Those plastic hangers drive me nuts. When you shop, look for hanging rods that don't separate the hangers.

For the shoes, shelves will help.

I designed my own closet after hating it for a year. Determine how much space you need for long hanging things like dresses and slacks. Then determine how much space you need for short hanging things like blouses and jackets. Find the space in your closet for the long hanger and the double hanger.

Then, fill the rest of the space with shelves. I also added two drawers - one for undies and one for socks.

Some shoe inspiration:

Georgian Residence New Canaan · More Info

Puritan · More Info

Warm Cognac Closets · More Info

Agree with auntthelma. Hanging rods and shelves will be your best solution. Something like this:

Ivory Reach-In Closet · More Info

You can customize the closet(s) to fit your needs. If he collects many shoes, maybe you want to have a separate closet just for the shoes. The shelves can be deep enough to fit his shoes and shoe boxes. I have heard from others on houzz that Easy Closets is very reasonable. http://www.easyclosets.com/

auntthelma Thank you! Great tip about the hanging rods-- that drives me nuts!

Any suggestions for that protruding wall? I don't want it to be a waste of space...

Denita Just what we need... a closet designated for sneakers :)

I will check out Easy Closets-- thanks!

I'd be tempted to use all the space to the right of the wall for shoe cubbies -- at least yours, to get them off the single high shelf. Then add more dividers everywhere -- or can some of this move into a dresser or two instead?? Double rods, with the uppers a bit higher, would be good, and you might consider adding closed high cupboards or shelves for less-needed things, since you have so much vertical space, and stow a step stool on a side wall.

As for that flat wall, no reason to write it off, but you do want to be able to walk past it, so I'd either have hooks for, say, purses or ties, or very shallow racks for a subset of his sneaker boxes.

Start with good measurements and a site like EasyClosets to see what can be done with shelves, rods, and other elements to really make your storage efficient. There are a lot of ways to get it done, but their design interface is a pretty good place to sketch things out.

acm Thank you ! Our bedroom is pretty big -- we can probably add another dresser.

What do you mean by "shallow racks" for sneaker boxes?

The protruding wall is a great opportunity! Do you need a mirror? Good spot, though you can't step too far back from it.

Hooks, for belts, ties, scarves, jewelry, work lanyard if you use one (I had a looooong walk in closet once where I used a couple feet of rod to hang my necklaces. It was so easy to select one each day, and they never ever tangled.) Maybe a ledge with a lip for your phone while you are changing, for rings, watches, keys, pocket stuff.

Check out The Container Store's elfa and TCS for examples of closets. I'm an elfa queen, it's so easy to do.

Thank you for the advice! Here is a VERY rough drawing showing the lengths of the rods. Does this help?

For starters - fill the tiny alcove with adjustable shelves. For guys with big feet (this house has size 14s) shelves work way better than shoe holders. Put in 16" shelves just far enough apart for the shoes to slide in. The top of the alcove might be a good place for large hats, if you have cowboy hats to store. Shelves can also be used for sweaters and sweat pants.

The blank protruding wall - hooks for hats, scarves and gloves. OR look into cutting open the drywall and having "in the wall" shallow shelving. Bathroom medicine cabinets are one way to get it with little effort.

https://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/48-inch-Recessed-in-the-Wall-Baldwin-Medicine-Storage-Cabinet/7645170/product.html 

Look at your clothing and decide how much "long stuff" versus how much short stuff you have. Size the rods appropriately. Measure the length of clothing to make sure it fits on the rod without dragging on the floor or hiding clothing on the lower rod.

Consider putting in some drawer units (inexpensive dressers) or shelves for sweaters and other clothing that stores well folded.

lazy_gardens Thank you so much for the advice!!

Going to a few stores today to look at options.

With your high ceilings, you have a lot of room to work with.

I would raise the clothes rods as high as you can reach, which gives you room below for shelves or drawers. Put shelves above the rods, spaced as close together as you can (shoe box size, perhaps?) Those will be used for stuff you don't access very often.

After that, I agree with the advice above for determining how to best allocate your space for rods, shelves, drawers. Have fun!

If your hubby is a serious sneaker collector, I have read that keeping the original boxes they come in adds value if he intends to sell the sneakers at any point. I don't know enough about collecting sneakers or any other type of shoe, but I found this article that may help: http://www.complex.com/sneakers/2013/08/sneaker-collection-storage-tips/plastic-isnt-perfect 

I'm clueless on this part, but I thought they bought them for investment and don't necessarily wear them....idk.

