Horrid closets-- how to organize?

15 years ago

Calling all closet experts! My husband and I are in the middle of a gut reno for our tiny NYC apt. We like the apartment, except for one thing... CLOSETS! Our current places is 1/2 the size w/ better closets. Ugh. Can anyone help me figure out what to do with them. There are only TWO closets in the whole apartment (neither of which are in the bedroom -- ha!).

One is: 34"(w) x 32.5"(d) x 112"(h)

The other has vertical sofits inside so it's wider in the front than the back. Generally, though, in the back it's:

39"(w) x 38"(d) x 112" (h)

In the front: 50"(w)x 38"(d) x 112" (h)

These closets need to fit everything except linens (building a small linen closet). Yikes -- coats, dresses, etc. We need to get an armoire to help, but... I also need to MAXIMIZE the space. If you hadn't noticed, the closets are very deep. Almost as deep as they are wide. How does this work? How can I hang things and use the space behind or in front? I am so confused!

Many, many thanks!

Featured Answer

jaybird

15 years ago

I have A 36" square closet. My handydandy hubby put a dress length plus 18" rod on one side going from front to back. On the other side from front to back there are two rods (one above the other) that are jacket length apart.
Above the rods is a deep shelf that is open to the ceiling.
In the middle is a denim hanging sweater stacker and a hanging shoe stacker.
Obviously dresses go on the dress length rod. Under that are two square plastic laundry baskets. One holds socks and hosiery, the other purses and totes. On the other side, shirts, blouses and jackets go on the stacked rods.
In the sweater stacker are scarves, sweaters and pj's. The shoe stacker holds clutch bags, belts, potpourri, swiffer rags, room spray...etc.
On the inside of the closet door there is a fabric shoe bag with 48 slots. It holds all sorts of household items including flashlights and static remover spray.
On the big shelf at the top, there are boxes that hold silver and crystal serving pieces. Also on the front wall of the closet.....over the door, there is a series of big cup hooks that hold other silver serveware and baskets.
HTH

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (9)

pammyfay
15 years ago
Hi-- one of the other great forums on Garden Web is "Organizing the Home," and there are some really great ideas over there, from posters including Talley_Sue. You might try posting over there, as wel! (and there are a lot of organizing-store aficionados, too!).
User
15 years ago
I would look into some kind of motorized hanging storage that will bring items on hangars around to you, sort of like the ones at dry cleaners.

Or, you could get something that manually rotates vertically, instead of horizontally. For very high storage there is a hanging bar that can be pulled down and in front of the other hanging clothes, either by electric motor or by using a long hook to disengage and pull the bar down.

