Tag: reduce clutter

Posted on by spacelift

Clone Your Closet for More Closet Space

Everybody wants more closet space. Some want it more badly than others. “House Beautiful” says 1 in 2 people would give up sex to have more closet space – for six months no less, six months celibate that is; you get to keep the extra closet space for as long as you own the home. “USA Today” cites more closet space as the number 3 feature for which home buyers are willing to pay extra, ranking behind new appliances and central air. “Hollywood Reporter” reports, “$100k wardrobe rooms with multiple stories, putting greens and coffee machines.” SpaceLift Products offers this simple solution: clone your closet.

Most of us are probably not knocking out a wall or converting an extra bedroom to create more closet space. But as we like to say at SpaceLift Products, “Convenient home storage is looking up.” In most homes the answer is right above your head. With an attic, a SpaceLift™ attic lift, and a portable wardrobe, you can quickly and conveniently open up a lot more closet space.

Our secret, “more closet space hack” is rotating seasonal clothing from closet to attic. Even if you live in southern climates, we’ll bet you still have a collection of short sleeve shirts, tank tops, shorts, summer dresses and more – and a corresponding set of long sleeve shirts and blouses, light jackets, long pants, sweater dresses and such. Why keep all these in your closet all year long?

Secret to success is making the seasonal clothing transfer easy and convenient. Here’s how.

First, get a SpaceLift attic lift. This patented invention is like a dumbwaiter to move storage between the living space of your home and your attic or basement. It’s like having a mini freight elevator that fits between the floor joists in your home or garage. It can carry up to 200 pounds per trip with up to 24 cubic feet capacity with no height restriction. It is microprocessor controlled, easy to operate, with built-in safety features like obstacle detection. It can be installed in a day; many are installed as D-I-Y, do-it-yourself, projects.

Next clone your closet with one or more portable clothing racks. Portable wardrobes are available from places like Bed Bath & Beyond, Walmart, Amazon, etc. You can get a plain rack, or fancier versions with wheels and zip-over covers. Purchase a size that fits on the SpaceLift attic lift’s low profile platform, either 18 or 24 inches wide by 41 inches long, depending on which model you purchase. With no vertical height restriction on the SpaceLift, you can wheel the whole wardrobe onto your lift for quick trips to and from the attic or basement.

Then each year as the seasons change move all your out-of-season clothes out of the closet and into the attic to open more closet space for the current season’s wear. End result is more closet space you can use for a larger seasonal clothing collection if you wish, or to add more year-round couture.

Once you have a system in place, you can purchase a portable wardrobe for each closet in the house, perhaps his and hers versions for your walk-in closet. Portable wardrobes start at under $20. SpaceLift attic lifts are $1,895 or $1,995 depending upon size, come with a 2-year warranty and are built to last a lifetime of closet rotations.

Of course, once you have your SpaceLift attic lift you can use it for lots of other storage solutions, including more closet space by moving other items. For example you can rotate storage containers of seasonal shoes from sandals, flip-flops and mules to boots, high tops and closed toes.

Most people give their beds seasonal makeovers as well. With your SpaceLift and some storage bins, you can easily rotate between quilts and summer blankets into and out of convenient attic storage.

shows portable wardrobe with winter clothing being carried in and out of the attic on a SpaceLift attic storage lift.
Portable wardrobe lets you “clone your closet” but using attic storage for seasonal clothes, blankets and more.

There’s also the concept of making more room in your garage by moving seasonal items in and out of storage there too. But this blog is about creating more closet space. Review the other blogs on our website for ideas relating to garage storage, storing holiday items, defeating clutter, claiming more living space and more.

