Master Closet Solutions

This report about Bedroom Closets provides information taken from dozens of sources to help you, the consumer, make wise and economical buying decisions. Learn how to more effectively utilize and organize wardrobe storage space, and read up on the best do-it yourself (DIY) closet organizers and accessories from brands like: Rubbermaid, Closetmaid and John Louis Closets. Additional information within includes: closet design ideas, list & review of company-installed custom closets, and information about storage accessories shelving, closet doors and much more!


Table of Contents - Index/Home:

Closets - A Brief History:

Closets are a relatively recent innovation in the history of human habitats. The idea of closets began with the creation of the wardrobe cabinet, sometimes called an armoire, during Medieval times, when the nobles occupying castles and palaces used wooden standing closet chests for storage of their clothes and other personal items.

From the Latin word clausum, meaning 'closed,' closets evolved in the 17th century, the Encyclopedia Britannica tells us, to be a small private room. Not only could clothes be stored in this room, which was usually found behind a bedroom, but it was used as a retreat for personal privacy. As a result, the word closet also became synonymous with the word secret or private.

But closets weren't found in most houses during the 18th and 19th centuries because their residents usually had few personal possessions. Prior to World War II, wall-mounted pegs along with chests and trunks provided most of a home's storage capacity. After the end of the war, as personal wealth accumulated, closets became a standard feature in housing designs.

Types of Closet Designs By Use:

Closets evolved into seven types, according to a history posted online at Wikipedia, based on their function and use of space, (see 7-types immediately below). However, for the purposes of this report, master bedroom reach-in wall closets and walk-in closets, along with the category of portable closets illustrated by the armoire, will be the focus of attention.

  • 1. Wall closet--- a shallow space only deep enough to hang clothes or store them on shelves, and usually closed off with a door or curtains. Typically, this type of closet will only be a single clothes rod and a single closet-wide shelf.
  • 2. Walk-in closet--- large enough to walk inside, it can store clothes on two or three sides and usually has lighting and sometimes mirrors.
  • 3. Linen closet--- usually tall and narrow and located near a bathroom or bedroom, it's used for storing towels, sheets, toiletries and related items.
  • 4. Coat closet--- normally located near the front or back door, this space is used to hold coats, jackets, boots and other seasonal outdoor items.
  • 5. Broom closet--- often found in kitchens or garages, this narrow but tall space holds brooms, vacuum cleaners, and other related household items.
  • 6. Utility closet--- designed to hold appliances such as water heaters and washer/dryers.
  • 7. Water closet--- the original meaning was any small private room with running water, but it became synonymous with a flush toilet and later, with a complete bathroom.

Types of Bedroom Closets:

Portable/Armoire

These cabinets are usually made of wood and stand alone either in a walk-in closet or outside in an adjoining bedroom. Standard models feature an adjustable rod for hanging clothes and one or more drawers below for folded items. Sometimes a lower drawer is added just to hold shoes.

Standard reach-in wall closet

A simple clothes hanger bar across the width of the closet, with one narrow shelf positioned above it, typifies this standard design found in many suburban middle-class homes. This type of closet is usually 6 feet to 10 feet long and two feet or less in depth.

To use this limited space most effectively, Amazon carries several reach-in closet systems available, such as the John Louis Home standard system, that utilize a combination of wooden shelving and other features to expand the storage capacity and heighten organization.

Walk-in closet

Usually a walk-in is defined as a closet you can walk into and is big enough to accommodate shelving on two if not three of the walls.

Tips for Effective Use:

  • Arrange items you wear most frequently so they are closest to the closet door.

  • Use shelf bins along the walls to hold out-of-season clothes.

  • Use a chest of drawers, an armoire, or shelf units along the walls to store folded sweaters or delicate items.

  • Erect a portable bench inside the walk-in to use as you change clothes, sort clothes, or pack clothes for a trip.

Closet Shelves:

If you buy a closet organizer there are generally many shelving systems that will coordinate. Typically if you buy a closet organizer from a particular company, you need to buy shelves and other coordinated accessories from them too. Learn more about closet shelves.

Closet Doors:

In choosing closet doors you may sometimes have to sacrifice decorative considerations
to achieve functionality. To learn more about closet doors, read our review.

Why Closet Flooring Is Important:

Flooring for your closet may normally be an afterthought, but it should figure into your closet design and your choice of accessories.

