After reading the comments on the last post, it sounds like you guys all have problems with closet disorganization. Seriously guys. You need to get it under control. You’re an adult now.
Juuuuust kidding. This is a safe place to confess our pajama-pant-towers. Here again is *my* closet, if you missed it last time.
YES! Beauty shot. Don’t be jealous of my growing collection of shoe boxes, y’all. I’m incapable of throwing them away. (Total hoarding mindset: These will be useful someday!) But yet I throw away every important paper I will be needing later.
The plan is to remake this closet into something that is both life-changingly functional, and as feminine and girly as the fruity, sweet martinis my manly husband drinks at restaurants. (#SecureInHisManhood.)
Step one is planning a layout! Here’s what we’re working with. The room is roughly five feet square:
You guys, I totally busted out a ruler for you from circa 1994 math class! My drawings are all disproportionate and out of scale, but the lines are straight. Gold star for me.
Things I need to include:
- A hanging situation. Obviously.
- Shoe and boot storage.
- Somewhere for the purses.
- Shelf storage for out-of-season or folding clothes
- Something for belts and scarves … ?? Not sure what yet.
- Jewelry storage.
And here’s the preliminary plan. The left side of the closet will look something like this.
And the right side has my FAVORITE part.
EEEEK!! We’re creating a tiny little vanity section with a mirror and some kind of lighting that is yet to be decided, and real actual *drawers* for the baubles and sparklies. With felt. *Briefly passes out from anticipation.*
So the bird’s eye view layout will be this:
As of now, I’m not planning to do anything with the back wall, because I want to pretty it up with stenciling or wallpaper or something, and a girl’s gotta have some pretty in her closet. It’s an inalienable right, probably.
With our rough plan in place, we actually already demoed the room. Meaning, we took out the shelves. But it sounds more impressive to say we demoed it. And we have materials on hand to start building shelves and things. Plus I’ve been hitting thrift stores like it’s my job to find a good mirror for that space. (I did find this crotch planter which you might’ve seen on instagram. I ache to know more about this planter, guys. Like: why? Just, what and why?)
So now I need your help! What would you change about the layout plan? Did I miss something?
Hi, I'm Kelly. Glad you're here! This little blog is where I chronicle our efforts to fix up our beaten-down home on a tiny budget. We're not there yet, but here's a peek at the view along the way...
I’ve seen a scarf storage idea floating around on Pinterest that I’m sure could be adjusted to work with belts too — a hanger with shower curtain rings!
Yes! That is so smart. I think I’m going to use the shower curtain ring idea for my purses. How did we ever do things before pinterest?!
My mom made me a multilayered scarf holder by connecting shower curtain rings in a grid pattern, wrapping the joins with string. I love it because allows multiple layers of scarf hanging and I have a huge collection.
I think your plans look awesome!
And LOL to the planter!
i really wish you had gotten the crotch planter and put a bleeding heart in it and mailed it to me for valentine’s. that whole message would be creepy. 😉 but maybe send with an anonymous note to play up the creep factor. can you come do my closet next? i don’t havea ruler, so maybe that’s why it’s still so messy.
You are totally inspiring me to take on our closet! We have a pretty functional system in our closet now, but it is so awkward and a hot mess. I am so loving your plans!
Let’s do our closets together RightThisMinute! 🙂
Sounds amazing. SOOOO jealous that you have a walk-in to work with! That’s near the top of the want list for house #2. We’re trying to pimp out our reach-in closet in a VERY simple/inexpensive way (since we aren’t planning on being here too much longer). Might I suggest a full-length mirror on the back wall?
Thanks! This is the first time I’ve had a walk-in closet in my married life and I can’t lie: it’s a goooood thing. Love the idea of a mirror on the back wall! I’m debating between putting it there and on the back of the door. 🙂
Now that I’ve practically whipped my jewelry into organized shape (wall hung organizer from Wayfair) I’m diving into the rest of the closet. Okay, more like slowly tiptoing into ice cold water. I eliminated six pairs of pants! Woo hoo! What’s next? Matching hangers? OKay, have those but plan to actually TAKE THEM OUT OF THE BOX! I’m astonishing myself right now. Need to go browse cool organized closets on pinterest to cool down after all my hard work.
