73 shirts??!!! WOW! I'm pretty sure my husband and I don't have 73 of anything combined! ;) I do try to purge a minimum of twice a year, and I do rotate hanging clothes into the black hole (well put!) out-of-season. I do like the shelf idea that ShadesOfIdaho posted to my flickr page, though. Maybe I can do shelves on the bottom and hanging clothes over the top? I'm not hanging any ball gowns that require full-height hanging space. It's certainly not the worst house-related problem to have, that's for sure. But it is just odd that they built them this way in every single bedroom. Black Hole or not, the relatively generous closets are the main reason we are still able to live in our small house (no attic, no basement, no garage).

Right Adam I am guilty of filling the voids too so now I try not to make them. The couch/love seat because I have had both at times on the one side of the table has worked out really well and it does give a nice sitting area for company while I am cooking and want them out of my way. It is also a nice spot for morning coffee. And always keep your mind open to making changes as your life style changes. When my hubby was sick I moved a table and chair into our bedroom so I could be in there with him but not in bed. I left it in there because I find I use it for morning coffee , my first cup, when I do have company so I do not have to face them before I am ready. LOL I did consider taking it out of there now hubby is gone and putting a nicer chair in there and I might just do that too. I honestly love to change things up. Shop my house to make it look different and new and fresh to me with out spending any money.

You can maximize storage space in the closet with boxes carefully chosen to fit (from a local box store or online) and/or a closet system that may require some alterations. Do you have permission to install shelves and clothes rods? If not, boxes are probably the best option. If you would like advice on downsizing to fit into your new space, starting a new thread would be good.

Why would somebody rent a three bedroom unit with only a kitchenette that has one cabinet? Those in need of three bedrooms are usually multiple people households who want more than a kitchenette and a cramped tiny bathroom. Also, bedrooms need to have egress and I don't see how yours will. What area of the country do you live in? How much would you rent a 3 bedroom for and how long would it take to recoup your construction costs? I'd consider making this a very nice 1 bedroom with a real kitchen, decent bathroom, and living dining space. You need to figure out whether those windows are ok for a bedroom egress.