This post was originally published on DIY Network’s blog Made + Remade in April 2015.
Let’s talk bedroom closets.
They come in all shapes and sizes. Walk-in, reach-in, wide sliding doors or bifold doors, small doors, lofted storage, inset drawers – you name it, some closet out there is owning it. Our bedroom closets also dictate how much other storage we need in our bedroom too; armoires and drawers are common complements to one’s ordinary closet, but if you have a well-organized closed-off closet (or a super spectacular walk-in), maybe your stand-alone furniture needs aren’t as demanding.
We all have different amounts belongings, and varied organizational demands of our bedroom closets, but when it comes right down to it, don’t we all want to make the most of our space? Sometimes, what would appear to be a functional closet can be re-thought simply, and maximized to better serve one’s needs. This here isn’t my closet, but it’s a great point of inspiration. Mine is significantly less “OOH,” and lots of “ohh,” as you’ll see for yourself a few photos down page.
The master bedroom in my home has two separate closets, which I think is a really nice touch and not something you find all that often. I claimed the slightly larger one when we moved in (naturally) and inside, it measures 5′ wide x 2′ deep. It’s modest, but I think think that’s a great closet size, especially considering it’s not shared.
The glitch is, the entryway to my closet is narrow, a doorway only 2′ wide, and with the hanging bar situated where it is, and a shelf running at eye-level the full 5′ length, accessing the depths of the closet to the left and the right of the doorway was basically impossible on a day-to-day basis. Those places I couldn’t reach went unused. My 5′ wide closet was essentially shrunken to a 2′ wide reach-in closet.
It didn’t take long to realize the potential of using the closet differently.
My goals with this closet makeover are pretty straight-forward:
- I’m going to remove all of the existing inner structure, including the hanging bar, the raised shelf above it, and all of the wooden “brackets” that have been used to anchor it for the last 65 years.
- I want to maximize easy-to-reach hanging space.
- I need better shoe organization.
- I need to maintain some open shelving – this may be the ex-retail employee in me, but I do love neatly folded stacks of clothes. I mean, hanging is a necessity for many items, but I prefer to keep the jeans and sweaters folded on shelves within reach. Some open shelving will also be good for small baskets and bins, in which I can store accessories like scarves and hats.
- While I’m at it, paint. Gutting the closet is going to cause some paint damage. Wait and see.
- A mirror. Because there are no full-length mirrors in our home! And it probably shows.
- And a new light? I love that my closet has a ceiling light (there’s a door hinge light switch that makes the light come on when I open the door, like a refrigerator).
Now go see the closet transformation and get easy tips for making the most of a small closet.
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