I meant to say consider a peg board to hang all your fabulous belts and purses and necklaces … paint it a fabulous color. I have all my scarves hanging from a curtain rod on a wall outside the closet (they’re too pretty to hide).
Speaking of mirrors, a house I toured had a big mirror on the wall and it OPENS to reveal a bunch of accessory storage behind it. Maybe somebody smart could build one like that (and do a tutorial) which could come in handy for the walk-in closet deprived. Or mirror the back of a narrow bookshelf with a lazy susan style bottom so it spins around to reveal tons of storage for shoes or purses with hooks and hanging bars on the side… I saw one like this at Ikea, didn’t buy it and NEVER SAW IT AGAIN.
Maybe the hidden storage behind the full-length mirror could fit between the studs – that way the mirror would still be flush on the wall….
Sooo after I read your comment, I scoured pinterest last night apparently these jewelry mirrors are a real thing! We’ll have to think about whether we can make that work in my closet. It would be awesome, but the studs are all out of place and not centered so my closet is seriously working against me. Thanks for the inspiration!
I too have a box of matching hangers, and I feel more organized already.. hahahaha. Turns out they don’t hang themselves though. What is that about?! I can’t wait to purge my old clothes. I canNOT wait.
Hi Kelly,
In awe of you at the moment and the whole mortgage thing, you are amazing, well done to you both 🙂
Right, back to DIY – What about a lovely storage box at the back on the wallpapered wall for ‘stuff’ with a lovely matching padded seat so that you can sit and put your boots on from their little shelf (or socks, or whatever else you want to sit down to put on)?
Not sure if you’ve even got room for that, but it would be great if you did.
Apart from that, loving the layout, but must admit to being totally jealous that you have a walk in closet.
x x x
Might just be my old eyes, but sure looks like that planter has a package.
Oh sorry, this post was about closets, not packages.
I know Andy will do a wonderful job in the closet, with your eye for style it will be beautiful.
(Yes Bliss really wrote that).
I see a thin full length box mirror on back wall. You must be able to see yourself when dressing. Open the box to store jewelry or belts and scarfs inside.
That, is a great idea. *applause*
YES! I cannot wait to see this project. I have an awesome mirror. An over the top fancy scroll Victorian mirror that I snagged at GoodWill for $8. You need this mirror. It looks like your mirror scribble. I want to donate it to the cause but I can’t. I’m sorry. I’m saving it for my dream dressing room.
The first thing I noticed was your dress area. I’m not sure how tall you are, but I’m 5’4″ and my dresses, especially maxi dresses, drag the floor on my closet. But I really wouldn’t want my bars much higher. So you might not have room for your boots under the dresses. You know what my boot thingy looks like? SO not glam, but I’ve seen DIY ones where they made a sort of peg board boot holder. You could glam something like that out & personalize it to your space. Only my cowgirl boots stand upright on their own so keep that in mind too. It sucks to have your boots topple like dominoes. One other must have in a closet is an outlet. If you want to steam a dress or whatever then an outlet is handy. My husband does his ironing in our closet.
Other than that I think you’ll really like the layout! Our closet has the same components in the really nice wood shelving system (not Elfa or wire) and it works really well for us. There’s more than enough room for all of our stuff and the top shelf that runs around the room holds all of our off season shoes and clothes and purses in storage containers. There’s also room for 3 hampers. It’s not glam, but it’s really organized and we aren’t spilling over into 2 other closets like we did in our last house.
I was wondering if there would be enough room for the dresses to hang also. And I’ve seen somewhere something you can stick inside the boots to make them stand up. It was something simple and re-purposeful, but I don’t remember what it was. Wrapping paper tubes, maybe?
Pool noodles
Yep, I wrote a blog post about the woes of boot storage awhile back. Pool noodles were the best, but they don’t hold up boots with narrow heels, nothing does. Magazines and wine bottles (the most fun to acquire) are other home found objects. They also sell all sorts of contraptions in stores, TJ Maxx has lots. But none of the really work well. My favorite solution is the Real Simple boot organizer that hangs on the back of the door (which I don’t love) but it holds the boots really well. It’s been a great addition to my closet.
