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Ideas That Spark: Expert Q&A

From the Editors of Ideas That Spark

My 10- and 12-year-old daughters share a closet, which is a complete mess. Clothes are falling off hangers, there are scattered shoes and so many mixed-up piles of stuff on the floor that they often can’t find items. What can I do to get them organized without spending a lot of money?

My two girls also shared a closet, so I’ve experienced this problem firsthand. Here’s how to fix it:

First, purchase another closet bar that will hang from the existing one (usually $15 or less). Designate one bar per girl for tops, skirts and pants. Dresses can be hung to the side of the double bar. Twist rubber bands around the ends of each hanger to keep garments from sliding off. 

Remember: Not everything needs to be hung. For example, jeans rarely wrinkle. Decide what really must be hung and move other items to dressers or shelves. Then add a double row of coat hooks to the back of the bedroom and closet doors for jackets, robes and purses. An inexpensive over-the-door shoe bag or under-the-bed wheeled box will also help with the shoes.

Finally, your daughters should take turns tidying the closet. Set up a schedule for them to alternate cleanups. Place two labeled laundry baskets on the closet floor for dirty clothes, and if you haven’t already, teach them to do laundry. When they have to wash their own clothes, they’ll soon learn to hang things back up.

Lea Schneider is a professional organizer with Organize Right Now and is the author of Growing-Up Organized: A Mom-to-Mom Guide.