Walk-in Closet
Don’t have a bucket list but if I did, “get a walk-in closet” would definitely be on there. As someone who has lived in 800 square feet or less for the last 20 years, I’ve still never had a closet to call mine. I see walk-in closets with accessory islands and seating areas, and that’s not what I’m dealing with in my small house. At all.
Take Off Your Closet Door
One way to immediately get a bit of extra space is to remove the doors on your reach-in closet. Once the doors are off, you can choose to leave the closet open or add something simple like curtains. Removing the doors will allow you to store bulkier items or add some additional storage furniture that might not fit with closet doors.
If You Do Have Doors, Use Them
If you’re going to keep your closet doors, consider how you might be able to use them to create even more storage space in your closet. Add hooks to keep your jewelry in place, or use an over-the-door organizer to store shoes, scarves or other small items. Even if you have an unusual item to store, think about how you might be able to use the extra space on your doors to grab more real estate.
Another easy closet upgrade is to add a dresser. The nice thing about this is that you can add a dresser without making any other physical changes to the closet. It’s also a great option if you happen to have a dresser that you don’t love the look of. Dresser drawers are the perfect place to keep folded t-shirts, underwear or other accessories that you don’t want on display.
Don’t Be Afraid to Think Outside the Box
We all have different needs with our closets, and this clever doll storage idea is a great reminder that you shouldn’t be shy about trying to make your space work exactly how you need it to. If you have special storage needs based on your hobbies or collections, try to think through how you might set up your closet to handle them. For example, I really love infinity scarves but I don’t like hanging them on hangers. I cleared out one of the drawers in my dresser and have dedicated it to keeping all my folded scarves.
Try Pre-Fab Custom Solutions
There are a number of pre-fab options available that will help you customize your closet in the same way you might if you went for a full-on custom solution.
Hang All of Your Storage Containers
If you have a limited budget or live in a rental that doesn’t allow you to make any structural changes, consider closet storage solutions that you can hang from the existing clothing rod in your closet. There are solutions for shoe storage, jewelry, scarves, sporting equipment and other accessories.
Decorate Your Room With Items That Can Double as Storage
Now that you’ve started customizing the inside of your closet to work with all of your storage needs, think through the rest of your space to ensure you’re using all of the available real estate you have. If you have any items or collections that you don’t mind keeping on display, consider decor or art that will allow you to move things out of your closet and onto your bedroom walls.
If You Don’t Have a Closet, Create One With Wardrobes
If you have a room that doesn’t have any closets at all but does have a bit of extra room, consider creating a faux built-in closet with existing wardrobes and shelves. My favorite tool for achieving this is the Ikea Pax line. By carefully measuring your space and creating the right configuration, you can create a closet that looks completely custom but is actually the opposite. If you want to take it one step further, you can even make the Pax wardrobes look completely built-in with this drywall hack technique.
hgtv.com:8 Space-Saving Organization Ideas for When You Don’t Have a Walk-in Closet. 19. August 2018. https://www.hgtv.com/design-blog/design/space-saving-organization-ideas-for-when-you-dont-have-a-walk-in-closet
