11 Retail Store Tips to Beat the Competition

Retail clothing is one of the most competitive markets out there. In today’s tough economy you need to have the best service necessary to stay competitive. Every store that has been around for a while will be providing a basic level of customer service. Usually this entails a friendly well informed sales team able to answer their questions. We are not talking about the basics here. You need to give them more than the other guys. Here are some ideas you can get to gain notoriety among your target market.


1. Make the shopping experience as easy and enjoyable as possible. Follow the rules of merchandising, such as clear tagging and running clothes hangers all in the same direction. Customers need to be able to find what they are looking for quickly and easily without getting frustrated.

2. Take orders over the phone or deliver products to their door either personally or through the mail?

3. Provide a seating area around change rooms. This way your guests can relax while friends or family members are trying on clothes.

4. Have your store’s logo printed on all your clothes hangers. Send your customers home with your store hangers when you make sales. This way when they pull their favorite shirt out and see your store logo they will remember where they got it from.

5. Have sales associates keep a list of regular customers and send them personalized thank you notes, special promotional offers, or gift certificates. A “missing you” note is another nice touch if someone has not come in for a while.

6. Hold an in store event or special sale. It does not necessarily have to revolve around a specific holiday.

7. Sponsor an event in your community. Find something related to your market. This might be an athletic event, such as a running or bike race, or it might be along the lines of community play. Sponsorship might include providing products, money, or volunteer service in support of the event.

8. Have longer hours during holiday seasons. Open up earlier or close later. Provide additional sales staff to help out higher than usual customer and sales volume.

9. Make checkout a speedy process. Once people have made their decision they want to get on with their lives. Have enough cash registers so long lines do not form. This is especially critical during busy holidays and special sales.

10. Allow customers to put things on layaway for a period of time. You do not have to hold an item for a month. A few days is not unreasonable especially for a good customer. When they return to pick up the item they may add to their purchase.

11. Gift wrap! Save your customers the hassle of having to wrap items up themselves. This way they can kill two birds with one stone.


About the Author: Ron Maier is the President of Everything Hangers, a leading online provider of clothes hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.everythinghangers.com.

Bad Habits Can Break Sales

Retail clothing sales can be an unforgiving business. Even if you have good sales process you can still blow sales with bad habits. Here are some small ways you can put off customers that were ready to buy.


Number one is poor hygiene. First impressions are huge when it comes to sales. Your appearance plays a massive role in. You do not have to be Brad Pitt or Angelina, but simple hygiene goes a long way. Unshaven, grungy teeth, body odor, wrinkly stained clothes, and messy hair are just a few things customer will pick up on instantly. No one is going to spend much time with a stinky sales person. Taking the time to properly care for your hygiene is a way of showing respect for your customers and fellow employees.


Number two is laziness. When a customer walks into store you should appear busy. There are always plenty of things to do in a retail store, such as putting items back on clothes hangers, re-organizing racks, sorting products, and stacking unused hangers. If you are just sitting at the counter on your butt it sends the message that you do not care about your job they will assume you do not care about them.


Number three is being unprepared. Nothing is more aggravating for a customer than trying to get information from someone who does not have any, but is trying to pretend that they do. The more you know about your product or industry the more sales you will get. This is the key to building confidence and trust with a customer that is essential for a sale to take place. Additionally you need to know your way around your store. It may seem obvious to you, but for someone who has just come in your store is a maze of store displays and clothes hangers. If a customer has to follow you all over the entire building because you do not know where a specific item is or even if you carry a product you will


Number four is nervous habits. Constantly biting your lip or fidgeting with clothes hangers while a customer is talking to you can drive customers away. Sometimes we do not even notice we are doing these things ourselves and it can be hard to break these habits. One way is to have fellow employee keep an eye out while you are dealing with customers and help remind you with a subtle hand signal, clearing of the throat.


About the Author: Ron Maier is the President of Everything Hangers, a leading online provider of clothes hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.everythinghangers.com.

