Solving Wardrobe Dilemmas

Hangers have not always come in all shapes and sizes. For a field that has long been dominated by plain symmetrical metal or plastic hangers it is about time someone came along with some innovation. Thankfully creative minds have developed some sweet contraptions to solve our clothing storage conundrums. Today’s hangers come in all shapes, sizes, and colors and are crafted from a wide variety of materials such as, wood, metal, bamboo, and even recycled paper. If you are having trouble getting everything into your closet here are a few special hangers to help solve wardrobe dilemmas.

NOT ENOUGH STORAGE SPACE?

Of course the common battle we all fight is just getting everything in to our closets. While it may be time for a spring cleaning you may not have to throw out as much as you thought. Slim line hangers are super thin at a ¼” and can double or even triple your closet space. Another huge space saver is multi-slack hangers. These hold between three and six pairs of pants on a single hanger. Remember to leave a little room for accessibility to easily sort through your wardrobe.

ODD SHAPED ITEMS?

There is a hanger for everything from drapes and linens to a fancy evening gown. These hangers divert from the traditional triangular shaped hanger. The circular bikini hanger is a great invention. Here is another way to store bikinis or underwear instead of balling them up in a drawer. It makes it much easier to see what you have got and saves time having to search for matching sets.

Certain items just do not seem to stay hung up on any hanger. Here is where adjustable hangers come in handy. These hangers enable you to get the perfect fit for any garment. Removable pads can be easily popped off and adjusted to fill out any shirt or jacket size. This keeps dress shirts wrinkle free, since they hang in a more natural way. Alternatively foam or rubber hanger strips installed on any hanger make them slip free.

Maybe it is about time you got rid of your twisted old hangers. Your closet is about you and it is important. It is the portal you step through every morning before you enter the world. Get yourself out the door in the right frame of mind. Investing the time to make an organized and functional closet will reap dividends for years to come.


About the Author: Ron Maier is the President of the Closet Hanger Factory, a leading online provider of clothes hangers and plastic hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.closethangerfactory.com.

Get Control Of Your Craft Room

A properly organized craft room will give you the most time to enjoy the actual crafting whether you are sewing, quilting, knitting, or beading. Nothing will slow you down more than getting frustrated trying to find the supplies you need when you need them the most. With so many different types of supplies to store this can be a constant struggle here are a few tips to keep things under control.

An optimal height for most standing workbenches will be between 36 and 40 inches. Scientific studies suggest tables should be 80% of your elbow height for the least amount of strain on back, neck and arm muscles. You can block a table up with extensions or cut legs down to achieve suitable height. A comfy swivel chair you can adjust to your body type is essential for seated work station. Store most used tools in open containers on your work desk so they will be immediately accessible. Mount an adjustable light to provide plenty of light wherever you will need it. For finite work such as beading you might consider one fitted with a magnifying glass.

Clear plastic containers are great for storing your assortment of buttons, beads, pom poms, and dried flowers. Install plenty of shelving or stackable storage bins to maximize use of wall space. Cloth materials can be neatly folded and placed in clear storage bins of similar color and pattern. Alternatively you can hang up cloth on clothes hangers in a closet. Multi slack hangers will allow you to hang similar types of fabric on the same hanger. The advantage over plastic storage bins is being able to pull out a whole set and hold it next to your project to see which one goes best. Quilters will want to put similar colored fat quarters in drawers. Storing fabrics in a closet on clothes hangers limits exposure to sunlight which causes discoloration. Cloth sealed up in bins cannot breath. When hanging fabrics it is less likely for moisture to form and colors to bleed.

Maintain a neat and tidy craft room and it will continue to be an enjoyable place to hone your crafting skills to expert levels for years to come. Stay ahead of the game and do a little tidying ever day this way you will never be faced with the overwhelming task of sorting out a monumental mess. Be gentle but firm with yourself, as you develop these habits and you will find your efficiency increasing along with the quality of your work.

About the Author: Ron Maier is the President of the Closet Hanger Factory, a leading online provider of clothes hangers and childrens hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.closethangerfactory.com.

Organizing In Bamboo

If you are looking for an alternative to the IKEA trend of plain painted particle board furniture you might look into the growing market of bamboo products. More and more items are becoming available at affordable prices every day. Unless you have a fortune to spend on custom designed everything for your home you will probably be looking for thrifty ways to stay organized. Laundry sorters, storage bins, shoe racks, hangers, and cutlery trays are just a few of the items we all need, but do not want to invest our life savings in.

The reason bamboo is a great alternative and an ecological choice for furniture is because of the unique properties of the bamboo plant. It has all the traits of a great crop. Resilient, fast growing, pest and pest resistant and it can be manufactured into anything from building materials like hardwood flooring or furniture to high end clothing, towels, and bedding. Some species grow up to 1’ per day without pesticides or fertilizer, which makes it one of the most sustainable crops on the planet.

