When it comes to home organization, few things are more satisfying than a closet makeover where everything has its place. Transforming your closet space may seem daunting, but it doesn’t have be a heavy lift, or a pricey one. With a few supplies and tools, you can make over your closet with a system of shelves, drawers, and space for hanging that won’t set back your budget. Whether you’re tackling the whole space at once, or going project by project, here are some ideas to get the inspiration flowing.
You Don’t Have to Start From Scratch
If you’re working with a larger walk-in closet, or creating new closet space in a room, repurposing an old set of drawers is a great way to start your closet transformation. This allows you to anchor the space with an existing storage solution. With just a few DIY upgrades, your freestanding drawers will look like they’ve been there all along. You can create a built-in look by building a floor-to-ceiling face frame around the bureau with plywood. To build a face frame, you’ll need plywood, a jig, drill, and Strong Tie’s Wafer-Head Construction Screws to create a seamless two- to three-inch-wide frame that goes around the existing drawers and any storage space you want to create above the drawers. Wafer-Head screws are a great option for working with plywood, as they drive easily and won’t crack the wood. For any areas you’ll be filling with wood or painting over, try Strong Tie’s Finish Trim screws.
Cabinetry Made Easy
If your existing set of drawers is going in a walk-in closet, you can skip a more complicated face frame and simply refinish the wood or paint it to create a fresh look for your closet (see Palo Woodcraft’s closet, which uses Wafer-Head and Finish Trim screws, for inspiration). In this case, you can build a simple plywood cabinet on top of the drawers, frame the edges of the cabinet only, and create sturdy shelves inside the cabinet using steel angles and plywood. Paint your existing drawers and new shelves to match, and you’ve got a closet system that looks custom-built, for a fraction of the cost.
Shelves for Days
A closet dominated by open shelving and hanging rods is a great option, as it allows you to see your items more easily, and use storage bins or baskets for visual interest, and to tuck away smaller items. When building shelves, sturdiness is key: you want to be able to store shoes, bins, heavier winter items, and even equipment. Strong Tie’s A21 Steel Angles are a great option for shelves that won’t wobble or buckle under heavier weight. These steel angles are also ideal if you’re feeling more ambitious, and want to construct drawers in addition to shelving. Check out this DIY linen cabinet made with A21 Angles and Wafer-Head screws for more inspiration.
How to Store All That Stuff
For closet space in an out-of-the way area such as your entryway, garage, or attic, you might be dealing with heavier items, such as sports equipment or tools. In these cases, utility and organization is key. You can build a heavy-duty, long-lasting plywood shelving system with Strong-Tie’s Rigid Tie Corner Connectors, and use wire shelving instead of plywood shelving, so your shelves won’t get damaged under the weight of storage bins or bulkier items. You can even hang a peg board on the sides of the closet for easy access to tools or other items. Check out this DIY Sports Equipment Organizer plan from Strong-Tie for a shelf system that can fit in an existing closet, or stand alone in a garage or workshop.