Organize Your Kitchen

The kitchen is one of the busiest places in nearly every home. With so much of life and activity taking place here it is important to keep this area organized. If things have gotten out of hand it can be a daunting task, but the rewards and increase in your efficiency will leave you with more time to enjoy yourself.


It is best to tackle things section by section. Don’t try to do everything all at once. This allows you to continue to use your kitchen while you are reorganizing and prevents frustration.

Break things down into activities you will be performing such as, storing, cooking, baking, serving, and cleaning. Have one area only for dishes and plates, another for pots and pans, and another for appliances. Cleaning products and dish rack under the sink. Think about the normal flow of activity as a starting point. Combine similar items as much as possible. Certain types of foods should go together as well. Avoid putting something in an area just because there is space there or it seems to fit best there.


Keep the counters as clear as possible. This creates a feeling of orderliness and space. Smaller kitchens need all they space they have for food preparation. Multi-tiered wire shelving for cup boards is a great way to avoid excessive stacking of small items. Be wary of purchasing too many “handy” organizers for the kitchen. These things may help you out, but often become one more thing that needs organizing. It may be a sign that you should downsize. Do you have items you do not use anymore? If you cannot remember the last time you made waffles then maybe it is time to say goodbye the waffle maker.


If cabinets and drawers are already full you can create more space by hanging larger items on the wall from hooks or metal hangers. Another way is to install a metal or wooden rod and dangle hangers for pots, pans, and baking utensils.


A scattered, messy kitchen can be a nightmare. A well organized kitchen can be a great place of enjoyment for the whole family. Not only will you will feel a lot better about things once everything has a place, but you will save enormous amounts of time. When things are streamlined all of the sudden washing this dishes or cooking a meal becomes a pleasure instead of a chore.


About the Author: Ron Maier is the President of Everything Hangers, a leading online provider of clothes hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.everythinghangers.com.

Create Some Space in Your Home

Let’s face it, in every home space comes at a premium. No matter how many closets, cabinets, and shelves you have there never seems to be enough places to put things. It is a constant struggle to maintain an elegant home while still having space to put everything. We all have a dream of how our homes ought to be. “If only the builders had put this wall over here, or a built-in shoe rack under the stairs it would all work out”, we think. Unless you are ready for expensive renovations to have that wall added or removed here are a few relatively low cost ways to increase the storage capacity and classiness of you home.

In an entry way consider adding a storage bench. This really maximizes the value of your furniture. For smaller entry areas you can even get a triangular corner bench that will tuck away nicely off to the side. Shoe racks come in almost any size and are an essential for a closet in this part of your home. Wall hung coat hangers, or a coat tree can free up even more valuable space in closets.

If kitchen cabinets are chockablock full get some of those bigger pots and pans out of there and hang them up. If there is wall space you can use hooks or wall hangers. A quick look through any kitchen design magazine will fill you with space saving ideas in this area.

Install track lighting and get rid of floor lamps. Track lighting is available in a myriad of styles and colors to fit any taste and match any home. Being able to direct light anywhere you want can also help create a better atmosphere in a room.

Get a few more towels on the wall by adding another towel hanger or two as wall space allows. You could also hang an extra storage cabinet. Smaller size cabinets made especially for bathrooms are available at most home stores in stock with a variety of styles to choose from. These cabinets are great decorations with glass doors or mirrors and more importantly help keep bathroom counters clear of hair products, mouthwash, deodorants and perfumes.

A cluttered life does not lend itself to enjoyment. In the end if may be best to just let go of some things. With a little effort and creativity you can have a clutter free home and that is better than being surrounded by mountains of possessions.


About the Author: Ron Maier is the President of Everything Hangers, a leading online provider of clothes hangers and bamboo hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.everythinghangers.com.

Manage Your Time Achieve Your Dreams

Where did the time go? With such busy lives these days filled with cell phones, email, and multiple jobs it is easy for the time to get away from you. We get moving so fast that we do not see how we spend our time and then wonder why things are not getting done. Are you constantly searching for your keys in the morning or struggling to find the right clothes to wear in the morning? More than likely there are numerous energy leaks in your life that you may not even notice.

