Our closets are one area of our homes that can often fly under the radar. But those hoping to cultivate a home that completely represents their unique style and needs shouldn’t overlook this space. With the right preparation and planning, you can transform your closet into one of your favorite rooms in your entire home. Follow these steps to start your closet remodel off on the right foot.
Chances are you have more than a few items of clothing you haven’t worn in ages hanging up in your closet. The first order of business when prepping for a remodel is to purge any unnecessary items.
Take a page out of the Marie Kondo playbook; remove everything from your closet and evaluate your wardrobe piece by piece. Does that old sweater still spark joy or is it just collecting dust? If you answered the latter, throw that sweater in the donate pile.
Once you whittle down your clothing items to only the pieces you really love, you can further organize them based on season, color, occasion, or whatever makes sense to you. This will make putting everything away far easier. You can also use this time to break down what percentage of the closet will be yours a what percentage will be allotted to your partner if you have one.
Once the closet is cleared out, take measurements of everything. Note any light switches, electrical outlets, windows, or any other permanent fixtures. This will help determine any restraints for the remodeling project.
Paint can do wonders in any area of your house. You might not realize it, but your closet might look dingier than it actually is due to an old, fading layer of paint. Take the opportunity to refresh your closet walls with a new coat of paint while it’s cleared out.
Flooring also plays a huge role in the overall appearance of your closet. Take this opportunity to install a new floor if it seems appropriate. You can match it to the floor in your room or install a unique material such as tile or wood. If you have a walk-in closet, you can even consider getting an area rug to tie the space together.
Now let’s look over your clothes again. What do you have more of? Short items like shirts and skirts? Or longer items such as dresses and pants? Don’t forget to think about which items you need to hang up and which you’ll fold. