House Calls

For a simple, inexpensive fix, use the inside of your coat closet to organize winter wear, suggests Julie Morgenstern, author of Organizing from the Inside Out (Owl Books). Store all your long-hanging coats at one end and all your short-hanging coats at the other. Then add a set of stacking bins or plastic drawers below the short-hanging coats to hold your family's winter accessories.

You can also create a hanging storage system inside the closet door using flat-back wicker baskets (hang them with a hook for easy on-and-off access), rimmed shelves, or an over-the-door canvas tote. You can even use an old shoe bag, but that can be tricky, warns Morgenstern: "The pocket-size storage units are small, so it's more high maintenance than using a bin or a basket." If each child gets his own single drawer or shelf instead of multiple pockets, your system will be easier to set up and easier to maintain.

If you've already reached maximum storage capacity, think outside the closet. "The front hall is a great place to put a piece of furniture," Morgenstern says. It's an open, central location, but so many families don't take advantage of the space -- at least not for storage purposes. "It's right there when you walk in," she adds. "That's the key."

Assign each family member his or her own cubby or drawer, or -- if your family likes to mix and match -- designate each space for a different kind of apparel: hats here, scarves there, and so on.

Whichever you choose, Morgenstern says, remember to label. "If you take the time to make nice labels -- maybe, say, a photo label for each child -- it's more likely that your family will stick with your system."