One of the most important life skills to develop is time management. How you use your time directly relates to what you can accomplish. By organizing your life and generating good habits you can eliminate unnecessary energy leaks and gain back valuable minutes or hours each day. Don’t procrastinate any longer.

Understand how you spend your time. Keep a journal or daily time log. Many top CEOs attribute their success to continual self analysis. Plot out what you are doing each hour in each day. This may seem like it will eat up even more minutes out of your day, but it is dangerous to deny yourself the time it takes to make your life better. Eventually you will begin to identify patterns and a better understanding of how much time specific tasks require. You may not be allotting enough time for certain tasks or getting bogged down with unimportant activities. Invest in a day timer, planner, and wall calendar. This can help you better plan out your days and weeks around your goals instead of just letting them happen.

Clear the clutter out of your house. The state of your environment directly affects your concentration level, approach, and outlook on your life. Keep a clean house inside and out. Hire a maid and have the lawn mowed if you are too busy. Take a weekend and go through all your belongings and give anything you do not need to charity. If you are not sure about an item, make note of it and box it up. If you have not used it after several months then donate it then. Think twice before making new purchases understanding that everything you own has to be stored, cleaned, and maintained.

The closet is a critical area where time seeps away. Often it is visited several times daily. A disorganized closet makes it difficult to find what you want to wear, sort through, and put away clothes. Putting some attention in this area can save you hours over the course of a week. The goal is to maximize you storage space and functionality at the same time. Hang shoe bags, or tie racks on the back of closet doors. Upgrade your clothes hangers so they are all the same style. Slim line hangers or multi slack hangers can increase storage capacity two or three times. Put similar items together in a closet organizer, on a shelving system, or plastic storage bins.

The idea is to create systems for anything you do on a regular basis. When you come home the keys go on a hook, cell phone on the charger, and wallet on the dresser. Other systems might be laundry, workouts, grocery shopping, children’s activities, or paying the bills. The important thing is to start developing the system and you will find ways to improve it over time.
Developing good habits takes time. You only have one life to live. No more excuses. Take action today and begin streamlining your life and achieving your dreams!

About the Author: Ron Maier is the President of Everything Hangers, a leading online provider of clothes hangers and hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.everythinghangers.com.

Maximize Your Garage Sale Profits – Sale Presentation

Part one of this series discussed the importance of effective advertising to attract customers to your garage sale. This article will give you great ideas on how to get organized for your sale and how to present your sale items in a way that will make customers want to buy.

Getting organized will help you to know what you have, what you need, and what to do with it. When going through your garage sale goods start sorting them into categories such as household items, sports and recreation, toys and games, etc. This will help you during the presentation part of the sale later. Once you have a good idea of what you have make a list of what you might need for the sale such as tables for display, stickers for pricing, coins and small bills for giving out change, clothes rack and hangers, chairs and a table to sit at, snacks and drinks for your sales people (you and your kids). Having everything you need ahead of time helps to eliminate some stress and the mad dash feeling when customers start showing up and your aren’t ready yet.

The layout of your sale can encourage or deter shoppers. Most will agree that they are more likely to peruse a sale if items are visible, easy to find, and the prices are clearly marked. The same goes for your garage sale customers. Lay similar items near each other on tables if available or in clusters on your lawn and driveway. Do not crowd too many things together. Make use of other sale items to prop things up and make it look nice. If you have clothes to sell, put them on hangers and hang them on a rack. No one likes to paw through a box of messy clothes to find something that might fit or look nice on them. This is a great way to get rid of wire hangers or the old plastic hangers. If you don’t have a clothes rack, you can improvise with a rope or broom tied or propped between two ladders. Arrange the clothes by color or type and size.

Pricing can be done with stickers or signs on tables clearly marking that these items are a certain price. Color-code your stickers so that a particular color sticker represents a particular price and make a sign to illustrate the color pricing. This method saves huge amounts of time, since you do not have to write a price on each individual item. Pricing items is entirely up to you and you will find many people like to barter, so do not worry about setting a price too high. You can always lower the price as the sale goes on throughout the day.

