Keep your winter gear under control

Unless you're the queen or king of organization, you likely have boxes or bags in your home stuffed with winter wear. Tangled scarves, mismatched mittens, bulky coats and stray boots – these are just a few of the items you can expect to invade your foyer or mudroom this winter, especially with the winter we've already been having. With just a little effort, you can cut down on the clutter and hopefully prevent yourself from buying the same winter wear items over and over again.

A home for everything - Regardless of your storage method of choice (bins, baskets, lockers will all do the trick) it's important to give each family member an area for their own stuff and make them accountable for it. Add a little flair to each family member's area by personalizing it with a monogram or nameplate.

Multi-purpose storage – You know those plastic shoe organizers that hang over the back of your closet door? They are ideal for storing smaller loose items like mittens, scarves, hats and umbrellas. Buy an organizer with clear pockets so you can easily identify its contents. Because these hang vertically you will save plenty of closet space, too!

Choose hooks over hangers - Let's face it, kids are busy little creatures and they are much more likely to hang their coat on a hook than they are to take the time to use a hanger. Install hooks or pegs under an entranceway shelf for hanging wet coats and scarves that need some drying time before stashing away. The inside of the closet is another great place to introduce these handy organizers.

Make the most of your space - Use that empty space below your coats in the closet. Add a pull drawer system, or multi-tiered shoe racks in order to put that space to good use.