When it comes to closet organization, most homes get the “builder basic” treatment. The contractor will install a single clothes rod and possibly a shelf. Sure, it gets the job done, but there are many great closet organization ideas to help maximize those small spaces.
If you live in a major city like Chicago or Milwaukee where space is limited, even a full walk-in closet needs to be optimized in order to maximize the space. This is one area where we love to help our design clients out because it can dramatically change your daily life.
Add a Second Rod
The quickest way to double your closet space is to add a second rod. This will give you nearly twice the hanging space for your clothes and can take even the smallest of closets and breathe new life into them. I did this in my first condo in Chicago and it was life-changing!
Shelves for Shoes and Sweaters
Besides clothing, shoes are usually one of the least organized items whenever we design spaces for our customers. Typically, they are all thrown in a pile on the floor making them difficult to find. At a minimum, add a shelf above both of your clothes rods to add extra space to nicely store shoes, sweaters and other items that can’t be hung up.
If you have the luxury of having some extra space, I’m a big fan of adding a few shelves in the middle of the lower portion of the closet.
Add Drawers
Adding drawers to your new closet will change your life! They offer easy access to socks, workout clothes and other smaller items. You can also add smaller storage boxes to store jewelry.
Get New Hangers
Once you have your new closet organization system installed, go the extra mile and get coordinating hangers for your clothes. Not only will it look beautiful, but the consistent hangers will allow all of your clothing to line up nicely next to each other.
Picking a Closet Organization System
There are a variety of systems out there available at stores like Home Depot, Lowes, Menards, California Closets and more. However, we really love the elfa system from Container Store. They offer great options at a reasonable price. You can even install it yourself if you are handy.
Need Help Designing Your New Closet?
We offer interior design services in Chicago and Milwaukee for projects of all sizes. If you don’t live in the Chicago or Milwaukee area, fear not! We offer online interior design services allowing us to help you with your design problems anywhere in the world.
Featured photo by Priscilla Du Preez closet layout photos by elfa from the Container Store