Joan Crawford was right. No more wire hangers...ever. The thin wire wears a groove into clothes and causes unsightly lumps in anything with a knitted fabric. Knits should be folded and stored. Wherever possible, get your hands on coat hangers or plastic hangers and use those for your hangables.

3. Decorate with some of your favorite wearables. Is your hat collection taking up too much room? Hang one on your bedpost, make an arrangement on wall. Accent with bunches of upside down dried flowers. No way to keep your ties neat? Create a rack on one wall or use as a headboard. Ties can add color and style. Add to your collection with funky ties from back of Dad's closet or Salvation Army.

4. Put everything on walls that you can, including lighting. Lamps take up a lot of room on small bedside tables, room you may need for other things. Brace small shelves on wall on either side of your bed and present your lamps like works of art. Invest in shelves that you can take down and take with you when you move. Create vignettes on shelves that can be useful and bring color and urban wit to your bedroom - books, memorabilia. Decorate with items that are distinctively you.

One of most charming decorative items from past are wall shelves, brackets and sconces. If you go into new furniture stores, you will see that wall storage is making a huge comeback and at very expensive prices.

5. If your bedroom isn't large enough to accommodate kind of furniture you really want, paint a tromp-l'oeil version of what you want. Tromp-l'oeil is art of painting or fabricating something so that it looks like real thi ng. One decorating style book suggests painting a canopy on wall and ceiling behind and above bed to give illusion of elegance. Rooms with small windows can be similarly fooled with paintings that feature windows and pictures of beautiful views.

6. Change way you study, pay bills, or work at home. Move "home office" out of bedroom and find a convenient place in your more spacious living room area.

Psychological studies show that when you study, read or do work that requires concentration, you will perform better away from areas associated with relaxation and sleep. The reverse is true also. You will sleep better away from demanding reminders of projects due.

7. Keep it simple. A few large pieces of furniture will have more utility than scaled down versions of more items. Use one nightstand instead of two, but make it a large one. Use a large dresser that can accommodate all your foldables. Out of season items can be stored in boxes and put in closet or under bed.

If you want to dispose of expensive electronic gear, sporting equipment or recent-year designer clothing, consider offering items at a consignment store. These stores have become more up-scale in recent years and they offer a neat way to sell your more valuable but used belongings at a fair price. Check telephone directory for consignment shops in your area.

Other tips and reminders:

# Get receipts for your donations, so you can take an income tax deduction.

# Take all hazardous wastes (e.g., motor oil, leftover paint, spent batteries) to designated drop-off area in your community.

# Don't stock up on groceries or personal care items right before you move. Instead, use up your canned goods, frozen foods and spare boxes of tissues, so you won't have to move them to your new home. Then restock after you've moved and unpacked.

# Many professional movers don't handle open liquor bottles, so you'll have to give those away to your neighbors, transport them yourself (be mindful of vehicle code rules on this one) or have a party.

# If you really can't bear to part with your unused belongings, consider a storage facility. Be sure to ask about access hours, key control, lighting, climate control and security at storage site.