MJF apartment living can come with a lot of perks: Valparaiso has a great local community to interact with, paid amenities, and free maintenance. But when looking at apartments, closet space can often leave something to be desired. Here are the top 5 easy tips for making the most out of a smaller closet.
1. Add an extra rod
If you find that storage is a major issue, add a tension rod. This additional closet rod can be temporarily installed to double your storage space without leaving any lasting damage.
2. Consider a clothing rack
Put your most-loved clothing pieces on display with a clothing rack! Clothing racks allow for some more seasonal items to live outside of the closet and also offer a pop of decoration for the bedroom.
3. Go vertical
You may have seen the life hack where people put a soda tab on their hangers to accommodate more hanging options. The premise behind that ingenious trick is this: why choose horizontal storage when vertical is the way to go? Look to the soda tab trick or even using metal chains and s-hooks or shower rings to accomplish more tiered storage options.
4. Find room for shoes elsewhere
People often want all their clothing to live in one place but if space is a factor, it’s time to get creative, especially with bulky shoes. Use alternative forms of storage and reclaim unused space in your apartment, like under the bed or in hallway closets.
5. Swap out seasonal clothing
When summer strikes, the winter parka that’s shoved into the back of your closet is just taking up space for more seasonally-appropriate items. When the seasons change, swap out your closet, too – use space saver bags that collapse bulky clothing items so they can be stored in a smaller space.
Bonus tip: donate excess clothing
It’s hard to part with the pieces of clothing we love, but what about the pieces that you just don’t wear? Many of us have a sweater (or two!) that never quite fit our style but we keep holding onto out of obligation or nostalgia. Donate them to a local Valparaiso charity such a Goodwill, Bathesda Resale Shop, or New Creations Resale and help a person in need.