sadie, I love your closet as well. I hope you don't mind if I steal your ideas. I have a lot of left over paint I want to get rid of, and I have 3 coat closets, only 1 that I actually use for coats. I'm going to start on this project today. I was thinking in one of the closets, I might add wall words. Something I don't have on the public parts of the house, but something to enjoy when opening the closet. I was thinking "There's no place like home" inside our actual coat closet. I don't know if that quote would get me going to run errands, but it would be appreciated when I return and hang up my coat. Does anyone have any other ideas?

Chio, if you are worried about the rod collapsing, add extra brackets to hold it up. Then do as suggested, sorting and figuring out what you need. One side can have double rods for shirts and the other side can have a single rod for longer stuff like pants and dresses. Since you are labeling your husband as the culprit, you could divide the closet rod in half. One side is his, and one is yours. He has to find a way to make all of this stuff fit on his side. Another method is to reverse the hangers on everything and if it is still like that after a year, toss it, because it never got worn. I'm sure you will find lots of ideas, but it isn't clear if you are asking how to organize or how to keep his stuff from crowding out yours.

OMG Shades, you have to post a photo. Trying to picture that gave me a headache LOL. I too am interested in this as my next project is going to consist of expanding my closet to stretch wall to wall!! Yeah baby lots of room for junk. LOL I have posted rooms that looked junky before. It just illustrates I really need help LOL. Now once I fix up said room that won't happen again. but like Shades said desertsteph said its not going to cause any of us to faint. Besides none of you know me and I don't know you...do I? It might be a different story if we were coworkers. NO actually I have photos on my blog that I am not proud of but it is what it is....and I am working to correct. How else can anyone get a visual without a photo. So to encourage you here is a photo of my messy closet before I organize it on my next project go round.

Overall it's a small, solid plan. Here are a few thoughts ... the biggest topic, I think, is storage: - I would widen the laundry room instead of lengthening it. If you widen it just one measly foot, you can have a whole wall of floor-to-ceiling shelves (note red box indicating massive storage in this space -- could be simple open), giving you a huge amount of storage for that small addition of square footage. - I added the green box at the end of the laundry room to indicate a perfect spot for a window seat. I know, it's not a need in this spot, but it would be lovely thing with windows above and storage space below. I'm imagining that you'd typically enter the house through the laundry room, and this would be a very nice sight line as you enter the house. - I think you're stuck with the post in the dining room. I'd make it dark rustic wood and use the same type of wood over the mantle and/or in shelving somewhere else in the main living area. - I don't know that I'd add to the dining room. You have space for a small table now ... and when you have guests, it can be extended into the space that would normally serve as walking space to the laundry room (your guests won't be accessing that room. - I'd go with a pocket door between the laundry and the main living space. It's going to remain open most of the time anyway, so this is an ideal spot for such a door. - I agree with the poster above who says that the laundry would be better on the bedroom wing. You say this is a retirement house. I remember my grandmother could do her own laundry just fine ... but she had trouble carrying baskets of clothing down the hallway; the result was that she made many multiple trips with a tiny basket perched on her walker. Not the safest choice. - 24x24 is a good-sized garage for two cars and a family. I do think 3 bedrooms/2 baths is reasonable for resale ... but I wouldn't upsize a garage. - Master bath: You'll have plenty of space for a large shower, if you're dumping the tub. I'd bring it to the inside wall so that you can have a window over the toilet on the other side. You say this is your retirement home; pay close attention to your shower and make sure it's elderly-friendly ... you know, curb-free flooring, grab bars -- those things won't hurt you now, and at some point you'll need them. - Even if you were a double sink kind of gal, this vanity appears to be 5', and that's not really enough to support duplicate sinks. With one sink in this space, you'll have room for nice-sized drawers. - If you add a bump-out to the back of the house so that the master closet can have storage on both sides, you'll almost DOUBLE your closet storage. A bump-out with a shed dormer won't cost all that much. I'd go 2-3' and make both the closet and the bathroom a little wider /more comfortable. - If you're going to bump-out the bathroom (for the sake of the closet), I'd keep going and bump out the living room too. It's quite cozy as shown now ... and those extra 2-3' would give you some elbow room. This will also allow you to scootch the back door around to the edge between the kitchen and living room ... meaning that the door (and the door swing) would no longer fall in the living room /would not impede furniture placement. I've circled the door spot in red. I know, I know, you're saying, "But I'm only one person! I don't need a larger closet, bathroom, living room!" You intend to stay in this house. At some point you may bring in another person, or you may want to sell the house. This little bit of elbow room will be useful. And we're talking about a small amount of space for a fairly large payoff. - I agree that an exterior door in the master bedroom is a good feature, but I'd consider a sliding door instead of an inswing door (indicated with a red circle) because a swinging door /hinged door will impede furniture placement in this modest bedroom. - I'd lose the vaulted ceiling in the master bedroom. Personal opinion, but it's just not a space where I'd splurge. - Consider your windows. You could have add a small window on the side of the dining room. Light from two sides always makes a room look nicer. And with the bathroom bumped-out a bit, you can have windows on two sides there too. - My final suggestion is that you simplify the hall bath. Drop down to one sink (which will allow you space for a linen tower) and eliminate the mid-bath door.