We all need to store things and often rely on big plastic bins or particle board shelving units, since they seem inexpensive. Unfortunately manufacture of these products relies heavily on the petroleum industry and their relatively short life span makes them an inferior choice. Plastic storage bins stain and become difficult or impossible to clean and will not biodegrade once they are thrown away. Plastics become brittle overtime and will eventually break. There are often weak points in the design, such as retaining brackets or connectors that break easily and render the whole unit useless.

Prefabricated bamboo storage containers can be used to organize just about anything and will fit inside drawers, closets, and cabinets. You might consider replacing or upgrading metal or plastic clothes hangers to bamboo hangers. Bamboo versions of any of these products will be highly dent resistant and should last much longer wear better their plastic or particle board constructions. Whether it is for your laundry sorter, closet organizer, or that little magazine holder next to the toilet the elegant real wood grain will add class to your home and lifestyle. Most of these items can be purchased at costs on par with plastic and particle board alternatives.

You do not have to be rich to have a lovely home you just have to be smart. Make decisions that save the planet and your money. Next time you are in the market for furniture, organizers, or hangers take a look at bamboo.

About the Author: Ron Maier is the President of the Closet Hanger Factory, a leading online provider of woodenclosethangerfactory.com"> hangers and closethangerfactory.com"> clothes hangers. For more information, please visit closethangerfactory.com"> http://www.closethangerfactory.com.

What's That Smell in your Closet?

You have just gotten out of the shower. Going over to your closet to get dressed, you open the doors and are assaulted with foul odors. Closet odors can be a nasty problem. Since closets are confined spaces even the faintest odor producing source can create a terrible stench over time, and the smell gets on everything. While the temptation may be to spend the rest of the day naked there is something you can do about closet odors.

It is important to consider the cause of your closet smells. Closets are dark places and musty odors can develop even at normal temperature and humidity levels, especially if clothes or linens are not completely dry when they are put away. Items stored for long periods of time are particularly susceptible, and the scents that are absorbed by clothes can remain on them like an aromatic stain even after several washings. Other sources might be sweaty gym shoes, kitty litter, There are literally hundreds of sources of closet odor that fall into two categories “latent” odors, and “continuous” odors.

With latent odors the source of the stench is no longer present and they can be remedied with intensive cleaning. This would include that unidentifiable noxious smell left by a previous owner. Other examples include mold, pet odors, spoiled food, or mothballs. If the smell is new keep in mind it could be the sign of a leaky roof or siding and investigate accordingly. First take everything out of the closet. All items will need to be thoroughly cleaned. Wash clothes in warm water and repeat if necessary. A solution of ½ cup of vinegar, and a ¼ of baking soda mixed with hot water should be used to cleanse all surfaces in the closet. Bleach is not advisable since it will leave a pungent odor all its own. Leave the closet empty and the door open for several days to dry out.

If you store a lot of shoes, dirty laundry, or cat litter in your closet you will be dealing with continuing source odors. Initially a thorough cleansing of the closet may be required, but it may not be possible to eliminate the source odor. Here you will need something to absorb the odors before they build up, or create a path for them to escape. Placing cups of vinegar, perfume, dryer sheets, or baking soda around the inside of the closet is great for this. Sprinkle anti fungal powder or baking soda in shoes. Alternatively you dangle a sachet of volcanic crystals or perfumed cotton from clothes hangers. Another great way to keep clothes smelling fresh is to use wooden hangers made of cedar.

About the Author: Ron Maier is the President of the Closet Hanger Factory, a leading online provider of clothes hangers and wooden hangers. For more information, please visit Http://www.closethangerfactory.com.

Clean Your Wedding Dress the Right Way!

After an exhausting search you have finally found it! You chose your wedding gown because it was perfect for you in every way and you want to keep it that way. Perhaps you are planning on passing it on to a daughter or daughter in law. Some plan on reworking there dress and wearing it at a future wedding. There are many reasons to preserve a dress and whether you are planning to seal, box, or bag the gown a proper cleaning is the most important and care sensitive step in the process. Learning about various cleaning methods and services is something every bride or bride to be should invest some time in and the costs associated should be in budgeted for in your wedding plans.

Even if you were careful and the dress looks fine it still needs to be examined and cleaned top to bottom. Just because the dress appears clean and white it may not be. Sugar based soiling, such as champagne, will not show up immediately but will eventually turn yellow or dark brown. Many rely on professionals to clean their dress, but a few clean it themselves. Beware either way. A well meaning friend offering to clean the dress for you while on the honey moon can ruin your exquisite memento in a heartbeat. Likewise an inexperienced dry cleaner can do equal harm. Windex won cut it here gals. Improper cleaning techniques or solutions can cause irreparable discoloration or damage to fabrics, something no amount of consolation can cure.

A dress preservation service is the safest yet most expensive route. Rates start at around $200, but can sometimes be as high as $1000. Here you can expect your dress to be operated on using clinical standards. Experts with special training and an encyclopedic knowledge of how fabrics interact with cleaning solutions and solvents will carefully examine the entire dress noting any areas that require special attention. Technicians in white lab coats and gloves then meticulously clean the gown according to a detailed care plan.

