to dispose of this before the new furniture arrives. Prep the room, so that when the delivery guys arrive they can place the furniture where it belongs. Stress free furniture shopping can be accomplished with just a little bit of pre- planning. Now all that’s left to do is enjoy your new room! About the author: Keith Kingston is a professional web publisher who is an authority on a wide variety of subjects. Find out more about his reviews on sofas and couches at http://www.discount-sofas.com

Gardenscape On A Shoestring

Gardenscape On A Shoestring

by: Sara Noel

Many of us flip through garden magazines, all the while thinking that it takes years, a professional, or tons of money to landscape the gardens featured in the glossy pictures. This isn’t necessarily true. You can design a breathtaking garden and be the envy of the neighborhood by following some of the following tips. Know What You Like and What Works Drive around your neighborhood and see what’s out there that grows well in your zone. You can jot down what you see on index cards, so they are organized and handy. Start gathering page clippings from magazines and collect some pictures of the designs that interest you. This can help you decide what garden style you like. You’ll have an easy reference for plants and placement too. Select Location and Color Next, look at your notes and clippings and choose the color scheme you‘d like to have in your garden. Don’t forget to keep in mind if you’re designing and planting in shade, sun, or partial shade or partial sun. Are you looking for something bright and vibrant or something more calming and soothing? Consider starting with a foundation of shrubs and accenting with some perennials, bulbs, ornamental grasses, and annuals for more seasonal color. Perhaps, you want all flowers. Decide on a shape that compliments your house style. Straight styles give a more formal appearance while curves give a more informal feel. If you don’t feel confident selecting colors, you can use a color wheel to help pick contrasting and complimenting colors. Budget and Create a Plan Decide how much you are able to and want to spend on your new garden. Do you want to start with a foundation and add to it gradually? If so, start with purchasing your most expensive plants and shrubs first. Use these as a focal point for your garden. Start watching for sales and discount plants at garden centers and nurseries. Tell everyone you know that you’re starting a garden and would love it if they could give you divisions of their perennials or seeds they have saved from their garden. Let family and friends know that you have a wish list of plants that would be the perfect gift idea. If you have access online, do a search for seed swaps. Many gardeners love to help a new gardener. Many are willing to send seeds for the cost of postage or will trade for something else that you may have that they are looking for. A great resource for free items is http://www.freecycle.org Look for a group in your area, join the group, and post letting the group know that you would be interested in garden plants and seeds. You may get lucky and find that a member of the group has already offered some plants up for grabs. Don’t forget to ask your local garden club when they are having their sales too. You can also start some plants from seed yourself. Many seeds are very easy to direct sow and a little can go a long way. Here’s a partial list of easy to grow seeds: Candytuft Asters 4 o’clocks Sunflowers Pansies Violas Impatiens Dianthus Larkspur Salvia Cupid’s Dart Morning Glories Moonflowers Zinnias Calendula Marigold Cosmos Sweet Alyssum Bee Balm Poppies Nasturtium Don’t forget if you decide to sow into containers, there are many inexpensive containers such as yogurt containers, milk jugs, egg cartons, and plastic ice cream buckets. You can also call your city and see if they have free mulch available. Don’t hesitate to strike up conversations with your neighbors while you’re out for a walk. You never know, the topic of gardening may come up and they might be more than happy to offer you some seeds or divisions. Design Away Now you’re ready to design. You can sketch out your idea beforehand. Keep the following in mind as you design. Scale- Judge the size of the area and choose plants that aren’t going to be too large, too wide, or too small for the area. Keep in mind the plant’s size when it’s met it’s mature growth. Balance-Don’t place your plants where one area is too compacted with plants and another area is too airy. Try and achieve a good balance of small, medium, and large plants. Balance offers visual stability. It can be created with space between plantings or the visual weight of your design. This can be created with lines so that your garden is pleasing to look at from all angles. Focal Point- Your focal point will be the area that your eye is drawn to first. This can be your prized flowers, tree, or shrub. Rhythm- This is visual flow. The eye wanders throughout the entire garden design, but comes back to the focal point. It can be achieved with repetition and contrast. Harmony-Unity- This is when plants have a way of appearing connected and a part of one another. This can be achieved with color, texture, groupings. Unity is lost when your plants look too separate or your color choice makes one plant look lost amongst the rest. Color- Color impacts the entire design process. Use a color wheel if you don’t feel confident selecting colors that go well together. If all of this is too confusing and overwhelming, check out some garden catalogs. Many have suggested designs. It’s also best to place your containers out and arrange and rearrange where you want to plant them before you start digging. Accessorize (homemade garden art) To add some interest and whimsy to your garden, consider some homemade items or trash to treasure works of art. Ideas such as making your own stepping stones, garden markers, terra cotta bird baths or toad houses, painted rocks and pavers, and fun wind chimes are simple projects that can add a lot of interest to your garden area. Look around for unique items you could add to your garden such as milk cans, wooden chairs, ladders, tricycles, wagons, trunks, roofing shingles, mailboxes, or even dressers. The sky is the limit on what you can create. Use your imagination. There you have it and you didn’t have to hire a pro, spend thousands of dollars, or take years to achieve a pretty garden. You won’t be a new gardener for long. Soon, it will be you sharing starts, cuttings, seeds, divisions, and tips. About the author: Sara Noel is the Editor/Publisher of http://www.FrugalVillage.comand http://www.HomesteadGarden.com Visit both these sites for tips on budgeting, gardening, homesteading, supplemental income, crafts, organizing, and simple living.