Looks like great plans! I will just hire you to do mine when you are done. xo K
(This comes from someone who has never had a large closet and currently shares a reach in with someone else, so you might not need such extreme tips. Also, I love closets.)
I would actually put a lot of hooks on the back wall. I have hooks all over my closet, and on the little narrow walls I just have my necklaces hanging (so if you have any space at all to the right of your mirror space on the door wall I’d do a bunch of hooks with necklaces). On the back wall, I would put a bunch of hooks for purses. They don’t stick out much, and then you can see them easily. I’d also mix in some hooks for stuff you haven’t hung up yet, unless you are perfect and always put things back on hangers.
Now I want to go take pictures of my closet…
And make someone discuss closets with me. I think I have a closet problem.
Hooks – YES! I’m getting Andy to build out the front of the shelves so they’re wide enough to add lots and lots of hooks. Awesome idea, thanks!
Your plans look great. I plan to make room for a folding step stool somewhere in my closet. Then you can reach high stuff but can tuck it away easily too. How did you get your wire shelving out? I can’t figure out how without tearing up the wall. Or is that what happens?
Brilliant! I’m totally adding a step stool. LOVE that idea. Our shelves were all hung with wall anchors, so there was definitely some destruction, but you just apply some sheetrock mud on top and sand it. It’s not too bad. Especially if you’re not the one doing it. 🙂
You can just put cute little knobs or hooks or pegs or rings or what have you on the back wall for your scarves and belts to hang on. That way you can still see the pretty stencil, but you don’t have to revise your other pretty walls and the back wall gets to be functional too. Just a thought. It looks like a dream come true! I wish I didn’t rent so I could do awesome things to me closet too!
The crotch planter is just TOO much. Looks like you’re on the right track, love the plans! And I totally love sketching design plans with pencil and ruler too 🙂 Old habits…
I like the bench idea for the back wall, or more drawers………..u could incorporate them into the bench. Or do you need any long hanging space? The knobs and hooks are a great idea too. Or what about a shoe organizer with lots of shoe cubbies and u could sit on that as well. Can’t wait to see the end product!
I think it looks awesome! I’ll be living vicariously through you, my closet is in desperate need of some help!
Great plans! For the boots, there is a tutorial floating around Pinterest on cutting up pool noodles to keep your boots standing up straight. I think you definitely need a mirror on the back wall. It won’t cover up all your stenciling beauty, and will help when getting dressed as well as reflecting your pretty chandelier and organized areas. Also, a fluffy white rug and a small vanity bench would not take up space and be perfect for putting on shoes, etc 🙂 have fun! I love closets!
Well thanks for renaming “the crotch PLanter”. This will be forever engraved in my mind.
You’re closet is perfect! But the crotch planter needs to be at eye level when you walk in!
Definitely second the full length mirror on the back, and it would be cool to have a padded stool for putting on socks/tights/boots, whatevs. What about a *storage* stool so you could keep socks and such in it? I’m always trying to get more space in my dresser drawers.
And now, to advocate for keeping shoe boxes: I’ve figured out that I can store more shoes if I keep the boxes. I have one of those cheap Closet Maid two-shelf shoe racks turned upside down on top of my wire shelving/clothes bar. The shoes I wear most often are on the bottom (if this is the clothes bar and upside down shoe rack ___H___ the most worn shoes are under the bar of the H) and then stack the others in rows on top, so I can pull out my basic black pumps without dealing with the stuff on top. It sounds kind of odd and potentially dangerous, but I promise it works really well. I’ve been doing this for a few years and have never had the whole stack come down on me. Bonus: it keeps dust off your shoes!
If you time it well and/or have a coupon, you can get a mirror aatt Kirkland’s for really cheap….but I doubt they have a scrolly one. I, also, think a full length mirror is a must but it may be that you want it out in your room and not in the closet. I always want to check myself when putting together an outfit but I don’t necessarily want to watch myself get dressed! As far as jewelry storage goes, I have found I like it better when my earrings and necklaces are hung where I can see them and they aren’t all tangled, though anything else ends up in a bowl so a drawer might be good for that.
Good point on putting the mirror into the room and not where I can watch myself get dressed. Ain’t nobody wanna look at that.
Love your closet plans with the straight lines. It would take a major effort for me to get out a ruler, and I’m a retired engineer!
