When considering potential apartments, one of the top things on your list may be the number and size of the closets. And for good reason! Storage space is often at a premium in apartment living, leaving closets as some of your only options for stashing seasonal items, outdoor equipment, extra linens and more. No matter how big or how many you have, use these six strategies to make the most of every inch in your apartment’s closets!
1. Remove Shelves
Many rental closets come with standard wire shelving pre-installed. While these single shelves can be useful for hanging items and storing bulky items up high, they also leave a lot of wasted and hard-to-use space. Don’t hesitate to make a closet work perfectly for you and your things. Most shelves are screwed right into the wall and are easy to take down. If removing a shelf allows you to fit larger items, take it down and refill the closet with shelves, bookcases or bins that use the space better. Just be sure you have a place to easily store the removed shelf, and keep the original hardware secured to the shelf so it can be easily re-hung before moving out!
2. Add Extra Shelves
Whether you remove the already-installed shelves or just complement what is there, adding shelves to a closet provides more surface area to stack and store bins, baskets and other small items. Consider adding inexpensive bracket-mounted shelves that can be found at any hardware store. Before hanging the shelves, decide what you need to store. Then hang shelves at specific heights to fit all your items just right. Instead of piling everything on the floor, adding extra shelves not only creates more space but also makes getting items in and out much easier. (See more of this closet makeover here!)
3. Use Baskets to Utilize Every Inch
Even if your rental closets are outfitted with adequate shelf space, large, open shelves can be difficult to use fully and keep orderly. Small games, linens, sweaters, seasonal items and more are best kept in bins and baskets. Not only does containing items keep them from easily toppling, but it also allows you to use every inch of horizontal and vertical space between shelves. Just be sure to find baskets that fit both your specific shelf as well as the things you need to store!
4. Create Zones
If you’re short on closets, split a single closet into multiple zones to keep order and make finding things easier. Place less-used items up high and more commonly used things at eye level. Consider dedicating each shelf to a specific category. Above, the top shelf is the “game closet,” the second shelf down is the “medicine cabinet” and the final shelves are the “linen closet.” Zoning allows you to keep an array of items organized in a single place!
5. Remove Doors
If a room is tight or the flow is awkward, consider removing closet doors to create more visual and usable space. Removing doors entirely can help a small room feel bigger, especially if you repurpose the closet into some sort of functional zone (see below!). Replacing big, outward-swinging or bi-fold doors with a curtain can help you use an awkward closet more fully (since you can access more of it) and arrange a tight room differently (since you don’t need to account for door clearance)!
6. Re-Think the Space
If one of your apartment’s rooms has a closet and you don’t need it to store clothes or other items, consider repurposing it. Whether you remove the doors or not, the space inside a closet is added square footage in a room, which can be utilized in smart and efficient ways with the right furniture pieces. Here are some clever ideas for using an extra, empty closet:
-Free up precious floor space by moving a dresser or bookcase into a closet. This is also a great solution for fitting a diaper-changing station into a shared bedroom or small nursery!
-Create a dedicated study zone by moving a desk into a closet. Accessorize with good lighting and a memo board to create the ultimate work center!
-Combine a bench, pillows and blankets with wall-mounted bookshelves and task lighting to carve out a cozy reading nook.
-Throw down a colorful rug and add in basic cube shelves to create a simple bedroom play area.
No matter how many, how small or how irregular your closets are, there are simple and effective things you can do to improve your storage situation. From removing shelves that are already there to adding more to fit your needs or redefining the space altogether, don’t hesitate to get creative to make your closets function just as you need them to! If you want even more closet ideas, check out these 10 tips for getting your closets organized, as well as these suggestions for using a small closet!