Closet help

[KrisM]

DD's closet is finally nearly clear off all my stuff. There is a bookcase in it that needs to go and that is all that is left. But, I need to do something with it or it'll just end up a disasterous mess, I am sure.

The closet is 11.5 feet long and 4 feet deep. It has bifold doors that are 6 feet wide. And it's a sloped ceiling, so the back wall is only 5.5 feet tall. Right now, there is a shelf and a rod along that back wall and that is it.

What would you do to make this useful for storage of toys and clothes?

[JTsMom]

nak

in ds's closet we did 2 wire shelves- one is low so he can reach, but high enough to hang a teen's stuff w/out it hitting the floor. in the middle is a 5 cube expedit standing up for games, backpacks, etc.

i put out of season stuff on the far ends, tops are on one side, bottoms on other.

[niccig]

Can you put a closet system in there?

DS has one in his closet, it has shelves and bars for hanging. Unfortunately, you can't really change things around, which is a pain. One day I'll replace it with a newer one that does let you move things around.

My closet doesn't have an organizer system and I want one. I have a set of plastic drawers in there for folded clothes and then a shoe rack. I have lots of plastic bins on top of the shelf for out of season clothes etc. My closet is always a huge mess.

If you want folded clothes and toys in there, then you'll need to have some sort of shelves.

[KrisM]

I'm worried about the floor becomming full of stuff, since it's so deep. I could easily do a closet organizer or an Expedit, but I'd still have 2 feet of floor before the door and I can see her opening the door, dumping something in, and closing the door. This is what I did for a couple years .

When we only had 2 kids, her room was our guest room and the closet was my office. I had a desk, file cabinet and bookcases in there and it was great! I loved being able to shut the door on it all. But, that should tell you how big it really is.

[niccig]

I'm worried about the floor becomming full of stuff, since it's so deep. I could easily do a closet organizer or an Expedit, but I'd still have 2 feet of floor before the door and I can see her opening the door, dumping something in, and closing the door. This is what I did for a couple years .

When we only had 2 kids, her room was our guest room and the closet was my office. I had a desk, file cabinet and bookcases in there and it was great! I loved being able to shut the door on it all. But, that should tell you how big it really is.

That's why my closet is a mess, open door, throw it in and quickly close a door. I'm trying to get DS to be better with his dresser - all his folded clothes are in there, and with his shoe rack. I have to check up on him and make him straighten it up. He is getting better with the clothes and shows me how he moves several to get the one he wants underneath. Much better than when he would just throw them on the floor, get the t-shirt and then walk out of his room.

I also think having less things helps keep it organized - which we know for the rest of the house. I'm going to pare down his clothes etc, so there's not too much to look through to find what he wants.

I wish I had a closet that size...but you need something to keep it all together. Maybe have all the things she needs within her reach and anything up high are things like next season clothes, toys need your help with etc. I like the closet system idea as it should grow with her, as long as it's flexible. DS is all bolted together and you can't move things around.

[KrisM]

Yeah, I've gotten better at not buying too many clothes. Up until now, they've all been in the dresser. We hung up dresses today. She can reach the hanging bar fairly well, which is nice.

I have a bin for next seasons clothes, but it's just on the floor, since the shelf isn't very useful since it's only maybe 8 inches from the ceiling. I don't know that we'll end up with a high spot for things, with the sloped ceiling. Makes it hard. I think I'll wander around some closet sites.

[WatchingThemGrow]

I have closet envy. I think DD's is 41-48" wide.

Have you looked at closetmaid shelf-track system?

We have several of these sets, divided up among several closets. You could add another kit if you wanted to. It's not AMAZING and cool-looking, but it is SO versatile! I can change thins around often to accommodate various needs - like lots of shirts or longer dresses or buckets with stuff on the shelves or thin shelves for puzzles to be spread out...

Trying to imagine how to use that space behind or in front...hmmm.. Do you have big stuff to put on the sides or would shelving work well there? Could you use that space to store the big plastic bins of mom2mom sale stuff, out of the way, but still accessible?

[niccig]

Trying to imagine how to use that space behind or in front...hmmm.. Do you have big stuff to put on the sides or would shelving work well there? Could you use that space to store the big plastic bins of mom2mom sale stuff, out of the way, but still accessible?

Because it's so big, you don't need all of it for your DD. I agree with maybe having plastic bins stacked on one side, or other things you need stored there - but in containers, so DD can't get into them. Maybe on a plastic stacking shelf, like you said you had in your closet. Then the other part of the closet can be for your DD. If you use a closet system that you can add on to, you can later on make the entire closet for your DD - but she'll have a lot of clothes to fill that up! Or just make the closet system the entire length, but one part of it has wider shelves to store things on - how strong are those shelves for big plastic bins?

I don't know about the space in front - I do think that might be dead space - you need to be able to get to the things on the shelves. I did pull DS's shoe rack to the front and behind it I put a collapsible washing basket for outgrown clothes. His closet system has a vertical wooden side that's in just the right spot for hitting your head when you reach the shoes if they were all back against the wall.

[katydid1971]

If you go to the container store website they have a program that helps you plan out a closet. i used their plans and went to home depot and got parts that were the same sizes etc from the closet system. I have been very happy with it. FWIW I don't have a problem with container store they are just too far away from me.
https://www.containerstore.com/elfa/plan/getStarted.htm

[KrisM]

I have closet envy. I think DD's is 41-48" wide.

Have you looked at closetmaid shelf-track system?

We have several of these sets, divided up among several closets. You could add another kit if you wanted to. It's not AMAZING and cool-looking, but it is SO versatile! I can change thins around often to accommodate various needs - like lots of shirts or longer dresses or buckets with stuff on the shelves or thin shelves for puzzles to be spread out...

Trying to imagine how to use that space behind or in front...hmmm.. Do you have big stuff to put on the sides or would shelving work well there? Could you use that space to store the big plastic bins of mom2mom sale stuff, out of the way, but still accessible?

We bought this house for the closets. Our old house was awful - the third bedroom's closet was about 20" wide with a sloped ceiling making the shelf useless. And the room was only 9x9.5 feet, so really awful for anything.

And, thanks! That is the system we had in our closets at our old house. I couldn't remember it at all. I liked it for the versitility.

I could do bins in there, but I'm afraid she'd just get into them. Maybe I'll just ditch the doors and make it all part of the room.