Gardening-An Expression

Gardening-An Expression

by: Bonnie Moss

Give the same plants to several people, you will see several arrangements. Each one distinct and different, yet, using the same plants. This is the ultimate reward of gardening- a means to express, to create with the help and inspiration from the gifts of Nature. Gardening is not just physically and aesthetically rewarding.It enriches the spirit. It awakens one’s creativity that lies dormant from neglect, or lack of motivation, or a popular excuse, not enough time. Gardening is fast becoming a popular hobby of the times. From the tropics , to the frigid climes, gardening centers are offering more choices to tantalize even the most conservative taste. Each year, gardeners look forward with excitement to their gardening; a hobby they take passionately. What new plants are being introduced? What variety of surprises awaits them? The ornamental gardener will be glorious with the new plants or hybrids for the present growing season. The vegetable/herb gardener looks forward with anticipation at harvest time. With so much variety to choose from, what factors determine which plants to buy? After considering the soil, weather, sun/shade location factors, the choice is all about self- expression. No two gardens are alike, given the same set of plants. Colors are as revealing as the plants. A conservative gardener will opt for traditional plants. At times, you see the same plants, the same arrangements year after year. Aha!! Perhaps the gardener does not adapt to change too quickly. It may be lack of time, or change of physical health. Vibrant colors in the garden reflect a vibrant gardener. A garden bursting with colors is very attractive and pleasing to look at. It is inviting. What about passion? They say red is a color of passion, of energy and courage. Add white to the reds, and the garden beckons the passer-by to take a look. Someone said this combination looks like a candy cane. My garden is overcome by burst of yellows and orange, not really by choice. Somehow, it gives out a golden glow as the blooms bask in the sun. It reflects my enthusiasm for life. Many of my plants are gifts from friends, treasures for my garden. Yellow flowers remind me of my mother. Purples and blues in the garden are colors of reflection, of peace and calm. Add white flowers to this and it invites a meditative mood. After colors, the arrangements of the plants reveal something of the person. I have a friend whose flowerbeds are symmetrical, weedless, picture- perfect, right out of a magazine. Indeed, this expresses her organized way of thinking and living. A gardener who loves to re-arrange the plants and loves to add new plants and ornaments shows an enthusiastic and energetic spirit, ready to welcome change, eager to experiment. What about an overgrown garden? Perhaps it reflects someone with scattered energies, at times, a full plate, or one who does not have the time or energy to tend the garden. It may well show one who starts with a burst of enthusiasm that wanes quickly after the planting is done. No matter how you plan your garden, it is a creative tool that allows you to express yourself. Gardening is therapeutic,physically, mentally and spiritually. Happy gardening.Don’t forget to talk to your plants. E N D About the author: About the writer: Bonnie Moss writes about spirituality, tools available to all to walk the path. Visit her website , a metaphysical site that offers information on tarot, crystals, aura,angels, journalling and other topics. She is the Executive Secretary of Tarot Canada International, contributes articles to the newsletter, Future Endeavours and other ezines. Visit her website: http://goldencupcafe.tripod.com

