Friday, August 6, 2004

By Valerie Kiger

For Southeast Business Journal 

One of the best ways to organize your stuff is to dump it -- somewhere besides at your house, say several experts on orderly cupboards and closets.

But for the things you want to keep and be able to find without looking under this pile or behind that stack, there are local businesses that specialize in creating closets, kitchen cupboards and outdoor storage units that invite neatness.

Cathy Amundson, of The Clutter Organizer, said she's a naturally neat person and opened

Jim Fetterly, owner of Creative Closet Systems, adjusts a drawer in Jim and Heather Hebl's master bedroom closet in Rochester. (Jodi O'Shaughnessy Olson/Post-Bulletin)

her business to help others not born with the trait.

"I don't go in with the idea of installing new shelves or anything; I'm working with what they have," Amundson said.

She focuses on kitchen cupboards and bathrooms, but also will help with front hall closets or clothing closets if asked.

She starts by giving cupboards a good wipe-down, then tries to put foods and cooking items of a type together.

"I use baskets for Kool-Aid packets and all your little things," she added.

She piles up items that duplicate each other or appear unused, and asks whether they should be stored somewhere out of the way or tossed.

"If water pitchers were on sale for $2.99 and you bought five or six of them and they're sitting there, are you using them?" If not, pitch some pitchers.

Toss canned foods that are past date, too, and the same goes for clothes.

"Get rid of things that have dust on the top of the shoulder," suggested Dean Pollock, co-owner of Techline Studio, a company that installs closet systems of hanging rods, shelves and drawers.

A good closet system makes better use of the space available in a closet.

"Typically, by taking out what they have, we oftentimes can double or triple their space just with a better design," said Jim Fetterly of Creative Closet Systems.

Nifty storage solutions aren't only for the living spaces of your home. Garage messes can be nipped and tucked away in well-crafted cupboards or arranged on pegs along walls.

"Tools, toys for the kids, sports equipment, hoses, buckets, car care (items), fertilizers," are some of the myriad of items people keep, often jumbled in heaps, in a garage, said Mark Peterson of Ultimate Garage. Not to mention a car or two.

"People want it out of sight, out of mind. If it's disorganized, it makes them anxious," Peterson said, noting that the garage is the first part of their home many people see on a daily basis.

Getting organized doesn't have to cost big money. Fetterly offers free in-home estimates for his work, which can run from $50 to $200 for a reach-in closet, and starts at about $200 for walk-in closets.

Amundson plans on at least a few visits to a home after her initial study of the work area. The first rearranging effort usually takes three or four hours and costs $120 to $150. Follow-up visits allow her to see how a client uses the new arrangements and make adjustments.

"If they're not used to being organized, it can take a couple of times," she said. However, the lessons are learned, and the benefits of neatness are strong motivators, she said.

"Once you get yourself a little more organized, you have more space and you can also see what you have ... It just takes a few times and they fall into that habit," she said.

When having new closet systems installed, consider whether you want the less-expensive coated wire systems or more upscale laminated wood products. While simple improvements may be enough, designers and installers can create the closet of your dreams.

"We can make it as elaborate as you want," said Fetterly.

"It can be any number of configurations," said Pollock of the system he offers. "There are optional drawers, three heights and four widths, two colors, optional pull-out wire baskets (helpful for front closets where you might have wet mittens or hats)." Jewelry trays, belt and tie racks, and vertical dividers also are options.

"If (the closet) is big enough, we can put in an island at counter height so you can fold clothes," Pollock added.

Tired of crouching to hunt for that black sandal that's inevitably buried under five other shoes and a fallen dress shirt? Think about adding a shallow but wide shelving unit in the closet to hold all your shoes where you can easily spot them.

While Amundson has faith that even historically chaotic types can learn to love order, Peterson cautions there's just one trick to staying organized once everything's been given a place.

Luckily, it's a simple one: "After you use it, put it away," he says.

Val Kiger is a Rochester freelance writer.