Tired of trying to keep all those scarves, mittens and other winter items organized?  We hear you. Just because you’ve battled through the first half of winter doesn’t mean you have to battle through the second. With several more weeks to go, it’s worth taking a couple of hours to get organized.

If your hallway closet is overrun with winter coats and snow pants, make room by removing fall and spring items. You won’t be needing those for a while so pack them into airtight containers, and store them in your garage for now. Once you’ve freed up a few inches of rail space in your closet, insert a multi-shelf canvass organizer like this six-shelf hold-all, and allocate one compartment to each family member for hats and gloves, etc.

Looking for other ways to lighten your winter load? If you find yourself washing your entranceway or mudroom floor every day, buy a large, forgiving mat – one that camouflages winter’s debris. Sure, big black mats may not be beautiful, but they’re a whole lot prettier than salt-stained, slushy tiles, and request much less maintenance!

For more ideas and solutions for your home, check out the National Home Show from February 18 to 27, 2011. Come browse products from more than 700 retailers, and get help from celebrity and industry experts, including Garage Tailors Garage at booth 2044. Hope to see you there!