Here are flooring tips from Northern California design consultant Candace Phillips:

  • Hardwood or tile flooring for your closet makes it easier to sweep and clean. If you plan to store your shoes on the floor, these surfaces make installation of shoe racks much easier than carpet. While dust may disappear from view in carpets, it's still there and collects, making it more difficult to clean than smooth surfaces where dust is visible.

  • Carpet or cement might be the most economical closet flooring, but both have cleaning downsides and aren't as visually appealing as hardwood or tile. In addition, carpet is the least eco-friendly surface for flooring because it's doused with flame retardants and pesticides during manufacturing, fumes of which are later released into the enclosed space of a closet. These fumes can build up over time to create health hazards.

  • Natural stone is the most eco-friendly surface for your closet and along with hardwood surfaces, presents the most visually appealing floor, particularly if you have a walk-in closet that is well lighted.

Advice on Closet Accessories:



  • To avoid crushing or scratching your shoes, and so you can see at a glance the pair you want to wear on any given day, you need to store your shoes somewhere other than the closet floor. A shoe rack perhaps?

  • Tie and Belt hangers

    Ties can wrinkle and lose their shape, so they are best hung, rather than folded.
    Belts can be a nuisance to store in drawers, since they must be coiled, so hanging is a better option.
    A horizontal sliding tie and belt rack can hang from a rod with the rest of your hangers, or can be installed on a wall. It's offered in the $30 to $40 range by Closet Organizer Source, which is an accessory that solves several problems simultaneously by enabling you to hang both belts and ties together in a space-saving way that still gives you visual access to them. You can also use the rack for scarves or similar items.

  • Garment racks

    Oval shaped clothing rods are stronger than rounded rods. Metal rods are stronger than wood rods, and wood is usually stronger than most kinds of plastic. The more clothes you hang from a single rod and the heavier they are, the better off you would be having oval-shaped metal rods installed in your closet.

  • Jewelry bars

    T-shaped bars are a practical way to store and display bracelets and necklaces. The t-bar can be wood, metal or plastic, but it should be covered in fabric. These bars can fit on shelves and in deep drawers. Other options include hanging your necklaces from a pegboard mounted on the wall, or storing them in stackable trays.

  • Handbag hooks

    If you decide not to store handbags on a shelf, a practical option is to use a series of hooks fastened to a shelf, a closet wall, or inner door. Purses can also be stored inside of larger purses and hung from hooks.

  • Valet rods

    When changing clothes or packing clothes, a valet rod can be an indispensible tool for sorting and organizing. Hang it on the back of the closet door if your closet is a reach-in, or hang one on the wall of a walk-in closet. You can also hang your dry cleaning from it before the clothes go into your closet.

  • Under-the-bed storage

    Many companies sell wood or plastic storage containers that can fit beneath your bed, which is an ideal place to store seasonal items or shoes that you wear only on special occasions. These units can be found at Loews, Linens n' Things, and Bed, Bath & Beyond.

Closet Lighting and Design Ideas:

  • Make sure the lights in your closet, especially a walk-in, are at least 100 watts or more. Otherwise, you may have difficult distinguishing between certain colors, such as telling navy from black.

  • Walk-in closets are best lit with overhead directional lighting, either track lights or chandeliers, to fully illuminate your clothes and closet corners where you may have storage.

  • Consider installing click lights in dark closets not wired for lighting. The peel-and-stick variety of click lights can be found at around $10 for a set of three at Bed, Bath & Beyond. Each light provides over 100 hours of use on a single battery.

  • Design consultant Candace Phillips recommends recessed lighting in the closet ceiling as the most stylish option, unless you decide to go with a chandelier. She advises using fluorescent bulbs with a 9-year life expectancy.

Tips for the Effective Use of Space:

  • Edit Your Wardrobe

    Ask yourself these questions. What purpose should my closet serve? What can my closet hold? What do I want in my closet? What do I want to exclude?

    Ideally, a closet should make maximum effective use of space and make your belongings easy to see and to access. The first step in the effective use of space should be to 'edit' your wardrobe.

    -- That could mean if something new comes into your closet, something old should be taken out.
    -- At the very least, anything you haven't worn in a year or more is a candidate for 'editing.'
    -- If it doesn't fit you, discard it.
    -- Perhaps you can pretend that you're moving and need to pare down your moving load.
    -- Either give the outdated clothing to a friend or relative, or donate it to a charity.

