Home & Garden Need some closet help... I'm stumped!

SunglassLove

SunglassLove

Troublemaker!
O.G.
Jan 26, 2009
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28
#1
Okay, please bare with me on these poor little internet drawings...

Your average closet, say, for example is about 2'x8'... and shaped this way:

________________________
| |
| |
-----DOORS OPEN HERE------

So MY closet... is about 12'x3'. Shaped like this:
_______
| |
| |<---- hanging rod here
| |
| |
| |<---- hanging rod here
| |
| |
|______ |
Door Here

You can imagine how much of a pain this is to get to the back of the closet.

I'm stumped as to what to do with the space, and I'm usually good at this. The very back wall has a window, so it has a few shelves under it now.

Help? Please?
 
#3
BagAddict4Ever said:
Could you upload a picture? Also are you trying to create more usefull space?
Click to expand...


I'll snap some later on today and post tomorrow.

It's a large closet, just horrid to access everything in it... so I guess I'm trying to make it more functional. My parents house has the same layout (houses built in the same area of the city around the same time, 100+ years ago), and the closet was actually knocked out to make their living room larger (not an option for me!). But that's just to show you how useless it is, as is.
 
#5
redskynight said:
So your closet is like a long narrow hallway?? Thats weird... Maybe you could put shelves down just one side?
Click to expand...

exactly, a long narrow hallway. I was in it yesterday shuffling things (didn't take a picture yet, too messy afterwards!), and I think its too narrow to do anything down the long sides...
 
#6
Do you have a budget in mind? It might be worth it to work with a closet organization company--I'm sure they have seen the worst of the worst when it comes to layouts. We just redid one of our closets and had a closet company come out. The consultation was free, they came up with a design/layout etc. It took about 2 weeks from the time they came out to the install and it is wonderful! They found a way to make much better use of a somewhat awkward shape (though not as tough as yours).

What about putting in a pocket door and doing hanging rods on both sides? Or keeping the rods on one side with shelving on the opposite? Would there be enough space for that?
 
#7
emcosmo1639 said:
Do you have a budget in mind? It might be worth it to work with a closet organization company--I'm sure they have seen the worst of the worst when it comes to layouts. We just redid one of our closets and had a closet company come out. The consultation was free, they came up with a design/layout etc. It took about 2 weeks from the time they came out to the install and it is wonderful! They found a way to make much better use of a somewhat awkward shape (though not as tough as yours).

What about putting in a pocket door and doing hanging rods on both sides? Or keeping the rods on one side with shelving on the opposite? Would there be enough space for that?
Click to expand...

There's no chance for a pocket door, the bathroom is on the other side of one wall (doorway right next to closet door) and the living room is behind the other wall... (the room is basically the width of the door frame).

This is one of those rooms where I just don't think even they could do much... and I wouldn't waste the money, as I don't want more than shelves and a hanging rod that I can easily reach/access. I think I could ONLY do a hanging rod on one side, and then there wouldn't be room for shelving on the other. And it wouldn't be able to be the full length of the room either, due to the doorway.

I think this is going to be my weekend project. :biguns:
 
#8
I would take the door off the closet and put up a curtain rod with curtains. I hate doors.
I would put shelving on the whole back wall that faces you when you walk. Ikea sells some nice units.
As for the closet area I would look online at IKEA for their Pax closet units. They have great systems. You would not need the doors, just the cabinets and can customize what you want to put in the units. I have them and love the way everything is organized. Also I find those thin coated hangers in one color for the whole closet makes things more organized and gives you extra rooms then all those cheap plastic or large wooden hangers. Good luck.

If you don't want to spend money I guess you just have to clean everything out and try to organize it better. Clear plastic bins for out of season clothing. Fabric boxes for organizing and even baskets can be used.
 
#9
Do you need the space?

If not, a few ideas:

(1) storage, like crawl space storage for seasonal items or things you don't use much. Just load it up and forget about it for awhile.

(2) remove the hanging rod, put in 12" deep shelves (floor to ceiling) and use it for a linen closet. You'll lose 2' of width. You might be able to put hooks on the opposite wall.