I totally think you need a full length mirror on the back wall with jewelry storage behind it. If search on Pinterest for “jewelry mirror” there are tons of examples. My husband built me an excellent one by using a 1×2 frame, and 1/4″plywood back, with a 1/4″ hinged plywood front and mirror mounted on the front. I lined the top inside half with cork, and use decorated pushpins to hang up my necklaces (I find an occasional personal love note from hubby pinned in there too. Bonus!!!). The bottom half is shelves spaced about 2″ apart, and I filled them with the plastic divided drawers from the Dollar Store for my earrings, pins, and misc. bits. You could decorate the mirror frame with lots of girly bling: rhinestones or broken jewelry or silk flowers or cheapest of all, embossed soda cans. I personally like the colored side of cans—think pink Tab cans—but lots of peeps like the silver side embossed.
For your chandelier, think about plastic water or soda bottles. There are tutorials on Pinterest for making icicles from bottles that would be really pretty in a chandelier as long as you used LED lights (make sure they are warm white LEDs or things matched in your closet will be a funny color in daylight). I also have gotten the crystals cylinder candleholders at Salvation Army for a dollar or two and taken them apart just for the 1″ crystals. I’ve also gotten some of the currently less fashionable brass chandeliers at Restore, just to remove the components for the hanging crystals (Some of the larger glass panel ones also make excellent end tables if you take the hanging part off and add a glass table top. Just sayin’).
Think about adding a pullout shelf under where you currently show your mirror and jewelry. I can guarantee an exposed flat surface will be filled with something, but a pullout shelf has to be cleaned off before it can be put away, and it’s useful for laying out components for the day’s wear.
My sister-in-law has a pullout shelf for her ironing board which I think is just excellent, although truthfully I never iron anything, so it would be wasted on me.
omg this is going to be FAB.
This looks awesome! The only problem I see with it is that you only have pictured for you to have 3 drawers for your bling…you should probably double the drawer space (; lol really though before you build you might want to make sure that everything is going to fit and consider that your collection will be added to over time lol
What i hear you saying is that I should add tons of shelves and then make sure Andy knows it’s his job to fill them. I think that’s an amazing plan. 🙂 🙂 Love the way you think!
I love the direction your closet is headed! I’m looking forward to seeing the stencil/wallpaper wall. The only thing I would add to the plans would be a full length mirror on the back wall so you can check your hot self out before you head out the door! 🙂
Hi Kelly! I’m not sure what the rest of your bedroom is like (although I could probably dig through posts and find it…), but I’d put a full-length mirror on the blank wall, if you don’t have one in the bedroom already. If you’re anything like my girlfriend, all outfits need the “full once-over” look. 😛
I LOVE your plans! I can’t wait to see how it all turns out! And then maybe I can copy some of those plans! Hehe 😉
Oooooooh! A vanity station! I LOVE it!
The plans look great! My layout is pretty similar only I have more hanging space in lieu of drawers and use the back and front wall for drawers because I need all the storage space I can get…yes, I have way too much in the way of clothing!
Anyway, for scarves, I’ve tried a few options but this one below is the best!
http://honeywerehome.blogspot.com/2013/10/organized-scarves.html (a fellow bloggers post, not mine)
I’ve had those circle cut-out ones and they’re *ok* but you can’t really see all your scarves because they’re overlapping and that was driving me nuts!
Hope this helps!
Erica
http://www.fortheloveofdecorating.com
I was going to suggest that same post. I haven’t put it to use yet but it looks great… and easy.
Oooh a vanity station! Can’t wait to see you work your magic in there!
I recommend you store your belts and scarves in the crotch planter. But we can probably all agree that plants growing out of the waist is significantly better than other, um, ceramic areas from which life could spring. Okay, gross.
Hi Kelly – Your closet plans look great! One thing that might be helpful is a “valet bar” or some kind of hook for outfit planning. I installed one when I re-did my closet and love it.
Can’t wait to see the finished project. Enjoy!
Ditto on the longer space for dresses. Gotta keep at least a few maxis and evening gowns around, yeah? I would also switch some of the hanging areas and storage basket areas. I personally hate reaching UP for baskets, and will be less likely to use them if they’re cumbersome to drag down. But hanging stuff is slightly easier to deal with even if it’s over your head a little. Otherwise, this looks amazing and I’m hella jelly. Can’t wait to see what kind of materials you use!