Customer service is part of presentation as well. Greet your customers as they arrive with a friendly smile and hello. Ask if there is something you can help them find and let them know you are available if they have any questions. Play a little upbeat music to set a fun and positive atmosphere. Shoppers in a good mood are more likely to buy.

When you advertise in multiple sources, organize your sale items in a way that is easy for shoppers to find what they are looking for, and present those items in so people can see things they did not know they wanted and you are guaranteed to get the most bang for your buck. Remember, garage sales are a great time to be outdoors with your family and neighbors, so have fun.

About the Author: Ron Maier is the President of Everything Hangers, a leading online distributor of hangers. Check out our new line of plastic hangers at http://www.everythinghangers.com.

Maximize Your Garage Sale Profits – Getting Customers

For a lot of people, summer time marks the start of garage sale season. Everybody likes to find a bargain. If you have a garage full of items like old sports equipment, clothes the kids have grown out of, hangers, dishes, or knick-knacks have a garage sale of your own. This article will discuss the importance of effective advertising to maximize your garage sale profits.

According to a recent survey, most garage sale shoppers locate the sales they are going to peruse in three different ways: newspaper ads, internet ads, and signs. If you do not advertise you will not have very many customers. If you decide to take out a newspaper ad ask a few of your neighbors if they might want to do a garage sale the same weekend that you are planning. A multi-family sale is much more likely to attract interest among those who peruse the classifieds.

Most newspapers offer package deals for garage sale ads that will allow you to run a 4 line ad for 1-3 days for about $20. The best days for garage sales are Saturdays and Sundays. You want the ad to be in the paper the morning of and the day before your sale, so be sure to submit your ad the Monday before your garage sale weekend since this is the deadline most papers have for ads to be included in the weekend paper. You can submit your ad in person, by phone, or online on your local paper’s website.

Advertising on the web in places like Craigslist.com is a great source for free advertising. Follow the easy to use instructions on their website to post your ad. You will want to post your ad on craigslist.com closer to your sale date to be towards the top of the list. Other internet sources for advertising your sale include facebook.com or myspace.com if you already have an account and network base with those sites.

Be sure to place clearly marked signs, so garage sale connoisseurs can easily navigate their way to your driveway. Cardboard works just fine for this, but if you want to get serious purchase a few pieces of brightly colored poster board, a large permanent black marker, and some duct tape. Plan out your signs and their slogans before you start writing them up. Determine how many you will need to make by mapping out where you will be placing them. The best locations are at the major intersections surrounding your sale location and at any right or left turns along the way. At each intersection you will need to have a sign facing both directions of traffic. The intersection signs should have the address, the time the sale begins and ends, as well as the words GARAGE SALE clearly and legibly written. Place a sign with the words “garage sale” and a directional arrow at any left or right turns on the way to your location from the intersections. Utilize smaller pieces of poster board with arrows drawn on them to post below your signs. Put your signs up either the night before or the morning of your sale.

Advertising in the paper, on the internet, and with bright, easy-to-read signs that lead to your sale will significantly increase your customer base. However, getting customers to come is only half the work towards a profitable garage sale. The sequel to this article will talk about how to maximize your garage sale profits through organization and presentation.

About the Author: Ron Maier is the President of Everything Hangers, a leading online provider of plastic hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.everythinghangers.com.

Maximize Your Closet Space with Slim Line Hangers

Do you have problems with closet storage space? Do you dread sorting through your clothes in the morning to get dressed? If you have been training with Olympic wrestlers just to be able to pull clothes out of your closet than this new type of hanger is for you. Closets in small apartments and older homes are often quite small and can seriously constrain your wardrobe. If you feel like you do not have enough space to store all the clothes you would like to wear throughout the year there is a solution. Slim line hangers can double or even triple the storage capacity of any closet. An organized wardrobe can save you time getting ready in the morning.