I love how this thread turned into a conversation about his shoes! Haha!

His sneakers are probably the most valuable thing we own in the house (aside from the house itself).

AnnKH Thank you for the advice! He is 6'3", so he can definitely reach higher shelves.

lshack17 I like the idea of a shoe wall! Maybe that skinny/narrow section of the closet? We could take out the plastic rods and put in something like this?

Do I see that you have to walk through your closet to get to the master bath?

Teresa Yes. We have two entrances to the bath... through the closet or through the hallway. The entire third floor of the house is the "master suite."

Hmmm-sorry, not a fan-I would put up sliding doors on each side and make it a hallway to the master bath--I'll see if I could find a photo of what mine looks like and post

Boy does this remind me of my old closet. When I did my remodel I called in a closet company. Now I could kick myself that I lived with that dysfunction for 15 years and it was NOT that expensive. I realize my time is worth something and hunting for stuff all the time got to be too expensive. Get a professional in and get your closet built out the right way.

Closet with sliders on left-Closet with door on right is a linen closet, but you could do two sliders

Teresa We didn't really have a choice. Your sliding doors look great! Good idea :)

lshack17 Thanks! I have a feeling this will be a looooong work in progress ;)

I agree on the "sneakers in that skinny space" thing.

Here's the hardware I'd put in there:
pilasters

(the kind of flat slotted shelf standards that bookcases have)

You might not be able to get into the alcove to mount them directly on the wall (that's what I did inside my closet, but my alcove was a little bigger), so you might have to make a box out of wood (you can recess the pilasters) and slide it into the space.

that will be less expensive than something as elaborate as the idea you posted.

You can cut inexpensive material (MDF, plywood, masonite-coated particleboard) into small squares to set on the shelf supports. (fancy up the edges w/ iron-on edge banding; all lumber stores sell it)

Or, for an even cheaper solution, on the back wall, put those classic slotted shelf standards, one at each side. The alcove is skinny, but I bet you can reach in enough to drill the holes you need.
The ones I can buy at my hardware store have shelf supports in several depths. Many of them have holes that you can use to screw the shelves into place so they don't flip around, if you think you need that (or, use poster putty on the underside to discourage movement, even though it won't be as secure, it might be enough)

And again, the shelves can be just squares of wood. In that space, w/ many shelves closely spaced to hold lots of sneakers, the shelf standards and supports won't really be visible, so it'll look a lot like the fancy carpentry.

You can put as many shelves up as you need, as long as you're willing to buy brackets for them. So you could start with fewer, and then add capacity. You can also adjust the distance between the shelves to accommodate whatever you need.

If you need to go floor-to-ceiling, you'd probably need lower and upper standards, but that's not terribly difficult.

And the shelves would let you keep the boxes.

Other people have good ideas about hanging rods.

I just wanted to say, definitely consider a shelf high up, so you can put plastic bins w/ blankets, out-of-season clothes, etc., somewhere easy-ish to get to.

talley_sue_nyc Thank you so much!! I really appreciate your advice!

Basics of closet design, if you see the wall behind, there is room to store vertically.

Good news: There is a lot of unused space in the closet. A lot of potential.

With a closet system, there will be so much more function & storage space.

I have design closets for 15+ years. I suggest getting a local closet company
for an estimate. Probably can send the layout & get 2-3 estimates. I prefer
the hanging systems to keep the option of touching floor or not. That
way, if I do not want to touch floor, things can still be store under
hang if need be. Make sure the shelving is adjustable, because life
adjusts & so does stuff. Make the shelving in the corner deeper.
Avoid wire. Things fall through wire & it's just not as good for so many reasons.

Watch out for long planks ordered online, I tried, but often the material would come in warped, damaged, etc. I also have done wood, getting the holes to make adjustable shelving is no fun. It was more of a pain & took too long & did not turn out as nice.

That's why I prefer using local closet companies who provide the material. Hanging systems need to be secured into studs & there are general rules in widths, so shelving does not warp.

I love well functional, adjustable closets.

Once you have one, you'll just wish you had one sooner:)

slat wall example of gadgets that would be useful to your particular items.

or get some white shelving with hooks

Thanks, Denita :)

Hi, Sunnydrew. Since the closet is the only place to hang clothes, maximize that 1st anything left over shelving. Since it's being share by 2 people I suggest all that double hang. Hang is also more economical that shelving & drawers, where costs is a concern. I always design for extra hang for new clothes. 30" wide is enough. They could balance hang items that do not come out next to doorways.