10 Steps to a Decluttered Closet

Does it feel overwhelming just to think about organizing your closet?  Pick one that's manageable and decide to do it in one day. Throw away everything that's irreparably stained or torn (unless, cut up, it will make good cleaning rags); give away anything you haven't used in the last year. Just do it.   

Organizing your closet (and home) can take time and effort, but with simple tips and steps from Tomboy Tools and HGTV, your living space can become a clutter-free environment.  Here are 10 steps that can help you get started organizing and feel great about it. 

Learn how to make your closet work for you -- and your clothes.

Step 1: Assess Your Big Obstacles

Are your shoes overtaking the space? Try a hanging-shoe rack or over-the-door organizer. Do your clothes overcrowd? Thinner hangers create space so you can find things easier. Feeling rushed each morning?  Dividing shirts, dresses, jeans, etc. bring a sense of order and saves time. Solving your biggest problem will motivate you to create the closet of your dreams.

Step 2: Make it a Family Effort

Getting your hubby and kids involved in organizing can make a difference in your family's day-to-day life. Everyone should be in charge of his or her own clothes, accessories, and toys. This will cut your cleaning time in half and ensure nothing important is thrown away by mistake.

Step 3: Take An Hour

Scheduling just 60 minutes a week can really make a dent in your overstuffed, cluttered closet. Can't spare that much? Try two half-hour sessions. If you're constantly being interrupted by "Hey Mom!" -- ask your spouse to take the kids out for the afternoon. Remember to return the favor when it's his turn to hit the closets.

Step 4: Start from Scratch

Take everything (yes, everything) out of your closet. If you don't remove it all, chances are the same unworn clothes will be moved around the closet. Now it's time to sort. Throw out old and damaged clothing. Donate what you don't need or don't wear.

Step 5: Out with the Odd

Remove items that have no business in your closet. Bank statements, insurance information, or tax documents don't belong next to your shoes, scarves, and sweaters. Create a Life.doc to organize and store all of your important documents in one accessible place. File the remaining papers in an office cabinet or milk crate.

Step 6: Organize in Sections

Designate a place for everything in your closet. Shoes in one place, sweaters in another, and so on. This will help you keep order and save you time each morning. Make smart use of the space. Installing shelves will double your storage and help sweaters and t-shirts keep their shape better.

Step 7: Apply the 80/20 Rule

You may not want to admit it, but the majority of clothes you have probably go unworn. It's said that the average American only wears 10 to 20 percent of their clothes. To cut down on the fluff, remove items you haven't worn in a year. Drop off the excess at Goodwill or arrange a clotheswap with friends.

Step 8: Put One In; Take One Out

For each new item you buy to put in your closet, donate one item (or pitch it if it's past its prime). This will keep you from returning to your pat-rack ways.

Step 9: Keep It Going

Dedicate 15 minutes a week to straightening your closet after the "big clean". Spending this small amount of time will ensure you never have to go through a major de-clutter again.

Step 10: Reward Yourself

Recognize and celebrate what you've done. Treat yourself to some new hangers or buy that silk blouse you've been eyeing. Now, you actually have room for it!

Resource:  HGTV.com  Sarah Welch and Alicia Rockmore are the co-founders of Buttoned Up, a company dedicated to helping stretched and stressed people get themselves organized. They are also co-authors of Everything (almost) In Its Place.

Kitchen design trends for 2013

WHAT'S HOT IN THE KITCHEN?

Sheknows.com talked to top designers and kitchen experts to get the scoop on the hottest trends in kitchens for 2013. Whether you're looking for a quick update or a total overhaul, you'll love these ideas.

Comfort and practicality

Of course everyone wants a kitchen that's beautiful, but comfort and practicality are also musts. Designer Joanne Hudson, who is responsible for kitchens for some of the most discriminating clientele in the world, offers her insight into some of the top trends.

"I'm currently working on a kitchen in the Hamptons," explains Hudson. "Many of these homes are second homes, so clients are having more fun playing with different textiles, marbles and materials than they otherwise would have — for example, butcher block countertops instead of luxurious custom marble. With that in mind, I think creating a more comfy, approachable space with uniquely bold details will surely be a kitchen trend for 2013."