Find the Best Freezer for You and Your Family

Find the Best Freezer for You and Your Family

by: George Anderson

Freezers are not only a convenience choice; they are an economical one as well. By purchasing bulk food you can save a lot of money and ensure that your family never runs out. You can also store a wide range of products, which will make each of your meals different from the previous one, thus creating a much needed diversity. Choosing your freezer model should follow a few basic guidelines. First of all, determine which freezer model is the best for your home. There are two main models to select from: upright freezers and chest freezers. Vertical (or upright) freezers are a good choice for smaller families, since their storing capabilities are not as high as the chest freezer. They provide you with sufficient space for a lot of food though, and they are convenient to use. Chest freezers are the ones that are shaped like a large box and are lined with plastic. They have all sorts of storage spaces inside the freezer, depending on model and manufacturer, to ensure you always have the most frequently used items at hand. Chest freezers are perfect if you have a larger family of if you plan to deep freeze larger quantities of food for a longer period of time. After selecting the freezer type, you can choose from different available sizes. Most chest freezers are around 15 or 20 cubic feet and can store over 300 pounds of food. This means that you can stuff in a lot of food, but just try to keep everything as organized as possible, since getting out an item in the back of the freezer might turn into a chilly adventure. The smaller upright freezers also offer good storing capacities. Such models have several shelves and compartments for quicker access to your favorite food items. Frozen fruits are best kept in pull-out shelves, so look for such a model if you plan on doing this. If you also store a lot of cans, look for a model that offers ridged shelves that will stop them from falling around. Another choice concerns the method of defrost. Manual defrost is standard for chest freezers – so the freezer actually keeps the low temperature using humidity. The negative part of manual defrost is that, once in a while, you have to empty the freezer and remove the excess ice that was formed. This time-consuming option is balanced by the fact that such a freezing procedure actually keeps food fresher and it eliminates freezer burn. Manual defrost freezers are generally more economical, saving about 40 percent in electricity costs. With upright freezers you can choose between manual and frost free options. Frost free freezers eliminate the need for defrost, but are more energy demanding and store food in a drier environment. About the author: George Anderson has seen how the right freezers can make a lot of difference in a family’s life. Check out his website at http://www.morefreezers.com

Finding your dream home

Finding your dream home

by: Dakota Caudilla

starts with you. That’s a statement that you will have to remember throughout your search for your dream home. The reason is because throughout your journey of finding your dream home, you will find yourself being derailed one time too many. Everyone will want to give you advice on where is the best location, who’s the better realtor, who is better contractor, etc. so, remember, it’s YOUR dream home. When in doubt, refer to yourself. Better yet, browse through magazines and newspapers and cut out pictures of homes that you like, areas that you fancy and paste it into a special ‘My dream home project’ book. This way, you can’t go wrong. The first thing to do is to determine the area where you want to get a house in. Your dream home should not be too far away from your work place, schools, family members, etc…unless you want it to be, of course. Get a real estate agent to help you buy the house off the original owner. Some websites actually allow you to key in an area code and they will give you a whole list of houses on sale in that area. If your dream house is listed, you’re in luck. They will assign a realtor to work with you on buying your dream home. The next step towards buying your dream home is, of course, financing. If you have the cash, you can buy your dream home instantly. Nobody rejects cash! Well, unless the original owner wishes to keep the home because of sentimental reasons. If you’re like the rest of us, you may not have enough money to buy your dream home in cash. So, start researching on an affordable and most viable home loan. The process between signing the agreement to getting the loan to having the keys to your dream home is a long way. This is a good time for you to find a contractor to design and construct your dream home for you. The best way to find a suitable contractor to design your dream home is to ask around – there’s nothing quite like referrals. Referrals mean they are satisfied with the services that have been provided by the contractor. Designing and constructing your dream home is both a painful and pleasurable experience! I mean, you’re literally designing a home that you hope to live in for a couple of years, maybe even for a lifetime! It’s exciting as you watch every single inch of the house transform from an empty hollow shell into the home of your dreams! The artistic input from the designer, your own personal preferences all combine together – and viola! You have a dream home to live in. This is also the time to discuss the inside of your home – would you like it to be cozy or clean and organized? Is there any particular style preference you think you should tell your designer/contractor? Your dream home should be consistent in all areas of the home – but they can have different characteristics. For example, exotic Asian look for the bedroom, French home look in the kitchen and the fun, jovial and cheery look for the kids’ bedrooms. The most important thing to consider is the comfort level and practicality of your dream home. Dakota Caudilla, journalist, and website builder Dakota Caudilla lives in Texas. He is the owner and co-editor of http://www.your-perfect-home.net on which you will find a longer, more detailed version of this article. About the author: Dakota Caudilla, journalist, and website builder Dakota Caudilla lives in Texas. He is the owner and co-editor of http://www.your-perfect-home.neton which you will find a longer, more detailed version of this article.

