Example of a desk for two

More often homeowners are creating a workspace within the home. Perhaps it’s just for surfing the Web, paying bills or taking care of thank you notes, but according to the American Furniture Manufacturers Association, nearly one-third of American households have a home office. So how can you make this a productive AND attractive space?

We, California Closets, offer many solutions to get you working, no matter where your home office is. Here are a few tips:

1. Consider the location of your work space. Do you need to be somewhere quiet? Be mindful of the popular places in your home and try to locate your space away from such areas.
2. How much room do you need? If you don’t need much, consider using an ill-utilized coat closet. Here’s a few examples of one remodeled into an ideal space. a) Closet with built ins b) Tucked away with bulletin board doors and c) Three ways to transform a closet
3. Are you right- or left-handed? Consider this as you design and set up your space – where drawers, files and shelving will be located.
4. Do you work with files or stacks of paperwork? This will help you determine what type of organizational systems you’ll need.
5. Do you ever share the office space with someone else? An important consideration, this will directly relate to the space you require and how it should be arranged.

We offer numerous solutions for all your needs. Whether it’s a “command center” in the hub of your home or a quiet place, tucked away from it all, California Closets has the product/solution for you. Check out our Home Office Solution Brochure Page 1 and Page 2 for details and feel free to contact us for a free consultation anytime.

Or, in pictures. We talk quite frequently about our many offerings and ability to design solutions for the whole home, or office. Now, we have some pictures available to prove it!

Here are a few examples of what our talented team is capable of. Pantries, entertainment centers, offices and more – we have something to suit every need.

Garage storage solution

A home study with lighting

Craft storage center

Custom dog crate cover built-in

Be sure to visit our Facebook photo album for all the photos!

So it’s officially the New Year and this is “National Get Organized Month”. By now you’ve probably had the chance to let that sink in, but you’re still writing 2009 on checks and notes. It’s ok, we are too!

What about those New Year resolutions? Did you write some this year? Most people do and the top two things on the annual lists are losing weight and getting organized. Unfortunately, it seems neither make them to complete fruition.

Let us make an easy ACHIEVABLE recommendation. Take on ONE small task a day….if you set yourself up for success with a plan, it CAN happen.

All of us have tons of things we’re required to do either to maintain our homes, our jobs and/or our personal lives. So how can we get it all done? Simply by making the time, sticking to our goals and taking ONE step at a time. Go through that pile of clothes that have been waiting to get donated today. Encourage the kids to empty out their toy chests of things they don’t use anymore tomorrow. Tell your significant other to clean up his nightstand the day after.

Taken in bite size portions, organization in your home and life can be an easily swallowed pill, even for the clutter-plagued, overwhelmed person. You can do it! Make your list, starting checking it off – one small thing at a time and think about how good it will be to look back on your success when we get ready to ring in 2011!

For the 12 days of Christmas we’ve decided to compile a list of 12 things we’re thankful for, here in Southwest Florida.

1. Loyal customers
2. Repeat customers
3. Housing market slowly coming back
4. Family
5. Our jobs
6. The weather – you can’t be low 80s in December!
7. Construction on I-75 almost complete
8. Snowbirds – traffic AND sales are up, good for everyone
9. Builders/Interior Designers
10. Co-workers
11. Vendors that have product in stock
12. And of course, “a partridge in a palm tree”

Thanks to everyone who has made us successful this year. We recognize the importance of relationships, with our families, our friends and colleagues and most of all with our clients.

Happy holidays from our family/families to yours!

Overwhelmed by clutter? We can help!

Is your clutter overwhelming? Do you trip on things as you walk in the front door? What about when you try and get something out of the closet - do you fear that the whole thing might come crashing down on you?

Maybe it’s yard sale time, especially in SOuthwest Flroida. Right now we have the best weather for sitting outside all morning while passersby look over our unwanted and more importantly, unneeded stuff. Or, if you aren’t up for a full fledged clearance sale in your driveway or you live in condo/apartment, consider giving items to Goodwill, Salvation Army or other nonprofit organizations in the area. Many of them will even pick the stuff up for free and it’s a tax write-off!

 By getting rid of the clutter you can breathe a sigh of relief. Besides, what a great way to start the New Year off right! If you still need help or have items you just can’t part with, we can help. Our designers can customize any space in your home to organize and showcase your most prized and/or necessary possessions.

With only a few days until Thanksgiving I am sure we have everything under control – or at least we can dream! 

• Holiday shopping list made – check
• Holiday food shopping done – check
• Guest list complete – check
• Holiday dishes out of storage – check
• Our sanity out the window – CHECK!

The holidays don’t have to be a myriad of craziness and running around. With proper advance planning, I know, this is a dream, and organization – this is NOT a dream, but feasible, everyone can enjoy relaxed holidays. 