Resources:

House Beautiful: 1 in 2 People Would Give Up Sex to Have More Closet Space

https://www.housebeautiful.com/lifestyle/organizing-tips/a21240308/makespace-survey-people-choose-closet-space-over-sex/

USA Today: 11 home features buyers will pay extra for

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2013/04/28/24-7-home-features/2106203/

Hollywood Reporter: The Psychology of an Organized Closet

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/psychology-an-organized-closet-952267

Bed Bath & Beyond: Portable Easy View Wardrobe

https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/portable-easy-view-wardrobe/1011192114

Posted on by spacelift

Bust clutter. Getting rid of clutter would eliminate 40 percent of housework in the average home. It can reduce asthma and allergy triggers, according to The American Cleaning Institute. “For many people the conundrum is: do they have too much stuff or not enough space?” said Dave Berliner, inventor of the SpaceLift attic lift. His invention solves the problem of using your attic for storage by creating easier and safer access. Even the famed clutter buster Marie Kondo says, “The aim of storage is to give every item a home – a designated spot for it to rest and recharge when not in use.”

“Many organization gurus tell you to purge, get rid of your stuff. I disagree. It’s your stuff. There’s likely a good reason you kept it in the first place. Busting clutter may simply be a matter of moving some of your stuff out of your living space and into a convenient storage space,” Berliner said, “This is especially true for seasonal items like decorations, patio furniture, tools and toys. These items ‘spark joy’ in their season. Meanwhile, you protect your investment by keeping them safely stored. Storing them in the attic, not your living space, makes more room for you. It helps you get, and stay, organized.”

Place for Stuff

WebMD suggests 8 common clutter “hot spots” you should address.

  • 1 = There’s the entry hall dump. (Here in New England we have mud porches.)
  • 2 = Next is the overstuffed pantry. Better organization helps. Install a back-of-the-door rack.
  • 3 = Then there’s that mail pile. Usually in a public place. You plan to handle that paper. But don’t. And the paper pile seems to grow all on its own. A basket helps keep mail neat. Maybe try paperless bill pay?
  • 4 = Refrigerator door clutter? Not sure we agree with this one WebMD. It’s is your personal choice. One person’s cluttered refrigerator door is another’s treasured collection.
  • 5 = Certainly on the list is the bathroom counter. All those potions and lotions tend to spread. The Container Store has a variety of clever solutions. Organizers help you go from “sloppy to serene,” the article says.
  • 6 = Garage clutter. Did you know one-in-four homeowners say they can’t fit their car in their own garage? If you have an attic, SpaceLift attic storage lifts offer an elegant solution. A beautiful garage starts with a good storage system.
  • 7 = Junk drawer. Admittedly, some of us love our junk drawers. But it can take forever to find an AAA battery that you just know is in there! There are many excellent drawer organizers. The Spruce rates the 9 best ones.
  • 8 = Kid clutter can be a challenge. Toy boxes help. But only if you use them. This is a great opportunity to teach your children clutter busting.

Bust Clutter with Storage

“Lack of space” was cited as the biggest challenge to improving organization by 32.9 percent of consumers surveyed by NPD Group for HomeWorld Forecast Consumer Survey. “Yet most homes have lots of available storage space in attics above the house and garage. Access is generally the limiting factor,” Berliner said. “Attic ladders or pull-down stairs can be tough to negotiate. They are downright dangerous when carrying storage bins, boxes or other items. There is a risk of falling, or hurting your back, or damaging your items,” he added, “Easy attic access is the key to attic storage solutions.” (Read our blog about Ladder Safety at Home.)

Control Clutter with a SpaceLift Attic Storage Lift

Berliner’s answer was to invent an attic lift. “It is like having your own mini freight elevator to carry storage into your attic in just minutes. It’s a dumbwaiter for your stuff,” he explained.

Designed to fit between attic floor joists, installation is easy requiring basic carpentry and electrical skills. Many are installed as do-it-yourself projects, Berliner said, or the company can help with local installers. It sells directly on its website, www.SpaceLiftProducts.com. A short video on the website shows how the lift works. Prices start at $1,895 with free shipping and a two-year factory warranty. SpaceLift™ Products are assembled in the USA, in Stratford, Conn., by Redco Home, a division of Redco Audio, a family-owned company.