Closet Design Tips

I have to admit that a professionally designed closet is expensive.  However it adds to the value of your home which you will appreciate when it comes time to sell.  It also makes your life easier saving invaluable commodities like time and money.  I think it's one of the best investments you can make. 

Have you been pouring over magazines and visiting show rooms to get ideas?  You want to have some ideas before you engage the help of a professional.  Have you engaged a closet designer/space planner?  Companies like The Closet Factory will give you a free estimate and a basic design.  You can also take your measurements to the free space planners at The Container Store.  Each entity offers a different type of solution.  The latter being a better choice if you're renting and don't want to provide your landlord with an upgrade on his property.

Remember to weed out your wardrobe and know exactly what you have before you engage a pro.  What you literally need to store in that closet will impact the design.  And if your designer never asks to see your wardrobe find someone else!  I've seen exquisitely designed closets that did not serve the client's needs but they were beautiful to behold.

As you might imagine when I look at a closet I see it differently than the average person does.  I selected the above design because it appealed to me and thought I'd share my thoughts with you.  Learn to think like a professional organizer.

·      This closet has elegant, clean lines and makes great use of every square inch of space.  Clearly the woman using this closet has more clothes to hang than she does items to fold. She's got areas she can designate for different types of clothing (casual, work, business) and she can adjust or remove the hanging rods.  If her 'long hang' suddenly needs more space than her 'short hang' she can remove a rod and be good to go.  

·      Be sure you have holes pre drilled the length of the section so that moving the rod up or down is easy.  I had a client who had a custom built closet and didn't want too many holes drilled in the exotic wood she used.  Every time her wardrobe called for a bit of 'noodling' she had to call out the carpenter. 

·      I like the fact this design has an open area that serves as a dresser top.  I'd be sure that was both beautiful and functional when I organized it.  I'd place some decorative items there that had sentimental value to my client. Little touches allow us to enjoy the experience of getting dressed.  After all that's why we get organized, isn't it?  We want to enjoy every square inch of our home. Clutter and poor design make that very difficult. 

·      I'd add a small mirror in the dresser top area as well as a full-length mirror on the back of the closet door.  I want my clients to see their outfits from every angle.

·      I like the fact there are no shelves above the hanging rods but some people love to see them.  It’s the illusion of ‘more bang for the buck.’ Unless you are very tiny and your clothes are short in length you won't be able to make use of such a shelf.  Don't be fooled! 

·      ·While it isn't visible I'm sure there's a telescope rod in this design.  You pull it out when you want to plan an outfit or need to pop the dry cleaning somewhere until you have time to remove the plastic and transfer the garment to its waiting hangar.  It's an indispensable tool!

·       As gorgeous and useful as those built-in shoe shelves are there is one thing I would add:  a cover of some sort like a glass door so my shoes would stay clean. (See my recent post on shoe storage).

I’d be curious to know what you saw when you looked at this closet. This design is from The Closet Factory.

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