In the event that you are in the not-so-prepared-about-to-lose-my-mind bunch, you might find this site helpful. It offers lots of easy tips for the holidays. If you’re ready to get organized – once and for all – then our site will definitely be of use to you. Come visit us today!

It’s that time of year again… soon the weather will be changing and we’ll be looking foreword to a high of 75 instead of 90.

With the change in weather, comes the changes in schedules. We begin getting busier with family in town, parties to attend, decorating to be done. And with decorating and visiting family comes more stuff… stuff to take out, stuff to put away and most importantly more stuff to organize!

While the smells of holiday cookies and pies will soon be filling the air, there are usually some dreaded thoughts creeping in too… did we put the stuff from last year away in a neat and orderly fashion? Where are the decorative reindeer Uncle Bill made? Who put the linens away and where are they?

Our excitement for the holidays turns into dread, thinking of all the hours it will take to unravel the Christmas lights, and how many ornaments will be broken? The thought of this alone can make us want to forget the holidays.

Don’t fret though! There are many simple solutions that can make the holiday season one of joy and excitement… We recently found an excellent article with tips on how to organize all the tree trimmings as well as the other bundles of joy known as decorations too. Check it out here and start making plans for a more relaxed holiday season!

Now that you have the perfect closet, organized and sorted just the way you wanted are you still finding it hard to locate your items? Or, if you’ve not started organizing your space, are you challenged with not enough light to see things in the back or bottom spaces?

More often that not lighting is forgotten in the closet. Placement of the lighting is just as important as the lighting fixture or bulb itself. Careful consideration should be given to what items will need the most light or could be hard to see – think shoe racks near the floor, higher shelves or sweaters on horizontal shelving between hanging racks.

Don’t assume lighting has to be boring or just utilitarian either… You might want to infuse a bit of style or whimsy by selecting a modern, traditional or creative fixture. There are lots of affordable options to choose from at your local hardware store. It’s your closet – make it as unique as you!

For more information on lighting for your walk-in closet. Check out this article. For ideas on how to organize your closet or how California Closets could help with any space in your home, visit our Website.

Getting organized doesn’t have to be hard. Often times we hear from clients that they just don’t know where to start. Well, we’re here to help!

Recently, CNN reported 10 tips for organizing your closet from MYHOMEIDEAS.com. You can view the whole article here, but basics can be be found below.

1. Clear it out – This will take some time, but it’s the best way to start. Go through your clothes, shoes, handbags, etc. and sort it by what you wear and what you can get rid of. You might even find some things you forgot about! Consider donating items to a charity or Goodwill/Salvation Army to help others can get a tax deduction. You might also want to consider selling some items – Craig’s List is a good place to start.
2. If the shoe fits – How are your shoes organized? Are they kept in shoe boxes cluttering up and taking up your space? Consider shoe racks or purchasing transparent plastic shoe boxes so they are easier to find and access.
3. Measure up - Now that your wardrobe is smaller, it’s time to plan the layout of your closet. Measure the space you have, making sure to utilize backs of doors, floor space, and all interior walls. Hang shoe racks on the back of your closet door. Classic belt hangers with multiple hooks are also a good solution for hanging camisoles, bras, or scarves.
4. Get hung up – Hangers are one of, if not the, main components in any organized closet. Believe it or not there are a variety of types for different items. Make sure you’re using the correct one – padded, wood, etc.
5. No sweat – Fold items such as sweaters and sort them by color. This will avoid sagging and stretching and make them easy to locate. Since we live in Florida, you might consider doing the same with t-shirts as you probably have more of them.
6. The eyes have it – keep your primary items at or below eye level for easy locating. Labeled boxes make excellent tools for storing swimsuits, scarves and other smaller seasonal items. They can be rotated as the weather changes.
7. Changing seasons – while not a huge concern in Florida, we do have cooler weather in the beginning of the year. If you still don’t have enough room in your closet after sorting it, consider separating your winter wear from items you use the rest of the year and storing them in a separate space or air tight, condensed container.
8. Linen closets – A space-saving trick anyone can use, store folded sets of bed linens inside one of the set’s pillowcases. You might also group same-size sheet sets together on shelves.
9. Storing table linens – Tableclothes are best stored hanging from a pant or skirt hander in your closet. They should always be cleaned and ironed after each use.
10. China and crystal – While our fine serving dishes and glasses are beautiful they often take up a lot of room. However, since they aren’t used frequently try to find a place in the dining room, spare closet or other room where they can be stored during the year. Use coffee filters between each place and bowl prior to stacking and be sure to store crystal upright and with ample space between glasses to avoid chipping.