Organizing Kids' Closets

There are many ways to keep a kid's closet organized and accessible without spending a lot of money or time. Organizing expert Louise Kurzeka has 10:

1. First, take everything out of the closet and sort, establishing what stays and what goes.

2. Use the highest shelf to store out-of-season clothes or hand-me-downs from an older sibling. Store in labeled containers by season (fall/winter, spring/summer) or by size (3T, for example). Hang out-of-season dresses in the back part of the closet.

3. Place a cardboard box on an upper shelf for donations. As the child outgrows items, they can immediately be put in the donation box.

4. Pair up matching outfits and store them on one hanger.

5. Place a tall kitchen garbage can on the closet floor and use it as a dirty clothes hamper. Kids are more likely to use a hamper/clothes basket that is close to where they change clothes.

6. Place a basket on the floor of the closet for storing stuffed animals.

7. For younger children, it may be easiest to create a home for their little shoes by designating a dishpan on the closet floor.

8. Install a hanging accessory bag with at least seven shelves for holding complete outfits that parents and children put together for the week ahead. Label the shelves for each day of the week, if not already labeled.

9. A shoe-hanging bag is a great organizing tool for holding small stuffed animals, dolls and action figures.

10. For an older child's closet that has wire shelving, consider placing heavy plastic shelf liners on the shelves. Items such as mementos and collectible figurines will be less likely to fall through the shelving.