With a more streamlined look than traditional wooden hangers and a classier feel than metal or wire hangers the slim line hangers can turn a bursting at the seams wardrobe into a neat and tidy dressing environment. Their narrow design enables clothes to hang closer together while at the same time preserving their shape. Even at a ¼” width they are strong enough to hold heavy winter coats. They come in a regular size 17” length and a 12” length for childrens hangers.

Sifting through clothes when trying to decide what to wear is a daily chore. Often clothes end up falling off bulky plastic hangers as they get rifled through. The continuous clean up is frustrating and time consuming. An added feature of the slim line hanger is a velvety surface on top of the hanger. This can prevent even the daintiest garments, such as an evening dress or lingerie, from falling off the hanger.

Many people have more pants than shirts. One type of slim line hanger allows you to match up multiple pairs of pants with a single shirt. The slim line multi pant hanger provides hanging space for up to four pairs of pants. Another alternative is to add a hook to a regular hanger to hold another shirt.

Packs of ten can be purchased for around $10 dollars and they are available in a wide range of colors. The benefits of an organized wardrobe are huge. You will save hours of closet management time and eliminate one source of stress. From getting ready in the morning, when time is at a premium, to putting away clean laundry in the evening slim line hangers can make it easier.

About the Author: Ron Maier is the President of Everything Hangers, a leading online provider of clothes hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.everythinghangers.com.

Three Accessories Your Retail Clothing Store Must Have

Retail clothing is a cut throat business. Your store needs to operate at peak performance to capture market share in your area. Employees perform thousands of small tasks each day, so it is crucial streamlined procedures are in place. Organizing you store so employees can work at maximum efficiency is equally important. These three tools can keep your store running like a well oiled retail machine, and prevent chaotic work flow. Here is how this modest investment can return thousands of dollars.

The hanger stacker is an absolute essential for any retail clothing store. This device is the best way to store extra hangers around your store. Its unique shape can accommodate all types of clothes hangers, and stores them in a way that prevents tangling. Most models can be purchased for less than $20. Place them at discreet locations around your store so employees will never have to go far to find or replace excess hangers. With hangers readily available your staff can remain on the sales floor by eliminating trips to the back room to retrieve and store hangers. Another great spot is behind the cashiers’ counters where clothes hangers are constantly piling up from customer purchases. With a hanger stacker you can move hundreds of hangers anywhere your store with ease.

If you are maximizing your stores capacity you probably have garments hung on walls and storage racks in high places. A hanger retriever can save employees hours of time over the course of the day by providing quick access to those hard to reach places. Hanger retrievers can be purchased between $18 to $20 dollars. An adjustable model gives a reach between three and five feet. With a hanger retriever there is no need to clutter your store with step stools and ladders.

The scourge of most fashion outlets is piles of clothes under garment racks. Clothes get bumped as customers move up and down the aisles and can easily fall off a hanger. Items lying on the floor can get walked on, dirty and damaged. This gives an atmosphere employees constantly have to pick up and re-hang items. Use of hanger covers can turn this into a thing of the past. Hanger covers are foam or rubber strips that can be slid on or stuck to any clothes hangers and increase the hanger garment friction ratio. An investment of 15 cents each can save your store thousands of dollars in damaged clothing, and provides a cleaner store presentation. Employees will save hours of labor and have more time to spend with customers.

About the Author: Ron Maier is the President of Everything Hangers, a leading online provider of clothes hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.everythinghangers.com.

You Can Remodel Your Closet In One Day, Part 2

Now that you have got a plan you are ready for action. Solicit some help from a few choice friends you can work well and have a good time. If you know anyone who is project oriented that can be a huge plus. These people know how to get things done. They are used to taking large projects and breaking them into smaller tasks that can be tackled efficiently.

Meet at the hardware or home store as soon as it opens. Usually this is a quieter time for stores. If you wait till mid morning, especially on a Saturday, it can be hectic and you won’t be back with your materials till after lunch and may run out of time in the day to finish your project. Take your categorized shopping list and delegate part of it to each person. Stick to your list and don’t get side tracked looking at other interesting things. You are there to pick up your closet materials, not to plan a future project. Designate a meeting time at the checkout. Double check the materials to for size and quantity. When organizing your materials at the worksite they should be out of the way, but each item should be easily accessible. Putting everything in one pile can be frustrating when trying to find a specific item. You should now be ready to for the first phase, demolition.