Instead of just looking good, today's kitchens are more practical, too. "We do a lot of urban kitchens and try to get the most function per square inch but stay as married to the original design concept as we can in those situations — no matter how big the space," Hudson says. "For instance, using stained glass windows to mask an unsightly alley view, use all white cabinetry to open up a space as opposed to darker toned choices or utilize a backsplash with a stainless rod to hang your kitchen utensils as opposed to just having it be decorative. It can still look just as beautiful but also serve a purpose."

Flex entertaining spaces

Emmy-winning lifestyle host and best-selling author Christopher Lowell says that open-concept, flex spaces will continue to be one of the hottest kitchen trends throughout 2013.

"More then ever, homeowners are realizing that the kitchen is truly the hub of the house even beyond simply food prep," says Lowell. "Especially in older homes needing updating, the walls between rarely used formal dining rooms and kitchens are coming down in favor of more open lounge, family bistro-style flex spaces that we have enjoyed outside the home. While investments in the past years have been small upgrades to maintain the home, Americans are finally willing to do some serious remodeling now since it's quite obvious that people want to gather, hang out and casually entertain without having to go from room to room.

"The advent of a growing (if not booming) interest in food, food culture and cooking as a pastime by both sexes rises at the same time that the economic environment forces a return to in-home entertaining. So the size of center islands increase as not only prep areas but buffet and eat-at stations and bars as well. Once again people are taking their cues from their favorite, flexible public spaces — places they have already experienced firsthand."

Kitchen technology

We all know that it's a digital world these days, and that fact has definitely spilled over into interior design.

"The kitchen is without doubt the heart of the home. It always has been, but in a much different way than it is now. People gather in it, laugh, play, work and cook in it. The kitchen is not just a natural extension of the great room, it has become the great room," says Hudson. "My own kitchen houses many outlets so my husband can plug his laptop into the island and work, and my son can charge his cell while I boil a pot of water for pasta. I think technology will without doubt be a big part of kitchen design in 2013. When I started my business 25 years ago, clients didn't want more counter space for their televisions, appliances didn't have the ability to talk or shut themselves off, and the kitchen played a much different role."

Lowell agrees: "Wi-Fi is now built into these spaces deliberately, turning the open communal space into an internet cafe so family members can stay connected on smartphones and laptops."

Subdued hues

When it comes to color, stark white kitchens and bold shades are out for 2013, according to Lowell.

"Because these areas are now co-mingling hubs, the high-energy color palettes of the past — yellow, chili red, etc. — give way to a more neutral, calming colors that were once reserved for places like bedrooms. The spa-influenced colors like shale, flannel gray, putty and deep tan now dominate."

More kitchen trends

Dixie Stark of Dixie Stark Interiors talks to us about some other kitchen design trends to keep an eye on in 2013.

• Chef's kitchens — Deep single basin sinks, tall professional faucets and every possible appliance one can incorporate to create the perfect clean workspace... including built-in espresso makers.
• Alternative countertops — "We are also aware of the shift from granite countertops to alternative choices like basalt, limestone, marble, glass, metal or anything reclaimed," explains Stark. "With the new sealers on the market, there is less concern for alternative choices of stone. However, when we do specify granite, we often recommend tumbled or textured finishes over the typical honed or polished. This changes the look, but maintains the durability of the granite."
• Contrast of color — Stark says, "Contrast of color is favored over monochromatic schemes in most cases. It makes the space more interesting and sharpens any special design elements. We are recommending both stained and painted cabinetry depending on the location and lifestyle of the project. For example, wood-stained cabinetry with lighter countertops or darker floors with lighter painted cabinetry."
• Eco-friendly options — Environmentally-friendly materials have been making their way into kitchens for the past few years, and, in 2013, kitchen design is getting even more eco-conscious. "In Seattle, we are required to compost, therefore we are integrating not only trash and recycle locations into our cabinetry, but also a compost container!"

Resource:  Sheknows.com by Kori Ellis