The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

2 2 - Real E state: T h e O a k v ille Beaver, W e d n e sd a y F e b ru a ry 8, 2006 How to create more usable closet space in your home For m ost people, the ideal closet is the size of a room with ample space to hang clothing, lots of shelves to tuck and stash, away things -- a place where you can walk around and assess all your personal belongings. In reality, most people's closets fall well short of this ideal. And few of us stop to consider the full potential of the closets we do have -- tiny as they may be. To understand their true potential, take a good objective look inside the closets you already have -- and the empty spaces that could be turned into closets or cupboards. Closets are not the sort of thing most of us like to face. By their very nature, they invite us to avoid them. As long as the living space looks good, what's inside the closets doesn't really matter. It is said that both home and self improvem ent often start with your closets. The more effective and organized your closets are, the more effective and organized you feel. The main things to con sider when organizing your closets are budget, space and lifestyle. Even the tini est closet can be maximized, and not necessarily at a high price. Also, the contents of a closet don't necessarily have to fit the contents of a room. A hall broom closet can be turned into a pantry; a kitchen nook can be turned into a place to hang a wardrobe. separately in the attic or some place out of the way. Clearing out a closet is the first step in creating more space. · Invest in a shoe rack that can be incorporated into your closet. Whether it sits on the floor or hangs from the door or is part of a shelve unit, a rack will not only keep your shoes together, it will give the whole closet a more organized appearance. · Plan to store your out-of-season clothes out of the way in boxes or elsewhere. Use the closet only to keep those items you wear regularly dur ing a season. · If you dislike the smell of m oth balls but want to ensure your closets smell nice and don't attract moths, try hanging a sachet of dried rose mary flowers or a mixture of cinna mon and cloves. There are many fresh-smelling deodorizers and perfumed papers to choose from on the market as well. · If closet space is still tight and there are few. open spaces in your home that can be turned into closets, try adding an armoire or wardrobe. This was the furniture piece used for storing clothes' back when there weren't built-in closets. It's still a popular and practical item in many homes today. · Try turning an entire wall in a room into a storage area. There are many systems available that can be easily installed. You can close them up by. adding doors, or keep them open and airy. · Kitchens are where you can be most creative in finding extra storage @ Home With The Goodale Group Don Goodale Brad M iller And you don't have to ju s t hang things in closets. You can add shelf units, baskets, bins, or whatever fits, to store things in. Consider an air plane, a boat or a mobile home, where space is at a pre mium. Storage spaces are found above, below and to all sides of fur nishings. Here are a few more ideas to consider: · Make your closets serve a variety of purposes. Try adding a shelving untTto a clothes closet where you can store pantry goods and other items. · Always try to incorporate a vari ety of shelving units in a closet. These give you space to store small items such as shoes, scarves, handbags and even books. · The ceiling space in closets is seldom used. Consider adding a shelve or a compartment to store bulkier items such as luggage or blankets. · Before re-organizing a closet, take everything out. Set aside any thing you haven't worn or used in a year. Consider donating these items to charity. Those you no longer use but want to keep should be stored O nhJQ £ M ILLER REAL ESTATE LTD, C lare M aclean 9 0 5 -8 4 5 -9 1 8 0 Sales Representative MASTER & CENTURION AWARD WINNERS NEW LISTING! BDRM APT. GORGOUS CONDITION - 2 ] ONLY $167,900 Top floor - overlooking trees & Ravine · Insuite laundry - fireplace - balcony - Five appliances