Are you stressed each time you open your closet doors–or even when the doors are closed, knowing the kind of chaotic mess that lurks behind? If so, your cabinet and closet design is letting you down, resulting in an unorganized, cluttered, and hard-to-use space.
Closet storage systems are great at maximizing some of the most confined spaces in your home. But if they’re not used correctly, it’s easy to mess up what limited storage you had, making storing and retrieving items a nightmare and time drain.
Custom closet storage can alleviate a lot of the stress and headache of utilizing closet space. When there’s dedicated space for all of your things, you can store everything neatly so it’s right there when you need it next. This can be extremely calming, helps save time, and can boost productivity.
Of course, the first step to closet organization is to declutter. That means getting rid of a lot of unused and unwanted items. If not done properly, that could be bad news for the environment. Otherwise recyclable items often end up in landfills, plastics and microplastics leach into our water and soil, and improper disposal of hazardous materials can pose health risks. We owe it to our planet, ourselves, and future generations to organize our homes responsibly and sustainably.
Once place to start is with our closets:
1. Know Your Recycling Options
Building a closet organizer system that supports your sustainable-living goals starts with knowing what you own and how much of it can be recycled instead of simply tossed out. This essentially includes items that you cannot use or donate. To know what items can be recycled as well as how and where you can recycle them, visit websites such as Earth911.com to educate yourself.
2. Pick Sustainable Organization Items
With closet-organization solutions, sometimes more is less, especially when you choose storage options that are not environmentally friendly, such as plastic bins. Instead, opt for baskets and bins made from recycled materials.
Fortunately, many companies are embracing sustainability by using eco-friendly materials in their products. So, it shouldn’t be a problem to ditch the plastic and introduce bamboo, cotton, glass, and so on in your cabinet closet designs.
The best thing about choosing sustainable products is that they’re usually built to last compared to their thin plastic counterparts. So even if you have to pay a little more at first, you won’t have to replace them as often, making them well worth the cost. The environment benefits, too, thanks to reduced waste and fewer materials needed to build replacement products.
When buying your items from suppliers, make sure they’re certified. And don’t stop there – research the certification to make sure the products and processes are in sync with your values.
3. Find Ways to Repurpose What You Can
It can be tempting to buy new containers and storage solutions for desks, drawers, or closet organization. However, doing so can sometimes run counter to sustainability. So instead of purchasing new storage items, reuse some of the items you already own.
For example, use empty shoe boxes made from sturdy cardboard to organize inside your dressers. This way, you won’t have to spend on new storage bins. You can use these boxes to store jewelry, cosmetics, tools, arts and crafts supplies, cleaning products, scarves, ties, socks, and so on. Similarly, reuse glass jars to organize things such as grains, spices, stationery items, makeup brushes, spare change, and more.
Don’t hesitate to think outside the box and be as creative as possible to devise unique closet space solutions that can limit your use of plastic or non-recyclable materials and save you money.
4. Reorganize and Reconfigure Spaces, If Necessary
Wardrobes are not the only culprits when it comes to unorganized storage. We tend to store multiple items in the pantry too, leaving the door wide open for chaos to creep in. However, common sense can help you effectively optimize the space, cut down grocery expenses, and prevent food waste.
When arranging pantry items in your closet space, try storing already opened items in the front of the pantry/kitchen cabinet. Do the same with items nearing their expiration date. This way, you’ll know exactly what to use first when you want to grab a snack or chef up a meal. You’ll be able to use these items in time and to their full extent, preventing wastage.
5. Choose Custom Closet Systems
We’re going to take a cue from the above point and talk about sustainable wardrobe organization supported by custom design closets.
Don’t hesitate to resourcefully reconfigure a messy closet. At the same time, don’t fall into the trap of buying extra plastic bins and hooks for closet organization. Consider going for custom storage solutions to maximize the available space instead of repeatedly buying more and more non-recyclable storage products. Consider designing your own closet (or having someone like Holland’s Custom Cabinets do it for you) so you have options to adjust or move shelves, bins, and hooks to accommodate various items.
Done right, custom storage and custom cabinets can check all the boxes for sustainability and helping to optimize storage and organization. They might even help you curb your purchases!
Yet another way to be sustainable with storage is by ensuring energy efficiency. One of the best ways of doing so is using energy-efficient in-closet lighting. With custom closet solutions, there are many options for lighting. We recommend using LED lights as they consume less energy than conventional lights and produce low levels of heat, even when installed behind glass doors. They last a long time, too, and look great. You might even consider LED lights an investment that eventually adds to your property’s value.
Sustainable Home Organization and You
Often, homeowners aren’t sure what sustainable home organization is or what they can do about it. From decluttering and recycling, to finding eco-friendly ways to build closets and ensure energy efficiency, everyone has a part to play. Ultimately, the goal of sustainable home organization is to maximize functionality, create a healthier home, and do right by the planet.
At Holland’s, we strive to make our operations, millwork design, engineering, manufacturing, and installation processes as environmentally responsible as possible. Our products come with the promise of quality, functionality, and sustainability. Our licensed, bonded, and insured team is known for its quality craftsmanship, responsiveness, design flexibility, and flawless attention to detail. Call us at 619.443.6081 or fill out our online form to get started on your next project with us.
