I'd prefer painted paneling over brown faux wood. It makes the space brighter. If you put in great organizers, I think people wouldn't even focus on what's on the wall. Are you concerned with how the closets will stage during selling? If you strategically postition your stuff (look at how clothes look in closet ads), I bet it woun't be an issue.

My per peeve is buyers who expect totally up-to-date styling in a 40 year old home - build custom!

I would probably paint it and be done with it and allocate that money for something else.

Paint the panelling in the closets and add your shelving.

Perhaps add good lighting (maybe a small track system?) to the closets? Maybe add an inexpensive full-length mirror to the back of the door?

Jan at Rosemary Cottage

Yes, I was concerned about the buyer popping their head in the closet and thinking, "eew, cheap paneling." The master bed closets will have a nice and very functional organizer for the two 5'x10' closets. They will be filled with our stuff, so I don't think the buyer would see enough of the walls to be concerned (if paneling was a turn off).

The upstairs "kid's" bedrooms are those standard sized closets that aren't walk-in, with the sliding doors. We don't have kids and I kept them empty so unless I fill them for the sale, the buyer will get full view of the painted paneling.

I'm glad the vote is going in the paint direction because I sure would like to limit what I have to pay others to do!

Just paint. Something with a little gloss so it's washable.

The painted paneling may come across as something "extra" in someone's eyes. I for one would like to see painted paneling vs plain walls. If you have a great organizer no one is going to care.

If I were moving into a new home (to me) I would love the fact that the paneled closets were freshly painted white and would not have to do anything else to them.

If it is the glossy fake paneling that I am familiar with, I would use a good primer like Bullseye 123 so that the paint will not chip/peel from scraping clothes hangers, etc. and follow up with good white paint.

Now Beekeeperswife might prefer that you paint them
pink-:).

Tuesday

Here is a link that might be useful: Bullseye 123 primer

Tues - It's not the glossy kind that you are thinking of. We had that stuff in our den. The closet paneling is really weird. I've never seen anything like it before. It is put together like plywood. The top layer has white planks with black grooves and the wood is either supposed to look like it was pickled or whitewashed. Hard to tell what they were going for.

I'll look into the Bullseye primer. I had to use many coats to cover that black groove in the test closet. I'll run the pink idea by my husband.

I would appreciate a new white painted closet and think it would make the space more fresh. It honestly wouldn't bother me too much though if it weren't painted since it's a closet and my clothes would cover the walls. It's just not something that's a real big deal to me.

I also highly recommend Zinsser's 123 primer.

I would definitely paint so they show bright and airy little things like that do matter! But I wouldn't add organizers to the unused closets. They can be a benefit or a detriment depending on the buyer. An adult organizer in my sons room had to be torn out...besides it was wire and I hate those...so that organizer was a retraction in my mind. They might put a teen in one of those rooms so a kid organizer would be a pain...you can't win them all so in this case, since the organizer isn't for you, don't waste your money :)

Interesting thought, igloochic.

Anyone... what would be the minimum that you would think would need to be in the closet? Shelf and rod? That's what I have now, but it has to be replaced because the previous owner DIY-ed it and it shows, if you know what I mean. They are standard rectangular step-in closets, btw.