Consider storing sweaters on shelves instead of in drawers to reduce costs.
Home organization can help bring order to your life, and this is rarely more apparent than with closets. Designing a storage system that suits your inventory and personal needs makes getting ready in the morning faster and easier. Visual style is a personal preference, but budget may factor into your design choices as well. Design your space needs first, then modify to suit your budget, substituting wire for wood to drive down costs where necessary. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Divide a sheet of notebook paper into four columns. Label the columns "Hang," "Shelf," Drawer" and "Floor."
2. List each item you intend to put in the closet under one of these headings, depending on where you want it stored in the closet: hung from a rod, placed on a shelf, folded into a drawer or on the floor (for items such as shoes or sports equipment). Under "Hang," list each clothing item individually, or simply count the number of items you want to hang per category and list them in batches, such as "15 shirts," "10 skirts" or "5 pants."
3. Count the total number of items in your "Hang" column and add six to that number. This is a rough estimate of the inches of clothing rod you will need--1 inch per item plus six inches of space to shift items around. Add another inch for each thick item, such as a suit coat. If you tend to buy new clothes without getting rid of old items, add 12 inches instead of six to the total.
4. Look at your list of drawer items and determine how many drawers you will need and a minimum drawer width. Drawer units generally come in standard sizes, such as 15, 18 and 24 inches wide. If you are on a budget, consider whether you can eliminate drawers and move these items to shelf space, perhaps in storage bins to keep them contained.
5. Look at your list of shelf items and determine how much shelf space you will need. Infrequently accessed items can be piled on high shelves above clothes hanging rods, while frequently used items should be placed on shelves within easy reach.
6. Measure your existing closet space, including width, depth and height, as well as where the door opening is.
7. Draw the shape of the closet out on a sheet of paper, as if you were looking straight down at it from the top. Make this a scale drawing, meaning it matches the dimensions of the closet at a reduced size but exact proportions, by using a ruler to measure 1 inch for every foot of space in the closet. Break this down further if necessary, using a 1/2 inch to equal 6 inches of real space, 1/4 inch to equal 3 inches of real space and 1/8 inch to equal 1 1/2 inches of real space.
8. Draw the closet again, using the same scale (1 inch per foot), but this time as if you are facing the closet from the front. For walk-in closets, repeat the drawing process for each side of the closet.
9. Lay pieces of tracing paper over your closet outlines and sketch out a design of shelf, rod and drawer configurations. Try different rod and shelf positions, remembering that you can use double-hung rods, with one hanging about 40 inches above the other, for any items that do not require a tall hanging space, such as long dresses. Include 6 to 12 inches of free space on each rod. Make sure you have enough room for the items in your "Floor" column.
10. Try out more designs on fresh pieces of tracing paper until you have one you like. Compare it back to your list of items and make sure they will all fit with a little room to spare.
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