When packing away out-of-season items, keep in mind these storage tips to help preserve items made with quality fabrics, leather or fur.

- Remember that ventilation is important when storing natural fabrics like cotton, wool, silk, linen, suede and leather.

- Do not use plastic bags (including vacuum-seal bags) because they can permanently crush fabrics and furs. In addition, the airtight seals can cause mildew and mold growth.

- If you’re hanging garments, use non-rusting hangers and white, muslin garment covers. Allow sufficient space between items for good air circulation.

-  When storing garments in boxes or bins, use sheets of acid-free, white tissue to separate items and line the containers.

- Save space by utilizing unused suitcases to store items made of fabrics that can be folded and stacked safely. Place the heaviest items at the bottom of the pile. Stack items loosely.

- Not all clothes should be folded and stacked. Fur must be hung from the shoulders. To avoid crushing fur, do not put it in a plastic bag or pack it in between hung items. For best results, fur should be stored in professional cold storage.

- Use cedar blocks, etc. to control pests. Because they are toxic, avoid using mothballs if children might have access to them.

- The glue in dresser drawers or trunks that are lined with wallpaper or adhesive liner paper can attract pests so avoid storing clothing in them. The same holds true for glued boxes.

- Do not use starch or fabric finish on any garments that are going to be stored.

Start working on your off-season storage project now and, with any luck, you’ll be done in time to go outside and enjoy the Spring flowers that arrive in May!

If there’s anything that makes a Professional Organizer happy, it’s having a happy, thankful client. This client  of mine expressed herself in such a charming, heartfelt way that reading her email about how much she loved her new calm, organized closet more than made my day.

Most women I know love shoes, but shoes can be some of the most difficult items to make easily accessible in a closet, especially if you have a lot of them. To maximize the available space, we used two different types of shoe organizers. One was a floor-to-ceiling wall mounted Elfa system (pictured above) installed on an inside wall of the walk-in closet and the other was a 30-pair over-the-door shoe organizer (pictured left) installed on the inside of the door. These two space saving items allowed my client to neatly and efficiently store several dozen pairs of shoes and have easy access to them.

But  keep in mind that shoe bags aren’t just for shoes anymore. Over-the-door style shoe bags with clear pockets (pictured below) are some of the most creative and versatile organizing containers I know. They’re inexpensive, hold up well to abuse and work almost anywhere you’ve got a wall or a door. The clear pockets let you quickly see what’s inside each one and clean up easily with just a wipe of a damp cloth or sponge. Keep your socks and pantyhose in the pockets and you’ll make getting your feet dressed in the morning a snap! They’re also great for storing rolled belts, scarves and other accessories.

People often complain that they don’t have enough closet space in their homes. The truth really is that most homes aren’t closet poor, they simply have poorly organized closets. By creatively and effectively using all the available closet space you have and the right storage products, you can make getting dressed and out the door in the morning a breeze!

Shoe organizers are available at the Container Store.

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