Everything from shoes to sports equipment can be easily accessible as long as some organization is involved.

By Eric Czarnik
C & G Staff Writer

Spring is around the corner, and home organizing experts say it’s never too early to start planning to clean out your closets and make your living spaces free from clutter.

Christine Wurm, owner of Closet Connections in Grosse Pointe Woods, said spring cleaning will soon be on the mind of many metro Detroiters.

“I think what happens is that everyone accumulates a lot of stuff, especially people with families, and they need to do some kind of purging every once in awhile,” she said. “Spring is the perfect time for that.”

Wurm said a closet organizing business typically uses an experienced eye to plan out space efficiently. Her first rule is to make daily-use items easily accessible while putting occasionally used things in a less prominent spot.

She also recommends putting similar items in the same place. “If it’s a clothes closet, let’s just put clothes in here,” she said.

Joe Schodowski, president of the Auburn Hills-based Shelving.com, said he has seen how organized people tend to assign a place for all their belongings, no matter how large or small. The opposite is true for disorganized people.

“They drop their mail on the kitchen table, leave backpacks on the floor, jackets and boots jammed in a closet, keys in their coat pockets,” he said. “More or less, they simply dump their stuff at the first place they find room for it.”

In today’s economic situation, it makes sense for unsuccessful home sellers to make their current abodes more comfortable, he said.

“I think many people affected by the economy took more time to clean and clear out their homes since they’re spending more time in it,” he said. “Once someone takes the time necessary to clear out the clutter in a home, they will find it contagious and can’t wait to tackle the next room or closet.”

A clean closet is not only more sensible, but it also can be safer, according to Char Luteran, owner of and design consultant for Closets Plus in Shelby Township.

“I have gone into many homes in which literally the closet shelving fell to the floor,” she said. “(Under) the weight of all the clothing, the existing shelving systems have not sustained the weight.”

Luteran said the first step of cleaning is to judge the closet’s size and consider it when choosing its eventual contents.

“You have to sort through the items that you own, and that means everything,” she said. “You have to look at categorizing the items that you have, whether they’re dressy clothes, more casual skirts, suits. … For clothes, you have to decide whether you want to donate them or put them in a consignment shop.”

Luteran said the remaining clothes should then be stacked or hung on hangers or hooks. Her company also sells a product line of Michigan-made hutches that can store clothes in rolling drawers, she said.

“We can install basic shelving systems in the homes (and) not put a lot of the bells and whistles and accessories while trying to maximize the space and stay in a budget,” she said.

To learn more about Closet Connections in Grosse Pointe Woods, call (313) 884-1818. Shelving.com of Auburn Hills can be reached at (248) 852-8600. For more information on Closets Plus in Shelby Township, call (586) 677-3844.

You can reach Staff Writer Eric Czarnik at eczarnik@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1058.