Organizing 101: Organizing storage rooms

5 Restock
As you move sorted materials into new containers within assigned zones, keep these tips in mind.
• Store only clean items; clothes must be clean to prevent insect infestations.
• Label everything; if you have time, prepare a printed inventory to tape to containers you can't see into.
• Don't cover floor drains with bins or boxes.
• Don't leave anything, especially flammable items, within 1-1?2 feet of a furnace.
• Install a fire extinguisher, smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector.
• Store hazardous materials in a locked cabinet.
• If the room has pipes, a hot water heater or is in a basement, keep everything that isn't in a waterproof container at least one foot off the ground.
• Don't put clothes in airtight plastic containers; use fabric bags instead. Protect clothes from direct contact with cedar, mothballs and any other pest deterrents.
• Enforce a "one in, one out" rule to avoid clutter and overcrowding in future.

8 organizing tools
Maximize space by equipping your storage room with these must-haves.
1 adjustable utility shelving
2 lockable cabinet
3 pegboard for tools
4 plastic bins for long-term storage of paper or other items that don't require air circulation
5 covered garment racks
6 canvas garment bags and boxes
7 large hooks to mount on joists if in an unfinished basement (never from pipes, as weight could damage them)
8 stepstool

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