The Evolution of Closet Organization and Decoration

Over the years there have been many inventions that have changed how people organize and decorate their closets. Today we are going to review five of the most famous closet furniture innovations. Our hope today is to inspire a new generation of inventors. Let creativity be your guide, as you come up with new storage solutions or just improve on an old idea.

1. Modular furniture. What would a closet be without tons storage? These little cubes and cabinets are as versatile as they are easy to put together. Anything you can dream up can be easily stacked up to create useful storage space. A bonus is, that it is easy to find at your local home improvement store or discount store. Don't like the color? No problem, it is also easy to paint. Modular furniture ranges in price for super thrifty to super pricy. You are guaranteed to find just the right thing for you taste and budget. Don't be afraid to get creative with the endless options. Modular furniture is an excellent blend of form and function.

2. The padded storage benches. With the huge closets of today, nicely covered, padded storage benches fit nicely. The inside can be sectioned off to hold shoes or even stow away seasonal items that you don't want hogging up your closet space. Use a couple of space bags and you will be surprised just how much you can stash way. If you can't find a color you like, they are easily recovered. You can even do it yourself with the fabric of your choice and a staple gun.

3. The shoe tree or shoe rack. Can anyone ever have enough shoes? In any closet you will find lots and lots of shoes. So what do you do with all of those shoes? The simple solution is the shoe tree. Probably the most famous item of all most famous closet furniture, they come in all shapes and sizes. They can be expensive or very reasonable. Easily grab them at a discount store, home organization store or even make your own. There are many options for the appearance of your closets shoe tree. There are even models that hang on the back of the door with many pockets for easy viewing and selection.

4. Set of removable drawers. By including sets of drawers in your closet, you will save valuable space in your closet. This helps to keep things stowed away and out of sight. The perfect solution for the person who likes a place for everything and clutter kept out of sight.

5. The closet island. Not only does an island built right in the middle of the closet add storage space, it also gives you a raised surface to fold and organize clothing. There are many choices for the bottom portion of the island. Simple cabinets can be used to store larger items or drawer can be used to keep items sorted and grouped. It is easy to make an island to fit your needs.

 Do you have an idea for an invention?

Successful Closet Inventions

There have been many successful closet inventions over the years. Generally, a good closet invention consists of something that maximizes organization and efficiency. No one wants to spend their entire morning searching for their favorite shirt, hat, or shoes. It wastes time. Time is one of the biggest assets we don't seem to have enough of these days. These inventions, in one way or another, have taken a step to making your life somewhat easier.

The clothes hanger is one such invention. It's originated around the mid-1800s, but possibly can be traced back to as far as Thomas Jefferson. This is the closet invention that everyone knows and loves. You would be hard pressed to think of someone that has not heard of or used this product. Without it, all of our clothes would be laying in a giant pile of disorganization. The clothes hanger has however, undergone quite a few alterations since its inception. These modifications have helped shape the hanger into what it is today, or will be tomorrow.

The clothes hanger usually comes one of three ways. They are most often made of wood, plastic, or wire. Wooden hangers were the first ones to be introduced. It is often said that our 3rd U.S. president, Mr. Jefferson, invented a precursor to this hanger. It wasn't until about 1869, that a man named O. A. North presented a coat hook that was reminiscent of our modern wire hangers. Several other people leading up to the 20th century were credited, at least in some part, with the hanger's invention. In the next 30 odd years, the hanger developed the features that we all recognize now. It received it's wishbone design, use of padding to prevent wrinkles, and had been made out of more expensive materials for fine garments. Today, the majority of hangers in use are made out of plastic.

Another invention that has changed the overall layout of the closet is the shoe rack. Aside from clothes hangers, this may be the most prevalent item in your closet. Especially if you are a women. Let’s face it. There are some men that have a large shoe collection. Typically though, that department is dominated by the ladies. If some of the women out there did not have a shoe rack, they would never be able to keep up their shoes organized. It is not unheard of for shoe collections to number in the hundreds. Shoe racks are a key staple of closet decorating and organizing.

Shoe racks come in a large variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. They can basically be customized to function and be visually appealing in any closet. The rack itself may be free standing or built into the closet or closet organizer itself. These storage units have multiple cubbies that the shoes can be placed into. This can range from just a few cubbies in smaller racks, to a great amount of them when larger collections are brought into play. After being categorized as large or small, they are often classified as being horizontal or vertical. Horizontal shoe racks are based on the floor or lower level of your closet organizer, as vertical may extend from the ground upwards to the closet ceiling. There are a number of people in the world that would have zero closet space without the advent of the shoe rack.

The inventions of the clothes hangar and shoe rack have changed how the closet is represented. These, along with other successful closet inventions, have made organization simple. They have made people's lives a little easier in a though world. 

 Do you have an idea for an invention?