  • Couples Tips for Closet Sharing

    Sharing a clothes closet can be an on-going territorial struggle for many couples because they may have differing storage needs. If sharing a single closet is your only option, says closet designer Cynthia Overbeck Bix, try dividing it in two with an open shelf system that you can tailor to your individual needs. You can also delineate his and her space based on color coding the clothes hangers or sections of the closet walls.

  • Hanging versus Folding Advantages

    Most experts, such as Melanie Charlton Fascetilli, author of Shop Your Closet, believe that you should hang as many clothes as possible because most items last longer and retain their shape longer without wrinkles if properly hung. Also important is that hanging takes up less space than folding, and hanging makes clothes organization more efficient.

    Items you should normally fold---sweaters, delicate clothing, lace, cashmere, lingerie, jeans, socks, underwear and gym clothes. Suitcases are a great way to store folded seasonal clothes, especially if space is at a premium.

    Items you should always hang---suits, coats, gowns, silk dresses or shirts, dresses, dress pants, and anything tailored. Always hang like with like, which means suits with other suits, pants with other pants, etc. Hang pants by the cuffs with clips to reduce wrinkling.

Closet Storage Systems and Organizers:

  • Categories of use

    You can hang your clothes by categories of use, especially if you have a walk-in closet.
    The five most common categories are:

    1. seasonal
    2. everyday casual
    3. sports clothes
    4. business attire
    5. formal event wear

  • Color coded

    Your entire closet can be organized based on color codes. For instance, use the color blue for winter clothing and either hang the items on blue hangers, or else use blue paper on a hanger to delineate the section of your closet devoted to winter clothes. You can even paint each section of the closet wall a different color to correspond to the seasonal clothes hung in that section of the closet.

  • Labels, written or illustrated

    Simple written labels for sections of the closet, such as 'workout clothes,' might be
    best for some people. If you're storing clothes in garment bags, especially seasonal
    items, try affixing a photographic image or drawing of the types of clothes to the
    outside of the bag to make identification quicker.

Closet Organizer Reviews:

Consumer Report's magazine did a comparison of Do-it-Yourself Closet Organizers marketed by major companies, What did they say? Click here to learn more about DIY closet organizer reviews

Do-it-yourself vs custom installed:

California Closets is the largest national brand selling custom and install-it-yourself systems, according to Consumer Reports magazine. The magazine's comparison of do-it-yourself systems found that they are a fraction of the cost of installed closet systems, but with less cost comes certain shortcomings. "We found many install it yourself systems poorly designed, shoddy and a nightmare to install," concluded the magazine. Some of these systems also took up to seven hours to install, which can be daunting to people without screwdriver skills.

By contrast inspect firsthand, having a closet system installed by professionals and dealing with national brand closet installers can also present its share of frustration. "We found some professional services and customer help lines less than helpful," reported the magazine. A professionally installed system will usually cost you double, or even triple, the price of most do-it-yourself systems.

Custom Closets: Companies, Designers and Prices:

Closet companies provide closet design, components, and installation, all for one price based on your individual space and needs. Usually they will send a representative to your home for free to give you a prospective design and cost estimate---but be prepared for a high pressure sales pitch.
Closet designers might work for these companies or be independent consultants with a range of services to offer. If you choose to hire a closet designer, check and see if they are members of the National Association of Professional Organizers, or the American Society of Interior Designers. If not, then ask for references and if possible, the sort of work they have performed. At the very least, a designer should have an extensive photographic portfolio of work already completed to show you.

6-Questions to ask a Closet Company or Closet Designer:

1. Do you offer a warranty for your work?

2. Does installation also include tearing out the old closet and doing wall repairs?

3. Do you used a shelf depth of 11.5 inches, the standard, or 14 inch up to 16 inch depth for shelves? (Depth is better for storing larger items.)

4. Do you use industrial grade or furniture grade particleboard? (Screws hold better in the industrial grade.)

5. Do you use metal or plastic parts? (Metal is preferable!)

6. Do you offer accessories, such as jewelry trays, valet rods, sliding belt racks etc., at extra cost?

List - Closet Companies and Organizers:

  • 1. California Closets --An in-home consultation about your storage needs starts this company's design process. Dozens of walk-in and reach-in closet designs are featured on this website ranging in price from hundreds to many thousands of dollars.

  • 2. Closets By Design--This company designs, builds and installs custom closets through nationwide franchises. Both reach-in and walk-in closets are featured ranging from a few hundred dollars in price to many thousands of dollars for the largest walk-ins that feature cabinet islands and floor-to-ceiling paneling.