Finding a Bamboo Flooring Supplier

Finding a Bamboo Flooring Supplier -

by: Marcus Peterson

Bamboo, a type of grass that grows all over China and Southeast Asia, has become a fashionable, high-quality alternative to traditional hardwood floors. Bamboo’s 40-50 foot high stalks reach maturity in just five years and renew themselves naturally, making them a great alternative to cutting down trees that can take decades to reach maturity. Bamboo flooring has been shown to be just as hard, durable, and beautiful as standard hardwood floors, making them a great, environmentally friendly way to add beauty and value to your home. As it becomes more popular, the choices in finding bamboo flooring suppliers will continue to increase, making it difficult for the consumer to know which ones are trustworthy and which are not. Especially when dealing with a purchase that run into the thousands of dollars, it is important that the dealer be someone you can trust. Here are some simple rules for finding a dependable bamboo floor supplier. Check with the Better Business Bureau. They will be able to check if the supplier is a member and even suggest some alternatives. Visit the premises if possible. If shopping online, try to find recommendations. The quality of the website itself is another indication of the seriousness of the supplier. You can always call and see how the staff members treat you on the phone. If something seems amiss or they are disorganized, you are probably better off with someone else. How well do they back up their product? It isn’t hard to find a bamboo flooring supplier who offers a lifetime guarantee on their product. The best gauge of a business is how long it has been around. Successful bamboo floor suppliers like Hawa Bamboo Flooring and Morning Star Bamboo Flooring have made many customers happy and that is why they are still around. Always be wary when dealing with companies that are less than a year or two old. After finding the right supplier and having your bamboo flooring shipped and installed, you will be the recipient of many compliments from friends and neighbors on your investment. Be sure to mention your bamboo flooring supplier to them so they can benefit from word of mouth advertising while you benefit from your beautiful bamboo flooring. About the author: Bamboo Flooring Info provides detailed information about bamboo laminate flooring, discount bamboo flooring, installation, suppliers, and more. Bamboo Flooring Info is the sister site of Hardwood Floors Web.

