I want to encourage you all to participate.

HOW???

Take some before and after pics, post your status on your blog (if you have one), and share it with Thou Shalt Clean. If you do not have a blog then post a reply here so you can email them to me.

For all who participate and show before and after pics proving they DID the cleaning challenge, they will get some fancy blog bling telling the world the rock AND they will each be entered into a drawing for a FREE candle! WHOO HOO! (link back to TSC would be cool too! )

OK, so challenge…

YOUR nightmare closet!

Deadline to Cleanliness: August 27th. (that’s 14 whole days!)

Hey we all KNOW my pics alone are at least worth a link back to Thou Shalt Clean!!! ROFLMBO!

Two Simple Steps to Help you Clean and Organize Your Closet:

Step One: Go through each closet in your home. Sort all items into four piles; keepers, sell, donate and toss. You might surprise yourself in how much space you can find just by removing things you never use. Once you have sorted all closet contents into piles, decide if there is a better place to store some of the items. If you have seasonal or keepsake items, consider putting them in plastic containers in the garage.

Step Two: Now you need to decide what will be stored in each closet. This will help you decide what type of storage system is best. You may need something different for each closet. There are closet organizers that you can buy. There are also services that can help you choose the best closet organizer to fit your needs.

Closet Organizers at a Glance:

The main types of closet storage are rods for clothes hangers, shelves, baskets and drawers. There is a closet organizer for every budget. You will want to start by measuring your closet space. Then, you are ready to go shopping for the things you need to get your closet organized.

One of the easiest and cheapest options is to get an adjustable bracket system. You hang the metal rods with slots on the sides of the closet. Then, all you need to do is place the support brackets where you want shelves. Wood shelves are easy to cut to size. Most home improvement stores will cut the pieces to size for you for a small fee. Then you can paint or stain the shelves if you wish.

There are also plastic shelving units that snap together and can be placed inside the closet. They aren’t as adjustable, and you cannot decorate them as easily. However, they are sturdy and take no tools to put together.

If you prefer a more permanent closet storage option, there are companies that can build a unit right into the closet. They combine clothes rods, shelves, drawers, boxes and baskets.

Regardless of which closet organizer you choose, it will take time, patience, determination and effort to get your closets organized and maximize your storage space…especially if you are already organizationally challenged. However, clean and well designed closets will make you feel good about yourself and you will smile every time you open your closet because you have accomplished something!

Copyright © Thou Shalt Clean!

Well, if you are organizationally challenged then getting your home organized is a chore all in itself. However, for a wannabe keeping it organized can be the biggest challenge!

I have some good news for the determined…with some work and forced cooperation from the rest of the family, it will be easier. It takes time to get used to new habits, but with nagging gentle reminders, everyone will be on their was to the cleaning zone.

One thing that will help keep things running smoothly is to create some daily routines. Even though in a perfect world everything should have a place, it takes a lot of effort to get it there. So staying on top of things is crucial to your new system working.

Here are some creative ways you can keep the whole family involved:

Charts are Us - Create a chart showing all the rooms in your house and all the family members (even the little ones). Each family member can be responsible for making sure a specific area is clutter free each day at a pre-established time. You can provide a basket for each person. They will go through their area with it and throw anything in it that isn’t supposed to be there. Once they have filled their basket, they can start putting things away…and start again if there is a big mess.

The Gathering Place - If you have more than one story, running up and down stairs all day to put things away can get old pretty fast. One way to help is to keep a box at the top and bottom of the stairs where people can put things they find that belong on another floor. At the end of the day, or when the box is full, the things can all be put back where they belong.

Little People Can Organize Too - Even the youngest members of the family can help. Labeling things, at least at first, will help your little people remember where things go. If they are too young to read, try a picture. You can save it from the original package or find one similar in a magazine. At the younger ages, they actually LIKE to help in most cases, so this should be “fun” for them.

Make a Mole Hill out of a Mountain - Yeah, you read it right. LOL! Clothes pile up real fast no matter how much laundry you do, the pile just keeps growing. It has a mind of its own. One way to help is to designate a place for all the dirty clothes. You can label the laundry baskets for white, darks and colors. Everyone can then put their own clothes in the baskets. When a basket is full, it’s time to wash. This is also a great way to teach the little ones colors and organization skills.

Remember, consistency is the key to successfully keeping your home clean. It also requires team effort! So, think of creative ways to get the whole family involved and then not only will you have less of a load to carry…you will help break the cycle of the wannabes!

Copyright © Thou Shalt Clean

The first step is to create a realistic analysis of what is being stored. I cannot tell you how week after week it appears as though the same slacks, shirts, skirts and dresses, make it to the cleaners or laundry service. Let’s be realistic, there are only seven days in the week so please explain why your precious closet space, the guest room closet and the hall closet are stuffed with enough content to robe an entire village? It is common that when we tire of our current choices, items do not fit anymore, or they are just not up to date with the current fashion trend we go out and buy something new. Make space for these new things!

If you are not using it, if it no longer fits, if it is no longer fashionable…GET RID OF IT! Your trash can be someone else’s treasure!

Sort, sort, and then sort! Every six months step in and reevaluate your arrangement. You should have items you want to keep, items that will be discarded because they are of no use to you and items that you will giveaway. **story with a tip: I have a friend who had gastric bypass surgery and as a result was rapidly losing a lot of weight. At this rate, it was impossible to afford a new wardrobe every three to four weeks. A few of her close friends decided that once a month as they went through their closet they would make a pile for her of clothes they no longer needed. A great opportunity for my friend to update her wardrobe for free and everyone’s closet stayed more organized with the constant rotation.

The second step is to conceive a plan on how the space will be transformed setting a more practical approach for your storage needs.

- Do you have enough shelves?

- Would belt racks help?

- Are most of your clothes short hanging and occupying only half the height?

- Would a shoe rack be ideal for the other half, maybe cubbies for handbags, an extra hang rod or even more drawers for accessories?

Your accumulation of unnecessary stuff along with disorganization eventually becomes overwhelming. Piles and stuffed closets make it very frustrating to find your favorites. Only you can determine which key elements if implemented into your design would bring forth a more positive approach at the start of your day.

The third step is to dive in and have fun! Now that you have sorted what you are keeping, and created a lay out to suit your need, it’s time to schedule the time to put all of this into play. Don’t rearrange things to the point where your space becomes foreign to you. Keep things comfortable. The key is to maintain simplicity. You want to have your wardrobe garments and accessories neat and easy to access. Get your favorite music cd out; it’s time to turn this closet out!

About the Author: Dorothy Mastorakos is offering guides and tips on revitalizing your home and self through practical methods, which offer balance and tranquility. Find more free tips & tricks at http://www.dornina.com