Ok, I was reading the comments and as soon as I saw ‘peg board’, my brain flashed me (yep, flashed me) a HUGE ornate vintage frame filled with a pegboard in a dreamy aqua with little gold pegs and rings for hanging pretties. I’m a big ‘ol magpie, so sparkly pretties hanging inside an even bigger shiny pretty just makes me happy 🙂
PS – I LOVE your ideas for storage! If I didn’t have to share with my husband (who hogs more than his share with clothes he refuses to wear!) I’d totally be doing the same thing.
Here is the link to the blogpost about the barn window mirror/accessory holder. We are painting one with chalk paint this weekend!
http://craftedpins.blogspot.com/2013/05/old-window-revival.html
Coming out of a 24-hour long haze of a nasty stomach bug at our house…I love the blog anyway, but seeing that crotch planter gave me a laugh I really needed!
Aww so sad to hear about your stomach bug! Seems like it’s been taking down a bunch of my friends around here too. Hope you guys are feeling better!
AHH I can’t wait to see! One day, we will own a house instead of renting an apartment and I will do this to a closet and it will be GLORIOUS! but until then I live vicariously though you.
Oh and obvs you need that planter. I mean, who doesn’t want to throw something in jeans that stand up by themselves?
I was (possibly) thinking about your closet last night… and I got worried that you didn’t have a hamper in there! I mean, maybe you’re not a hamper-in-the-closet kind of person. But I was stres’n hard about that. 🙂
hahaha! You are so awesome for thinking about my closet in the wee hours of the night. 🙂 You’re right — no hamper! Andy and I share a hamper that stays in our bedroom… but it might be a good idea to have some kind of basket in there for the times when I reeeeally don’t feel like carrying my dirty clothes allllll the way into the bedroom. (Happens more times than I’d like to admit.) Thank you!!
i think the layout looks good! i, myself, have a scarf problem, so i store them knotted to a 3 tier over-the-door towel rack. it’s perfect because i can see all my scarves, so i don’t forget about what i have 🙂 happy re-doing!
I’ve been meaning to plan for my own closet as it is a huge unorganized mess at the moment. Love the drawing ideas you have so far, and I can’t wait to see the final product.
I LOVE the idea of wallpaper in the closet! How neat! I can’t wait to see the fabulous finished glam-space for you!
I am currently making my own jewelry box (actually, my husband is, but I designed it so it’s like the same thing!) but we haven’t found felt storage for rings…. Where are you getting your felt lining? I would love to know!
PS So jealous about the walk-in closet. My house is from the 40’s so I guess I’m lucky I have a closet at all! Love your ideas!
I like the way you think — I’m designing this closet but Andy is building it, so I get to say I made it, right? 🙂 Felt lining… um? I thought I would just use regular felt from the fabric store but now I’m suddenly thinking I need to research this a little more. hahaha. I clearly have not thought this out completely. 🙂
You can purchase sticky back “velvet” in the scrapbook section of most of the big box craft stores. Or you can go to Salvation Army and get a very cheap velvet dress/skirt, cut it up as necessary and attach with gel medium to toilet paper/paper towel tubes.
Michael’s has ring trays and other jewelry display trays, did you know? Why reinvent the wheel?
I mean… that’s quite a bulge in the crotch-al region. Extra storage?
Ps love the mirror and jewelry part.
<3 J
I love you for saying crotch-al region. <3
About scarves and belts–
So you may have heard about these new, cool scarf hanger things: http://bit.ly/1dVlmHX. I have this exact one. It SUCKS. What they don’t show you with their three pitiful scarves is that when it is full, all you can see are the scarves on the top. I own about 30 scarves (it’s my addiction, along with real, physical, paper books), which is way more than I can remember, so every day I have to turn the hanger upside down looking for the perfect one.
In the future, I will come up with some brilliant plan to solve this, but I have not done so yet. The real solution may involve not buying any more scarves…
As for belts, I just use S-hooks: hang the buckle from the S-hook and hook from the hanger bar. It keeps them from getting all rounded and bendy from being coiled up in a drawer.