Here is a link that might be useful: motorized closet storage
Related Discussions
what do you keep in your linen closet...& how do you organize it?
Q
Comments (31)
You could actually do a couple different things. You could have one rod and use hangers. You would have to fold them a bit to fit on the hanger and not drag on the floor, but that's usually how they come from the cleaners. For heavy cloths, use two hangers together for added strength. You could also hang multiple rods at slightly different heights and depths. If you have a walk in closet this works great, but will still work with a reach in. Hang the highest rod the farthest back, then one a bit lower and closer and even a third lower and closer than the second. Then you can hang the cloths right on the rod instead of on a hanger. I like the rod because of it's larger diameter it doesn't leave creases in the cloths. You can also overlap them on these rods. For optimum use of space, you'd need to use multiple rods and overlap. Is that totally confusing?!
...See More
How to organize a weird closet
Q
Comments (14)
@Karin L: The closet is near/on the side that my bedroom door opens, so if the wall was to be torn down, a sliding or accordion door would be much better than the standard door. Even though with the space constraints, I would just pick a sliding door since it'll be easier. I'm able to get 16inch hangers in but at an angle so everything is not flat against each other (if that makes sense). What I did try the first time I organized was to put winter coats on the left side (side with the door) and store summer stuff on the right side, then switch it up to the opposite way during the summer. This has worked but I'm the type of person who likes to see what I have, not have stuff hidden. But, I understand that we can't always get what we want -_- I do like the idea of the mobile hanging/shelf units, but I rather make it myself then looking forever for something that is 15 inches wide. Thanks for the idea! :D @LuAnn: I grew up sharing a room with an older sister and even though our closet was tall and deep, she took up everything with crap. Our floor to the closet was filled with a pile/mountain of just her shoes. So when I got my own room and closet I was just happy to get something that I could claim as my own. I did notice that the closet would be a problem but I figured I would just make it work. Also, the walls and bare wood floor (the owners never took care of the nice wood floor so it was like it just got cut from a tree and placed on the floor...splinter city) needed more of my attention, so I focused on those more. @Graywings: You do have a point and I have considered that, which is another reason why I'm hesitant to go through tearing down a wall. But, it really would have made sense to have the door in the middle or a more open space when the space is only 15 inches width.
...See More
How to better organize my closet
Q
Comments (3)
No pictures, and not that I'm terribly organized, but this is what I do to avoid complete chaos in the small walk-in closet I share with DH. There is an organizer system that was installed by the PO of the house, with the right side having one bar to hang clothes and the left side a low bar and a high bar. I use the right side, and DH uses the left side. (I don't mess with his side. He tends to keep clothes that he doesn't wear for a long time, but he's pretty neat.) Starting from the left, I hang all my tops: Sleeveless Short-sleeved Long-sleeved Then pants Then skirts Then dresses Then evening wear/dressy clothes Sweaters go on the shelf above. Our closet has a pegboard attached to one wall with moveable hooks. I hang the nightgown I've worn the night before and any bras that I've worn since washing them on a couple of the hooks. (Clean nightwear and bras are kept in my dresser.) Shoes: seldom-worn shoes (dress shoes) are in a hanging cloth shoe bag on the other wall of the closet. More-often-worn shoes are theoretically in a bench by the front door, but in practice tend to be strewn about in front of the bench. But we don't have that many shoes, and it's easy to pick them up and put them in the bench.
...See More
Help my husband better organize his closet!
Q
Comments (4)
Keep the top rod for hanging jackets and jeans etc. put in a chest of drawers and inserts in the drawers to organize vest; socks and pajamas etc. My hubby would always turn it upside down and leave it a mess - and I iron everything, but since labeling ( sticking labels inside edge of drawers) it is now far much tidier.
...See More
User
15 years ago
This site has a video of such a rolling shelf closet.

Here is a link that might be useful: video of rolling shelves
simoneb
Original Author
15 years ago
Neat ideas! I'm going to look at both of these. Also, I didn't see the organizing the home forum. Will post there too. If anyone else has ideas though, keep 'em comin!
elizgonz
15 years ago
Have you looked at all of the closet system websites (California Closets, Easy Closets, Container Store, etc.)to see if any of the designs might work for you? I have inadequate closet space in my home and have been scouring these websites to determine what configuration I want for each one of my closets. In the kids' closets, I've settled on Elfa because they are adjustable. In the other closets, I'll have a carpenter build something for me.

In my home, it's a constant battle to keep on top of the closets and all of the furniture that serves as storage (chests, dressers, linen press, etc.). Each one of those spaces is doing double duty so I have to be keeping thins tidy and purging ALL the time.

Good luck!
Elizabeth
teacats
15 years ago
Pick up the latest issue of House Beautiful magazine (September) -- see pages 56 and page 58 for photos of designers' closets -- some great ideas!!

And consider switching to a heavy linen curtain to get rid of the "swing area" for the doors.

Do check out the website for the Container Store too -- might be some more ideas there.

Is there enough room to move the bed slightly to the middle of the bedroom? THEN construct a "closet" behind it using "Billy" shelving units (or any of their closet shelving) by Ikea. The backs of the shelving units would for a kind of headboard (or backing) for the head of the bed. You could cover the backs with fabric -- or simply cork and burlap!
simoneb
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks, guys! Jaybird, if you are still out there, I would LOVE to see pics of your closet. My hubby is probably not as handy as yours, but maybe we could give something like that a shot :-) Thanks to everyone!
mclarke
15 years ago
Are you using roll-away storage under the bed?

Horrid closets-- how to organize?

jaybird

Comments (9)

pammyfay

User

Related Discussions

User

simoneb
Original Author

elizgonz

teacats

simoneb
Original Author

mclarke

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Horrid closets-- how to organize?

jaybird

Comments (9)

pammyfay

User

Related Discussions

User

simonebOriginal Author

elizgonz

teacats

simonebOriginal Author

mclarke

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

simoneb
Original Author

simoneb
Original Author