Do you have enough closet space in your home? If the answer is no, you’re not alone. Closet space is one of those things that tends to shrink as your household grows and as time passes. If you have a spare room, however, this opens up a lot of possibilities in terms of storage space. You could even use the entire area as a custom closet if you wanted to. Here are some tips on turning your guest bedroom into a walk-in closet.
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Hanging Rods
You can choose one wall to hang a rod across, or you could do a few different sections with rods at varying heights. If you have long dresses, you will want your rods to be about six feet off of the ground. When hanging separates, it’s fine to put a second rod underneath the high one; put the lower one about 44 inches beneath the upper one. Your rods should be at least 12 inches away from the wall, and about five inches below any shelving that you are installing over the top of the highest rod. That will give you plenty of clearance to hang your hangers easily.
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Shelves Shelving
In your new walk-in closet will give you lots of storage space. You can stack sweaters and jeans on shelves, or you could use the storage for various items, like seasonal decorations or extra linens. As a general rule of thumb, you should have a support every 24 inches for most types of wood shelves. This applies to particleboard and lumber. You can go a little farther apart if you are using plywood, and if you were to use acrylic, you’d need to place a support about every 20 inches. The spacing between the shelves depends on what you’ll be storing on them. Think about this carefully before hanging your shelves; it would be frustrating to put them too close together and have trouble storing all of your items.
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Lighting and Extras
You will need some good lighting in the room. If you are covering the windows to prevent your clothing from fading, keep that in mind; it will be very dark in the room without adequate lighting. Full-spectrum fluorescent bulbs will help you see colors the best, which is good when you’re choosing clothing items that go together. Also, don’t forget about nice extras: You’ll want a good full-size mirror, or maybe a few mirrors at different angles. Putting in a well-lit vanity with a comfortable place to sit will turn your former guest room into a fully functioning dressing room. And put something nice and comfortable down as flooring, too. You might as well pamper yourself if you are going to be turning your spare room into a walk-in closet and dressing area!
If this seems daunting, you can always use a professional closet design company to design, build and install your new custom storage space. Most companies will offer a free consultation, so you will be able to talk to an expert about your design and maybe even see it in 3D with special software. Be sure to put a good amount of thought into your new walk-in closet, because it will last you and your wardrobe many years!