Turn a closet into a desk for your computer.
The space inside a closet makes the perfect area for a built-in desk. Take the door off the traditional coat or utility closet or the sliding doors off a bedroom closet. Clean and paint the area before building a desk. Once the area is complete, you can leave it open or hang a decorative Roman shade to close off your private area when not in use. Does this Spark an idea?
Electrical
Have an electrician wire your closet for electrical outlets and lighting before your desk is built. If you are lucky enough to have a ceiling light in your closet, you can modify this yourself with lamp shades and a bulb that offers strong wattage. You still need to supply electrical current to your desk area for the computer, printer, fax and any other electronics you may want in this area. Lighting can be built in overhead or just use something as simple as a desk lamp.
Building the Desk
Measure the entire space of the inside of the closet so you can have a board cut that will fit snugly at desk height through the entire space. Before building the platform that will act as your desk, get the chair you will be using and sit in it in front of the opening. Find the height you are comfortable with for a desk.
Nail supporting boards about 3 inches wide along the side and back walls of the closet at the height you want your desk to be. The plank used for the desk will lie on top of these boards, which will support it.
Drill a few holes in the desk board for cables and electrical wires to drop through before finishing the desktop with paint or countertop material. Attach a slideout area for the keyboard for your home computer under the desk plank.
Built-in Storage
Leave the top shelf in your closet; it can be used to store items you seldom use. Or remove the shelf and build a few levels of shelves on the back wall of the closet over your desk. Build shelves into either side of the closet and end them squarely where the opening to the closet begins.
This will give you two sides of deep cubbyholes for your office supplies. If you want to put your items in baskets for easier slideout access, buy them first before deciding on the height of each shelf.
Arrangement
The computer tower will sit on the floor and tucked off to one side. Build a shelf on the back wall for your printer and fax machine and make sure the shelf has a hole for the cables. A telephone can be attached to the wall or sit on your desk in your closet office.
Arrange your desk area the way it will work best for you. If you are a TV watcher while you work, build a shelf to hold a small television set in your closet desk area. The computer monitor can be set on a podium that is built on top of your desk, if you prefer it up higher than the desk. Use the shelf underneath the podium for storage of pens and other small office supplies.
Tags: your desk, your closet, desk area, area computer, back wall, desk area computer, desk plank