  • 3. Closet Factory --A designer visits your home and assesses your storage needs. Closet components are manufactured to your specifications and space needs, and company installers complete the process. Prices are determined after a consultation. The company operates in at least two dozen states.

  • 4. John Louis Home -- DIY solid wood reach-in closet systems with ventilated shelf design: Standard, Premium and Deluxe options come in a box and are easy to install. From $250 to $500.

  • 5. Closets To Go--An online design program enables you to build your custom closet system, which is then reviewed by a company designer. You can also review a design initiated by the company based on information you provide. All closet hardware in the system you choose is sent to you by Federal Express preassembled and you do the installation. Eight different walk-in closet systems are sold and range in price from $1,000 to $5,500.

  • 6. ClosetMaid --More than a dozen closet designs are featured from standard reach-in to walk-ins with cabinet islands and shoe towers. Authorized dealers in major U.S. cities send a consultant to your home to see which design fits your space needs. Learn more about Closetmaid organizers.

  • 7. Closet World --This home organizing service sends a designer to your home and creates a closet system with accessories based on your space considerations, with installation taking place a week later. Their 'essentials' series is a basic small closet design, whereas the 'legacy' series is more stylish with more drawers and a cabinet. Walk-in closets sold by this company can be the size of a standard bedroom and feature floor-to-ceiling wood paneling and every imaginable accessory.

  • 8. Designer Closets --Free in-home consultations are offered in the northeastern U.S. Their custom made closets use maple, mahogany, oak and cherry woods. This company specializes in upscale walk-in closet designs.

  • 9. Ikea --A range of clothes and shoe organizer accessories are featured, including clear plastic shoe boxes in the $10 range and shelving units at $20. Wardrobe cabinets offer 18 different types of doors, 5 colors, 4 widths, 2 heights and 2 depths. The smallest 3-drawer wardrobe is less than $200, while the largest wardrobe with sliding doors retails in the $900.00 range.

  • 10. Kanga Room Storage --Offers cloth shelving systems that hang from closet rods or garment racks. Each unit has sewn-in snaps that connect any combination of shelving units to enable you to make your own closet space-saving designs. They range in price from $24.99 up.

  • 11. Rubbermaid -- Features an online closet designer program. After using this program, you can locate a Rubbermaid certified dealer in your area and choose a professionally installed wood storage system, with a lifetime warranty, that meets your needs. Price estimates are given after a consultation. A basic 4-8 foot closet kit for do-it-yourself installation can run $140 and up, depending on accessories.

  • 12. Sauder --Six types of armoires are sold by this furniture company and they range in price from less than $200 to over $500. Each has one to two drawers, standard garment hanging rods, and storage cubbyholes.

  • 13. Elfa -- From organizing system to simple storage containers, this company features many do-it-yourself closet organizing systems and accessories, such as racks and wardrobes, hangers, shoe storage, storage bags, drawers, adjustable rods, etc. Available at the Container Store.

How to Have an Eco-Friendly Closet?

Closets are enclosed spaces that can trap toxic fumes harmful to your health, so it would be wise to use eco-friendly closet components and accessories.

Here are a few ideas for going green:

  • Check with the manufacturers to see if shelf and drawer components are made with non-toxic recycled materials and non-toxic adhesives.

  • Be sure that wood and particleboard products are free of urea-formaldehyde resins, which are a toxin.

  • Take dry cleaning out of plastic bags in open air spaces rather than in the confines of a closet because toxic cleaning chemical fumes can linger.

  • Wicker baskets used in clothes storage often contain polyvinyl chloride, a toxin. It's better to use Viro or other non-toxic storage materials for your clothes.

  • Try not to use carpet, particularly new carpeting, as a closet floor surface because the material releases a variety of toxic fumes, including flame retardants and pesticides which are added to the carpet backing during the manufacturing process.

Top Books for Closet Information:

1. Closet Control: The Ultimate Guide to Revitalizing Your Wardrobe and Revolutionizing the Way You Store It, by Barbra Horozwitz (Sterling, 2007)

2 . Smart Closet Makeovers, by Cynthia Overbeck Bix (Sunset Publishing, 2006)

3. Shop Your Closet: The Ultimate Guide to Organizing Your Closet with Style, by Melanie Charlton Fascitelli (Collins Living, 2008)

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