Demolition: Put on your gloves and safety glasses. Be judicious with your use of force. The idea is to deconstruct your closet so that the surrounding walls are left in the best condition possible. Swinging wildly with a sledgehammer is likely to put a hole in a door or send debris flying through the window. Have one person do the demolition and the others form a bucket brigade to pass the wreckage out of the house. Remove all nails and screws that might be sticking out of the wall and thoroughly clean the area before starting to build.

Layout: Referring to your plans detail the closet layout on the closet walls. Measure off the floor where each shelf will go and use your level to scribe a line across the wall. Do this for the entire plan before starting any rebuilding. Draw vertical lines at the edges of each cabinet. At this time you may be able to make limited adjustments with shelving heights if you are unhappy with the layout. Next use the stud finder to locate and mark the center of each stud wherever you have layout lines. Studs will typically be found every 16”.

Construct: Start by installing any cabinets you have decided on. Transfer the stud layout to the cabinets and drill one hole towards the top of the box for each stud. While someone holds the cabinet on the layout lines screw it to the wall. Fasten adjacent cabinets together first with clamps then with shorter 1 ¼” screws to avoid blowing through the other side. Shelving may be held up by angle brackets, wood cleats, or plastic hanger clips. Since there will be a lot of weight on shelves and closet poles make sure all fasteners are driven into studs. With brackets in place you can measure up and cut your shelving. Follow the carpenter’s mantra, “measure twice, and cut once.” Measure up the front and the back of shelves since walls may be out of square.

Spackle up any damaged walls or holes you may have created during construction and pickup some classy matching wooden hangers to finish the project off.

About the Author: Ron Maier is the President of Everything Hangers, a leading online provider of clothes hangers and wooden hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.everythinghangers.com.

You Can Remodel Your Closet In One Day, Part 1

Are you unhappy with your closet setup? Does it appear to be designed for tiny elves or seven foot giants with shelves too low to the ground and others you can’t reach? Perhaps your closet just does not jive with your wardrobe or personal preferences and you are in need of a place to store your collection of thigh high boots or sports jerseys. If you think your closet was built by Satan then do not put up with it another day. You don’t have to be a professional builder to remodel your closet. With just a few tools, and techniques and the help of your partner and one or two friends you can fully renovate your closet to suit your exact needs in one day or less.

How can that be possible? The trick is in the planning. You must have a well thought out plan before you even start the construction. Here’s what you will need to do.

Take Measurements: Remove all clothes from closet and carefully measure all walls and ceiling height. Check that the measurements are consistent at the floor and ceiling, since walls may not be plumb or square. If there is a small discrepancy of ¼” it won’t make much difference. If things are out by ½” or more make note on your plans.

Draw up your plans: Create a scale (relatively) drawing of the space. The better your drawings the easier the construction will be. Think about what you would like in the closet. Consider your wardrobe needs. Do you need a lot of space for dresses and suits, or more shelves and racks for shoes and things you would like to store? You may want to take a trip to a hardware or home to see what is available. Closet shelving is typically 16” or 20” wide and comes in variable lengths which you can cut to whatever size necessary. Write down and measure all items you would like to include in your closet and all the sizes they come in. Once you have an idea of what you want draw it up. You should have a top down “plan” view of the closet, as well as side “elevation” view of each wall. The elevations view is helpful when determining shelving heights. Your drawings don’t have to be beautiful, but should give you a clear concept of what you will be building.

Create a Materials List: This is a critical step. Looking at your plans add up all the components you will need. Work through systematically page by page and determine how each piece will be fastened together and to the wall taking notes as you go. Now rewrite a categorized list of all items you came up with. Allow one category for cabinets, one for shelving, one for hangers, hooks, fasteners and hardware, as well as one for any tools and supplies you expect to purchase or rent. Include a description or model name of each item if you have a preference.

