Two years ago, we were planning to move and fell in love with a home that was perfect for our family – except we hated the wire shelf closets.
We know that we wanted organized closets where everything had a home. The ClosetMaid® product we found, SuiteSymphony®, had everything: towers, drawers, half rods, full rods, jewelry trays, shoe racks, belts and tie racks. This started our journey into a closet renovation.
When we undergo a project, Josh and I only know how to do it one way: plan it well, get the kids involved in the work, call for reinforcements and build a product that will last.
Measure
True is the phrase measure twice, cut once. When it comes to measuring, you need to be accurate to ensure you can fit all your closet components. Measure wall lengths, door openings, window sizes, ceiling heights and light placements as well as casing and baseboard heights and thicknesses. Take this time to really understand your space and how you want it to work for you. Clearly write down all your as you will be referring to it often.
Inventory
What do you like about your current space and what do you want to change? Take an inventory of everything you need to store in your new closet. Get detailed, noting quantities of items: shoes, ties, belts, dresses, pants, suits, shirts, house coats, jewelry and hats. Also list things you want to house in the overall space, such as a laundry hamper, basket, stool or bench.
Design
Do you want closed storage or open, drawers, rods, racks, mirrors, seating, hooks, adjustable shelving or fixed shelving? Which items need to be at easy-to-reach heights and what can be placed higher? ClosetMaid’s website has an online design tool, but also provides product dimensions so you can complete the design yourself. By the end of this phase, you should have a layout and know which finish works best.
Demo and prep
Often overlooked, this is an essential step. Remove existing shelving and hardware – wire shelves in our case. Patch the screw holes, sand, prime and paint the walls for a fresh finish.
Assembly
The key to assembly is organization, having a large, clean work space and reading instructions. Only assemble one unit at a time to ensure you don’t lose track of hardware or parts.
Installation
Putting the puzzle together is the fun part because you get to see a plan become reality. Start in one corner of the space and work your way around the room, measuring carefully and installing the assembled components. In our case, we installed a fixed upper shelf that was installed above our tower units. Ensure you take time to fasten everything to a wall stud for stability and strength. Items you are storing in these units often have considerable weight, and you don’t want to damage or destroy your new closet, so reinforce where needed.
Personalize
Putting the final touches on your new closet really personalizes how you plan to use the closet. Think about installing a mirror next to your tie or jewelry storage. Place your belt and tie pull-out racks, insert your felt jewelry tray into its drawer, slide your baskets into place and tuck your laundry hamper into its cubby.
Move in
Moving all your items into the new closet is such a refreshing moment. I remember saying to Josh, “I feel like I can actually unpack from our move two years ago because everything now has a home in our closet”.
Closets are often the forgotten space with very little investment. However, they can add much needed space and value with a little time and thought. So go discover your forgotten spaces and see the potential revealed.
Adrienne Fedorowich is Director of Design at Studio 2.0 Interior Design + Photography in Saskatoon, Sask. She’s looking forward to sharing her knowledge of projects, design tips and products that will make your life more enjoyable and provide inspiration for that next project.