With 10% - Carries for apprqx. $ 1 1 0 0 Quick possession - Close to all amenities space. To get the best use of kitchen clos et space, store as much as possible outside the closets. That means hang ing anything that can hang from the ceilings and the walls. Custom-design closets and cupboards for tlie specific goods each will hold. This may include drawers for knives, shelves for different size cans, jars, etc. · Adding a shelving rack to the inside of a closet door can make even the shallowest closet seem deeper. · In a child's room, don't limit yourself to the space inside the closet Use lots of bins, stacking baskets and shelving units throughout the room to store and toss things in. Don Goodale is a sales representa tive and Brad Miller is an associate broker for CENTURY 21 Miller Real Estate Ltd. B o t h can be reached at 905-845-9180 or through the web at www.goodalemillergroup.com. This article was produced by the Ontario Real Estate Association and reprinted with their permission. Every effort was made to ensure the accuracy of this article. However, the information is gen eral in nature. Please seek profession al advice relevant to your specific sit uation. S A L E S R E PR E SE N T A T IV E * Top 3% Across Canada n PU Hi G O LD 9 0 5 - 8 4 5 -4 2 6 7 Uisit ivim v.lieQ enlanko.com fot m ote pictuies anD details lllllllllllllllllllllllll royal lepage &BHHBMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII SOLD IN ONE DAY! HELEN DANKO DONNA GALLOW Sales Representative discover it today. W W W ,Q J M w Kvillebeaver.com C D ih tt $784,900. Prof. renovated 5 bdrm converted to 4 with large master ensuite B/l wardrobe, 2 w/i closets. White kitchen opens to FR, spacious LR & DR, m/f office, prof finished base ment with extra bath. Double entry with courtyard area. Large deck, inground pool-con crete surrounding. Adam Campbell, Broker /Owner of ADVANTAGE PLUS REALTY CORP. is pleased to announce that DONNA GALLOW has joined his team as a Sales m |r S im m o n s O ut G o ll U f J I U O CI lla L I V G Representative . Donna is an award winning professional Realtor, who is dynamic and highly motivated. Her knowledge, experi ence and successful marketing strategies guarantee a nigh standard of excellence for her clients. Donna specializes in Residential and Relocation Real Estate in Oakville, Burlington, Milton and surrounding areas. To ensure her clients attract the highest sale price possible, Donna also adds Home Staging to her list of Adam and the rest of the ADVANTAGE PLUS TEAM welcome Donna and wish her all the best. Donna can be reached by calling her office at (905) 8444444 & < !?· c . ' ROYAL LePAGE mmm m in im IM H IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Rpnrpcentatiwp Burloak Real Estate Services INDEPENDENTLY OWNED & OPERATED g EM l g f ;f ^ | - M [h] 9 0 5 -6 3 4 -7 7 5 5 DOWNTOWN BURLINGTON LOCATION * 2 bedroom, 2 bath, 1,400 sq. ft. executive ,ivin9 in the heart of Burlington - Eat* in kitchen with ceramic floor, granite counters, 6 appliances. Hardwood throughout - Great amenities - 24 hour r| security. Quick possession. Call today for a viewing. DOWNTOWN BURLINGTON LOCATION 9th floor, 1400+ S.F. - spectacular S.E. lakeviews. This delightful 2 bed, 2 bath professionally decorated condo apartment in Bunton's Wharf has it all. Luxurious carpeting, ceramics, granite counters, eat-in kitchen and elegant living/dining $000's in upgrades. Locker on same level as apartment. Don't wait ffi& Z' S t i l ^ ^ r J r I jll| $389,900. Spacious north east corner, 1557 s.f. Cardinal model, wonderful views of the lake from spacious balcony & view of the Toronto skyline. 2 plus den, new ensuite bath. New doors, coricountertops, pot lights & more. Very private. B SI 11 1 1 RENTAL $ 1200/mth 2 bed condo w ith beautiful view o f Lake & H arb our - large balcony, hardw ood, updated bath. Possession A p ril 1st. Call Helen to view. AdvantagePlus R E A L T Y C O R P . www.aplushomes.ca £ THINKING OF SELLING? CALL ME TODAY FO RY O U RFREE MARKET EVALUATION, I BELIEVE THE CUSTOMER IS NO. 1 Visit me at www.royallepage.ca/rikasimmons and view the above listings, lis t with me and see your home here too!! (905 ) 844-4444