Gather Tools and Supplies: Take inventory of any tools and supplies you’ve acquired from past project. You will need at least a power drill, skill saw, drill bits, and a 4’ or 6’ level. Of course you will need a hammer, measuring tape, square, and pencil as well. Include a hacksaw or angle grinder if you plan on using metal wire shelves. Don’t forget a bit of spackle paste to repair any holes in the wall. A stud finder can speed up the job tenfold and they can be purchased for around 10 dollars.

Spend as much time as necessary on planning. 1 minute of planning can save 5 minutes of work. The next part will explain how to mobilize your team to get the project done in record time.

About the Author: Ron Maier is the President of Everything Hangers, a leading online provider of hangers and plastic hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.everythinghangers.com.

Extend the Life of Your Clothes

Every closet holds some one’s favourite item of clothing. It may be that pair of jeans that fits just right or the shirt that goes with anything. They get worn more than any other item and therefore get laundered most often. After several cycles of washing and drying, they no longer look as bright or the decals start to crack and peel. Here are some ways to help extend the life of your clothes and keep that favourite shirt looking brand spanking new.

It is important to use a detergent that is right for your clothes. Most brands now carry a cold water detergent. Cold water detergent is made to dissolve fully in the colder temperature guaranteeing cleaner darks. Build up from detergents and fabric softeners can cause your colors to become dull and faded. To avoid this, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for amount of detergent to use in each load. During the rinse cycle, a chemical reaction between the added fabric softener, detergent, and detergent suds can create white deposits on clothes. If you insist on using fabric softener, it will help to dilute it with warm water in the fabric softener dispenser cup. Using dryer-added fabric sheets is a sure way to avoid this build up on clothes.

The dryer is the worst enemy to your clothes. In the dryer, high temperatures and constant motion wears out fabrics in a flash. For your favourite items, try hanging them out to dry. You can dry them outside, weather permitting, on a clothes line. An added bonus to line drying is the fresh outdoor scent, assuming you don’t live next to the dump or a neighbour that barbeques everything. For inclement weather, you can try a drying rack indoors. These are nice because when not in use they can be collapsed for easy storage. If you only have one or two items they can be put on plastic hangers and hung on your shower curtain rod to dry. Besides being gentler on your clothes, hanging your clothes to dry will reduce your utility bill. A drawback of indoor drip drying is that it takes longer, 24-48 hours depending on the type of material. A space heater positioned safely away from dangling clothes can reduce the time it takes by lower a room’s humidity.

If you need your favourite shirt for a job interview in the morning you will probably need to use your dryer. There are a few things you can do to protect your clothes in the dryer. Clothing with decals or lettering should be turned inside out to decrease their exposure to heat and friction. Always check your dryer settings. A recent study conducted by the American Chemical Society showed that cotton fabrics tear more easily when repeatedly machine dried at high temperatures. Newer dryers allow you to adjust the temperature at which your clothes are dried. Tumbling of fabrics while still wet causes more damage than tumbling them when partially dry. If possible, set your clothes to tumble dry during the cool down phase of the dryer cycle.

Your favourite shirt, pair of jeans, or irreplaceable marathon finisher t-shirt will last a little longer when you take the time to care for your clothes the way they care for you.

About the Author: Ron Maier is the President of Everything Hangers, a leading online provider of plastic hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.everythinghangers.com.

Turning Childrens Chores into Child's Play

“Why can’t my kid use the closet instead of the floor for their clothes!?”

Does this sound familiar? You are not alone. This is a common question voiced by parents around the world. Unless something is done early on it only gets worse as they move into the teenage years. What can be done? You’ve tired nagging. You’ve tried grounding. You’ve even tried pleading, though you may not admit to it. Here are some ideas to help you motivate your child to keep their room tidy and clothes in the closet where they belong. By starting at an early age you can avoid the teenage disaster zones that have been foretold. Three great ways to motivate your tykes to be tidier are to give verbal encouragement, make it fun, and reward them for a job well done.

