Friday, July 27, 2012

Make A Closet Under Your Loft

A rolling rack can instantly turn the area under bed into a closet.


If you live in a small house or apartment, a loft bed is an effective way to increase your floor space because you can use the area beneath the bed for a variety of purposes. In a home that lacks closet space, you can even turn the space beneath your bed into a closet. It is a very easy project, and may not even require a hammer depending on the setup that you choose. Whatever style you choose, it's a good idea to hang a curtain from the bottom of the frame so your stored items are neatly hidden. Does this Spark an idea?


Add Rolling Racks


One of the easiest ways to create a closet beneath a loft bed is to place one or more rolling racks under it. These racks are usually made of aluminum and are relatively inexpensive. They feature a rod for hanging clothing on hangars and may feature a shelf at the top or bottom where you can store shoes, hats, purses or other accessories as well. Rolling racks also have wheels at the bottom, so they are easy to move when necessary. However, these racks come only in specific sizes, so your lofted bed must be high enough to fit them underneath it.


Install Shelves


While closets often contain hanging storage, some items require shelving for proper storage. You can transform the area beneath your loft bed by installing a series of shelves on the wall. Shelves are ideal storage for folded clothing, such as jeans, sweaters and t-shirts, but also work well if you plan to store bedding and linens under your loft bed. You can even build a series of cubbies for storing shoes or purses. If you're not comfortable mounting shelves to your wall, place a pre-fab shelving unit beneath your bed for easy storage for folded items.


Add Drawer Unit


Another option for turning the area beneath your loft bed into a closet is placing several inexpensive plastic drawer units in the area. These units vary in the number of drawers that they contain, and the size of the drawers varies as well, so you can store both small and large items in them. They are ideal for folded clothing or bedding storage, but can also work for scarves, purses, jewelry and other accessories. It is also an effective option for storing out-of-season clothing since the items are protected from dust and debris. If you have a couple of old dressers in your basement or attic that fit under your loft bed, they can create closets as well.


Add a Closet Rod


If you are handy and like do-it-yourself projects, you can create a more traditional, permanent closet set-up beneath your loft bed. Install a closet rod under your bed by attaching pole supports to the bed structure or to the walls opposite it depending on how the bed is positioned. You can install the rod lengthwise for maximum storage or add two rods on either end of the bed. Unlike some of the other options which utilize prefabricated items to create a closet, this method lets you cut the rod yourself so you can customize it to fit the dimensions of your bed.

Tags: beneath your, your loft, area beneath, beneath your loft, into closet