Storing Winter Gear

We’re veering off the design topic this morning to talk about winter gear organization.  Since moving back to Chicago three years ago (I can’t believe we’ve been back that long) and three kids later, I’m still trying to find a place for all of the gloves, hats, and other gear needed for the winter season.  To help keep an organized space and because I don’t have one giant mudroom, I divide our gear into two categories and store them in different places.

1.  Daily Wear-I keep the daily wear stored in an area by my back door, which is the door we come in and out of the most.  Because this closet is open I had to not only design for organization but also a space that looks good.  I keep hats, gloves and scarves to a minimum so that there aren’t a lot of choices for my kids (lots of choices=more time it takes to get out the door).  They have a hat they wear the most, a few gloves and maybe a scarf.  Each family member has a basket so it makes it easy for them to find their own items rather than combing through everyone else’s items.

I promise to start taking photos during the day rather than waiting until nighttime to take photos and finish my posts!

 I looked and looked for some baskets that would fit this space and I kept coming back to these.  The baskets come in so many different widths and depths which makes them usable for all spaces.  I also like that it’s easy to see what’s inside therefore, with a glance, I can see if my five year old has stashed his legomen in a place they shouldn’t be!

    Although these are meant to hang on an Elfa wall rack system I didn’t want to invest the money in buying two racks since I needed one for each side, so I found another way to hang the baskets–Container Store will give you these plastic clips for FREE.

2.  Excess Winter Gear-The excess winter gear, which I consider items used to play outside in the snow and extras for during the season when we lose a glove or hat, I store in my front hallway closet.  Once again, I turned to the Elfa Wall System and did so for many reasons.  One, you don’t need to screw this onto the door, instead it hooks at the top of the door and you can adjust it at the bottom so it doesn’t bang against the door.  If you remember from this post, it’s the same one we used in Tessa’s linen closet (although we used white baskets).  Two, this system allows so much flexibility and for a family where our needs are always changing, this is key.  The baskets are adjustable and you can also add larger baskets or smaller baskets as your needs change.  Once again, it’s quick for kids to grab what they need because they can see through the basket rather than having to peek in through the top and dig around.  Also, Container Store will cut this rack to fit the exact length of your door.

Each family member has been assigned a basket to store their extra outdoor gear.   Also, you will see I hang up snowpants inside this closet and use a boot tray below to catch any water.  See this post for how I utilize this closet by taking away hangers.  In the other seasons, I use the baskets to hold hats, swim essentials and other outdoor gear.

 And, if you don’t have a closet door to work with or even a closet….here are two other options that I think would be great in any space:

This basket rack can easily be removed when the winter season is over and you don’t need as much storage.

 If you don’t have a closet near the door, it’s easy to create a ‘mudroom’ using baskets and a bench.  I think the key to using the basket system is to make sure everyone has their own basket.  If you try to put everyone’s belongings in a large basket, it takes too long to find your own items.  And don’t make kids share a basket!  You will have a much happier household if your kids aren’t trying to dig through a shared basket at the same time.

This photo is a great example because you can see that each member has their own basket, including the dog!  And the size is great–looks large enough to hold everything.  Don’t try to cram everything into a small basket or you will just be throwing your items on the floor while you are looking for the one item you need.

Whatever system you choose to use, remember the most important rule to follow is to MINIMIZE your items.  Your child doesn’t need nine hats just because they were cute and on sale!