Studies have shown that kids respond more positively to words of encouragement instead of criticism. Think about the kind of encouragement you appreciate from your boss or co-workers and pay it forward to your kids. Praise them when they do remember to clean up or at least get something on a hanger. Remember to be sincere. Keep from going overboard and gushing praise; you risk creating the opposite effect. Encouragement can also include explaining the benefits of having a tidy room, such as being able to find toys, having space to play, and making it inviting for other kids to come over and enjoy.

Kids are more likely to participate in clean up if you make a game out of it. A great clean up game to play with younger kids is to have them clean up things in categories like colors, starts with, or sounds like. You will need to start out playing the games with them until the clean up becomes a habit. Make the closet a fun place. Decorate it with their favourite theme. Closet organizers help make sense out of the mayhem of clothing. Standard hangers may not fit your kids clothes, however many stores now carry children’s hangers more suitable to a smaller garment. These also come in different colors or themes and make sorting clothes easier. Create colourful tags and label drawers and shelves for shirts, pants, and sweaters.

You and your child can have fun creating a progress chart. Hang the chart on the inside of their door so they see it before they leave their room. Each time they put away their clothes, hang up their shirt, or put dirty clothes in the hamper a sticker goes on the chart. The chart will help you and your child keep track of their progress and let them know how close they are to receiving their reward for a job well done. Everyone likes to receive gifts, but a well earned reward is a lot more enjoyable. Rewards don’t always have to be toys. Other ideas might include a trip to the children’s museum or science center, a night at the movies, or a slumber party on their tidy bedroom floor.

This may seem like a lot of time and effort on your part, but consider it an investment. In the long run you will have helped your child to develop lifelong organizational skills. Keeping a room clean doesn’t always have to be a chore. Encourage and praise your kids when they do clean up, make it fun with games and decor, and help them chart their progress and reach their goal. You might even have fun too.

About the Author: Ron Maier is the President of Everything Hangers, a leading online provider of childrens hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.everythinghangers.com.

Stunning Store Setup

A great display window can be the determining factor whether or not a window shopper enters your store and becomes a new paying customer, or keeps on trucking. Eye catching window displays account for a significant percentage of small retail business sales. With a little time and attention spent on your window display you can significantly increase the amount of business your store sees. Color, organization, and placement are the three key variables this article will discuss to help your window displays be all they can be.

Color plays an important role in the success of your display. People are attracted to colors. Studies have shown that different colors on dining area walls can affect the pace at which people eat. Hair and eye color can attract one person to another, and likewise, the colors in your display window will attract customers to stop and view the products within. Bright colors are guaranteed to catch the eye; however the effect can be magnified using complimentary color pairs. A color wheel is a valuable tool in creating color energy in your displays. You can purchase one at any arts supply store, or search online for a downloadable version. Knowing which products you are going to display will help you determine a desirable color scheme. Select table clothes, ribbons, paper, and other accessories that match your color scheme and you will be amazed at how your products stand out. Now that you have grabbed your customers attention, help them focus their eyes on the different products.

Organization of your products within the display helps keeps customers interested once you have their attention. Statistics have shown shoppers are less likely to enter shops in which the store displays appear disorganized, or cluttered. Customers do not want to dig through, step over, or move things in your store just to reach something that has piqued their interest. Remember your display represents the entire store. Careful review of your inventory can help you determine which items will be on display. Too many products may overwhelm the customer, and shatter the effect. Odd numbers are most pleasing to the eye. Cluster products in groups of 3 or 5.

This brings us to our last important factor to consider when creating your store display. Vary the size and shape of products to keep the eye interested, remembering to place smaller products in front of taller, or larger items. The goal is to draw the viewer to the next item, not the next window. Vary the height and depth of your products. This can be easily achieved using tables, shelves, or hangers to help give your display layers or levels of interest.

With a little more attention to color, organization, and placement of products you are guaranteed to create a stunning store display, and that is sure to turn window shoppers into shoppers.

About the Author: Ron Maier is the President of Everything Hangers, a leading online provider of hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.everythinghangers.com.