Fall is the Perfect Time to Organize Your Garage

Fall is the Perfect Time to Organize Your Garage

by: ARA

(ARA) – As days grow shorter and temperatures become cooler, it means the inevitable is just around the corner: everything that came out of your garage this spring needs to go back in before winter rolls around. That means you need to find room for the gardening supplies, the patio furniture, the sandbox toys and more. Not to mention corralling all the tools that you’ve used throughout the summer to tune up the bikes, fix the swing set and put together the new picnic table. If you’re wondering where it’s all going to go, maybe it’s time to spend part of the weekend creating some order in all that chaos. Here are a few ideas to get you started. Divide and conquer Start by separating the clutter in your garage into piles. For example, all snow shoveling equipment (shovel, ice scraper, salt) should be together, all sports paraphernalia goes in another pile, lawn care items in yet another pile … you get the picture. This will give you an idea of what you’re dealing with in terms of organizing. Be sure to have a “throw it out” pile and a “donate it” pile. Throw away broken toys, almost empty cans of paint, and rusty garden tools. Donate sports equipment your kids have outgrown or that extra lawn edger. A place for everything Now you know what you need to store. Home improvement stores are a good place to start. Look for storage systems that match your needs. If your family owns bikes, consider hooks designed to hang them from the ceiling or a vertical bike rack to get the bikes off the floor and create more space. A tall storage cabinet provides a place to put out-of-season toys and tools. Shelving units or wall-mounted cabinets supply a convenient spot for sporting equipment. Take care of your tools For many homeowners, the garage doubles as a work area. If your tools have become scattered over the summer, or if they’re in a pile on your workbench, now’s the time to corral them. A pegboard and a good tool chest will help keep tools safe and handy. Waterloo Industries, the world’s largest manufacturer of tool storage products for professionals and do-it-yourselfers, has a variety of high-quality options. “Our Shop Series is perfect for use in the garage or workroom,” says Mark Ryan, senior product manager at Waterloo. The line includes tool chests, tool cabinets, and tool centers in varying sizes and drawer configurations to fit any need. “These types of products are popular with the ‘weekend warriors,” those individuals who love getting their hands dirty once Saturday rolls around.” There are units that offer a bulk storage area for those large items or power tools. Many chests offer split drawers for all your small hand tools as well as a roomy top tray. If you’ve found that your tools have multiplied over the summer, and you’ve outgrown the storage in your current chest and cabinet, why not consider adding an intermediate chest to expand your tool storage capacity? Intermediates are available in most categories and stack in between your chest and cabinet to help organize your tool clutter. Start with a clean sweep Before you start putting all your organized stuff back into the garage, take the time to sweep the floor and hose it down to get rid of accumulated dirt and dust. If your car has been leaking oil, use a product made for this problem to get it cleaned up as well. With a little time and compartmentalizing, it will be easier than ever to find what you’re looking for, your garage will seem roomier and it will be a more pleasant place to work. You’ll find a wide array of tool boxes and other tool storage ideas at hardware and home improvement stores such as Sears, Menard’s and other retail outlets. Web sites such as www.waterlooindustries.com are also a good source of information. Courtesy of ARA Content

Essential Cleaning Tips for the Kitchen

Essential Cleaning Tips for the Kitchen

by: GranMamma

By: GranMamma Cupboards and drawers should contain items that are grouped together. Store items where you use them. Put your plates near the table, knives near island or cutting counter, glasses near the fridge, and coffee items near the coffee machine. Clean and organize your fridge and freezer just like you would any other cabinet: grouping like items together. Search for things that are not being used once a week on trash day. If you don’t use it, get rid of it. Seasonally used items are better stored in a basement or attic. Have countless cookbooks in your kitchen? Go through and find which ones you use regularly. The others can be stored or given to a friend. Only keep the glasses that you regularly use. The others can be place in storage. There are several specialty organizers available for cabinets. This can help you to organize and avoid stacking. Most of us have lists in the kitchen. They range from the grocery list, to-do list, and notes to family. I recommend buying a magnetic clip for the fridge to hold all of those lists. That way, you’ll always know where it is. No more junk drawer! Just use any type of plastic basket or organizer for your junk drawer. Place all similar items in the same cubby. Then, remember to clean it out once a month. Want to get rid of those tupper ware stains? Now you can! All you need to do is put your stained bowls outside in the sun or in front of a sunny window for a few hours. Walaa, your tupper ware is looking like new again. Kiss those tomato based stains good bye About the author: GranMamma is the webmaster at http://www.babynamebox.com- Where you can explore over 6,000 baby names and their meanings. Read articles ranging from parenting and family to home and garden or find the perfect recipe. Be sure to say hi to GranMamma!