Oh Kelly, I just adore you and your fabulous sense of humor! “This will all be clean” is my favorite part of your drawings 🙂 And that planter is disturbing. Deeply disturbing. Good luck on your hunt for a mirror! Can’t wait to see how your closet turns out! You are totally making me want to do my closet.
I would relocate your pretty framed mirror (possibly with jewelry storage behind) from the right wall and make it a focal point on your pretty back wall and I would put a full length mirror on the back of the door. That way you can look into the framed mirror and see a rear view reflected in the full length one on the back of the door. I had that set-up in my last house and miss it terribly.
As in your current plan, do have some horizontal space near your jewelry storage area so you can put things down when you’re doing try-ons.
I second (or third or fourth) having plenty of hooks – for pjs, robes, items needing repair or dry cleaning or staging outfits.
As far as the rest of the layout, plan based on your present wardrobe and you’ll love it, but consider future changes. I put lots of full length hanging space in my last closet for dresses and now wear pants almost all the time. Who knew?
Admittedly, I didn’t read all of the comments yet… BUT, though you want the pretty back wall, a towel rod or curtain rod sized to fit would be a GREAT solution for the scarves and belts issue!
You also get a gold star for your lovely handwriting. I wish my handwriting looked like that (or that I could find a font that looked like that!) I am excited to see how this closet adventure turns out. It sounds amazing (and pretty!)
Big mirror, for full body view
I am loving your plans and I can’t wait to see your progress! My closet pretty much looks the same way, but it’s just on a single wall and has doors, so I just shut the doors and pretend that it doesn’t exist. 🙂
I’m planning out my closet as well and I saw an idea I never thought of… Hang your pants on the top portion and then you have space under them for a shelf with shoes on it. Another rack can go under the shelf for shirts.
I was blown away when I saw the planter. I have an identical one I made in high school pottery class! I know, jealous. I thought I was very clever because we had to attach two pots together for the assignment. I never could throw a pot on a wheel, so I made two pinch pots and turned them into pants. Wish I could send you a pic, they are eerily similar. (Don’t worry, mine isn’t on display:) )
Can you tell I’m finally getting through some emails? I feel like I’m stalking you right now, but I missed this post! I loved someone’s idea of a mirror on the back wall with hidden jewelry storage, but girl, I know you need that pretty wallpaper, I just know it will inspire you, so I vote for putting the mirror on the back of the door so you can reserve that wall for the gorgeousness. Your closet will be fabulous.
I’m pretty sure I’ve seen the matching jeans tote purse to that crotch planter somewhere…
I have been redoing closets at my house with a complete upper level remodel. You can keep your sides like this if you add two TALL bars on the back wall for maxis. May I suggest….http://www.pinterest.com/pin/2955555979127337/ or http://www.pinterest.com/pin/2955555979066924/…
Gah! I’ve just seen the paper sketches and I’m jealous already! It’s going to be so awesome, Kelly! Our master closet (and there’s only one) is tiny and has no fun or pretty storage. Also, my clothes keep inching closer and closer to my husband’s side. Pretty soon he will have no space left. Oops! 😉 I can’t wait to see how everything comes together! I know it will be amazing!!!
~Abby =)
I was showing this to some coworkers (the crotch planter specifically), and thought I should share his idea with you — add a heating element and repurpose as a crotch pot… LOL
Did you ever execute this wonderful plan? We would love to see the end result!
x
Hi Kelly! Our (rented) house is old, like 110 years old. I’ve noticed a number of places where the house seems ‘uneven’ etc, but never paid too much attention, until i just went to measure my closet. From the closet door (which seems level, vertically, i first measured 37.25″ to the back wall. On the next measurement, 37.75, on the next, 38″. I went down towards the bottom where it’s about 36″. Clearly the back wall of the closet was installed on a tilt. There is also the partially exposed gas line going along the wall vertically (i believe it connects the gas under the house to the shower, on the other side of the wall, or maybe to the gas meter, which is outside the bathroom?). regardless, Anything that’s built will need to compensate for the tilt/unevenness of the back wall which seems to be leaning away from you as you enter the closet, and the exposed gas lune. What’s the best/easiest way to achieve this without shelves etc slanted completely backwards?
I appreciate the insight!
Nora