(3) similar to (2) but install valet rods and use it to organize your outfits for the week. Something like http://www.thehomedecor.net/Valet_Rods-Deltana_Valet_Hook_7____VH65-P5402.aspx

(4) Maybe very shallow shoe storage on both sides. Or a bag boutique.

(5) I wonder if you could get hanging storage like the dry cleaners use.
 
#10
gillianna said:
I would take the door off the closet and put up a curtain rod with curtains. I hate doors.
I would put shelving on the whole back wall that faces you when you walk. Ikea sells some nice units.
As for the closet area I would look online at IKEA for their Pax closet units. They have great systems. You would not need the doors, just the cabinets and can customize what you want to put in the units. I have them and love the way everything is organized. Also I find those thin coated hangers in one color for the whole closet makes things more organized and gives you extra rooms then all those cheap plastic or large wooden hangers. Good luck.

If you don't want to spend money I guess you just have to clean everything out and try to organize it better. Clear plastic bins for out of season clothing. Fabric boxes for organizing and even baskets can be used.
Click to expand...

I like the idea of a hanging curtain instead of door--I've never been a fan of doors in the way. Another thing you could do is take some pictures and post them on Houzz.com. There is a section where you can post pictures and ask for advice (like what to do with a space, what paint color, what furniture etc). You may find some creative ideas there.
 
#11
It's not wide enough to put 12" shelves on both sides... I'd never be able to wiggle around in there to get anything. I definately need it as a regular closet. It's badly functioning now, I just need to use the space better.

Here's a few (bad) photos so you can see what I'm working with.

Bear with me... the room probably hasn't been painted in about 40 years (literally), so the paint on the corner needs to be corrected. You can see the window on the back wall that keeps me from shelving that up to the ceiling...

I removed the bar in the front to take the pictures, which is why that back pole looks so crammed, LOL. Imagine another one of those poles across, in FRONT of that one.

Note the height... I want to make use of that, and seeing the space in photos is helping me out. The only downfall is that I'm only 5'3", so I will never be able to reach all the way to the top, even on a step ladder, LOL. But if I could keep clothing rods low, I can shelf high and keep everything out of the way...

I just moved in this place a few months back and am slowly fixing everything up... I actually already have matching hangers (all black), but they are all mixed in here. I don't think taking off the door would help much, as it's really not in the way now, it's the whole FRAME that wouldn't allow me to do a front to back pole. I'd have to only do half the room.
 

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#12
Is there any way that instead of having the shelves to the back putting about a foot of shelving on each side which will still give you about a foot of walk through room. I hope what I am saying make some kind of sense. This way when you walk in you would face the window and to each side of you you would have shelving with clothes hanging.
 
#13
BagAddict4Ever said:
Is there any way that instead of having the shelves to the back putting about a foot of shelving on each side which will still give you about a foot of walk through room. I hope what I am saying make some kind of sense. This way when you walk in you would face the window and to each side of you you would have shelving with clothes hanging.
Click to expand...

No, it makes sense. But a foot of walkthrough room just isn't enough, especially when I hang coats, etc.

Unless I staggered it... and did shelving/hanging on half of one side, and the other half of the other side... if you can follow that, it sounded confusing LOL
 
#14
SunglassLove said:
No, it makes sense. But a foot of walkthrough room just isn't enough, especially when I hang coats, etc.

Unless I staggered it... and did shelving/hanging on half of one side, and the other half of the other side... if you can follow that, it sounded confusing LOL
Click to expand...

Yes, I know what you mean lol. What about folding the clothes? I have draws that I was able to put in my closet and on top I have shelves. I got them from closet maid and they are about a foot wide and a foot long, then on top I put the closet maid shelves which I keep shoes on but you could put bags also. I will try and take a picture when I get home to give you an idea. I feel like what I am describing sounds a lil odd but it will make total sense once you see it. It also looks really good and almost custon done, then again I did spend hours building it but totally worth it.
 
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