Down and Dirty Real World Clean Sweep for Work at Home Women

Down and Dirty Real World Clean Sweep for Work at Home Women

by: Pamela Cole Harris

Most TV “Lose-All-The-Clutter-And-Gain-A-Lot-Of-Baskets-With-Labels” organizing shows concentrate on long term solutions to your messy, messy ways. But for those who work from home, sometimes clean and organized lags behind paycheck and deadline. But what if your mother-in-law is coming down the street and your home looks like the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew? Or what if your picky neighbor shows up unexpectedly? (She’s borrowing sugar…AGAIN?) You need help QUICK! Here’s some ideas for quick down and ..ummm…dirty cleanup (and a few ideas for items to have on hand for future emergency cleanups!) 1. Grab several large garbage bags and stuff in all clutter. Don’t stop to sort. Just stuff it all in and move the bags to the garage. Keep the bags in the garage for a month. If you don’t remember what’s in the bag, or miss something which may have been stuffed there, then donate the entire bag to a thrift shop. (No fair peeking inside – if you didn’t miss it, you don’t need it!) 2. Invest in a couple of large storage ottomans. You will be surprised how much you can stuff in those ottomans between the time your mother-in-law gets out of the car and the time she rings the doorbell!) 3. Invest in under-bed storage boxes. No self-respecting neighbor will look under your bed. (If she does, you might want to reconsider your friendship! Who wants a neighbor you can’t be messy with?) 4. Buy a sofa with a skirt. Those wonderful skirts can hide a multitude of sins…and a few dozen shoes and a big stack of newspapers, magazines and week-old potato chips. 5. Don’t forget the laundry you can hide in your washer and dryer! Don’t worry about how much it holds � just stuff and hide! 6. Don’t hide the clutter in closets! It’s the first place your mother-in-law will look! 7. If all else fails, just say you are getting ready for a yard sale and you were just beginning to price your treasures! (Care for some old magazines? Just a quarter each! How about a couple of half-eaten bags of cookies? I’ll make you such a deal!) As a freelance designer and writer, my priorities are time with my husband, time with family, answering my reader’s questions, and meeting my writing deadlines. Placed proudly at the bottom of my list is housework. If you work from home, don’t feel guilty for trying these ideas. As my mother always told me, “You can always do housework when you can’t find something interesting or fun to do!” About the author: Pamela Cole Harris has been a writer and designer for 35 years (Yikes, has it been that long?) Enjoy her tongue-in-cheek approach to inexpensive interior design at: http://www.homeandgardenmakeover.comand http://www.diy-homedecor.com

Double The Storage Space In Your Bedroom Closet

Double The Storage Space In Your Bedroom Closet

by: Lee Dobbins

Everyone needs more storage space, right? Well a good closet organizer can double the storage space in your closet and make it easier for you to find just what you need. There’s 2 basic types of closet organizers. One is actually more like closet furniture and has built in drawers cubbies and of course poles to hang your clothes. These can run you quite a bit of money but do a great job to organize and beautify your closet and will be durable enough to last a long time. A less costly alternative is found in wire closet organizers that offer almost the same amount of organization but aren’t as pretty and may not wear as well. Both kinds will work with a walk in closet or a simple reach in closet. When buying an organizer system for you closet, you want to keep in mind what kind of clothing you have and how much of it. Do you have tons of shoes, but not a lot of shirts? Then you’ll want more storage units for shoes. If you have a lot of hats, scarves and purses, make sure you design in storage space for those. Your organizer system should be customized to the types of clothing and accessories you own as much as possible. There are many different storage units you can incorporate into your closet design to make things easier to find and also give you more storage space. Some of the organizer units you might want to think about include: Shoe Cubes – each cube fits a pair of shoes and they stack on top of each other so all your shoes are available at a glance Shelves – for folded jeans, sweaters, purses and hats Tiered Tie Racks – for ties, scarves or belts Drawers – for those personal items you don’t want to leave out in the open Slide Out Bins – great for laundry, just slide them out and bring them down to the washer. A well though out closet organizer design can double or even triple your storage space. Don’t forget to add stacked rods for your shorter items to hang on top of each other which gives you twice as much space in the same linear area. About the author: Lee Dobbins is editor of Bedroom Designs and Decorations where you can find great bedroom design ideas for dozens of bedroom themes.