If you are on a budget and the dress is in relatively good condition you could consider cleaning it yourself. The methods you choose will depend on the kind of staining, the fabric, and decorative trims, such as beading or sequins. Wet cleaning techniques are safe for polyester and this is the best way to remove heavy stains, and starch deposits from manufacturing (which mice will be attracted to). Rayon or silk should be dry-cleaned with perchloroethylene. If you are going to pay for dry cleaning be sure to ask if they are using virgin or recycled solvents. Recycled solvents can leave deposits on your dress that will eventually yellow. Boxed preservation kits including padded metal hangers, acid free paper, and all the cardboard shapes needed is another great way to save money.

By properly cleaning and storing your dress you can keep it looking as gorgeous as you did the day you wore it.

About the Author: Ron Maier is the President of the Closet Hanger Factory, a leading online provider of metal hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.closethangerfactory.com.

Wedding Dress Preservation

Searching for the perfect wedding dress is no small task. For some women it has been delightful and nearly lifelong endeavor. As the wedding day approaches there are the countless hours of intense research studying bridal fashion magazines and reviewing the latest Hollywood weddings. For some it all adds up to hundreds or even thousands of hours. Even though you have already spent so much joyful personal investment shopping the bridal stores, trying on numerous dresses, gathering your best friends’ opinions, and stressing about the $2000 dollar price tag do not stop there. Preserving your prized wedding dress after your special day takes some careful consideration as well.

Unless you have decided to trash the dress the options you will be looking at are sealing, boxing, or bagging. Sealing involves placing the dress inside an airtight padded box using cardboard cutouts and acid free tissue paper to preserve the shape. The thought behind sealing is that by making the package airtight the dress will be protected from the elements, however this lack of airflow creates a risk of mold and mildew. A long term storage method such as this can also cause permanent creasing at the folds. It is also quite expensive.

Boxing your dress is similar to sealing. These boxes are usually acid free and often lined with fabric. The difference is that the box is not sealed and you can access the dress easily any time. Seams and folds are looser so there is less risk of creasing, however a boxed dress should be periodically refolded and placed back into its container to avoid permanent creases.

Bagging is the method often used to preserve antique clothing in museums. Here the dress is hung from padded metal hangers and twill string or tape is used to reinforce and support the dress as it hangs, which is critical to reduce stretching. Once the dress is properly supported an all cotton outer bag usually between 5 and 6 feet in length slides over the whole dress.

Boxing or bagging your dress has other benefits aside from allowing it to breath. The best reason perhaps is that it allows you to easily inspect and refold the dress as you revisit memories as often as you wish. Do it yourselfers can purchase boxing or bagging kits that provide you with all the packing supplies, hangers, and instructions you will need to properly store and care for you garment over the years.

Store your basement in a dark room where it will be safe from dust and light. An upstairs closet is preferable. Never store you dress in the basement where moisture in the air will be absorbed by the dress causing discoloration or mold.

Of course a thorough cleaning is a must before any storage method is implemented. Wet cleaning or dry cleaning and how much cleaning should be decided based on your dress design and condition after the wedding. If you are considering cleaning your own dress take some time to educate yourself on the various cleaning methods their implications on your particular dress.

About the Author: Ron Maier is the President of the Closet Hanger Factory, a leading online provider of metal hangers. For more information, please visit www.closethangerfactory.com

Feng Shui Your Store

Running a retail business poses unending challenges. Retail is one of the most competitive business avenues. Setting up appealing store displays can make the difference between a ghost town and a busy sales floor. Like the cover of a book it is the visual presentation of your store display that is the first interaction your customers will have with your business, however it does not guarantee sales. If you have a great store front or window display, but still find that customers wander through your store and leave without picking up a single product then perhaps the layout of your store needs to be retooled. Once a customer enters your store the goal then becomes to create interaction with your products. Sub consciously everyone is aware of what looks good and feels good. Consider applying these feng shui principles to your sales floor.

You may think it is best to display as many different products as possible, but that can lead to a disorganized cluttered store. Space items out so that you are not overloading customer senses. Creating focal points with key items is best. Even small details like cheap or ugly plastic clothes hangers can turn someone off from making a purchase.

Make it a journey through the store. You want aisles to be clear and connect in multiple pathways. Place racks at different angles or in circular fashion. Maintaining clear visibility throughout the store will help people to wander through to whatever interests them the most.

Pay attention to the lighting. Utilize different levels and intensities of light to create different moods for customers. Overhead fluorescent lights provide excellent visibility, but have a cold clinical feel. Table lamps or hanging pendant lights are much warmer and inviting. Experiment with products that create their own light. Sound can play apart as well, for example the gurgling of a fish tank can add a soothing element of water. Do not be afraid to make changes as you go. Talking to customers regularly about their shopping experience can provide the valuable data to make the right ones.

With every decision or product placement you should be striving to create a comfortable environment where people will feel good spending their money. Remember that the emotional experience is a large part of shopping. Use these principles to develop an interesting varied experience for customers, so that they will be more likely to make a purchase. If a client feels good about spending time in your store they will certainly return.

About the Author: Ron Maier is the President of the Closet Hanger Factory, a leading online provider of clothes hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.closethangerfactory.com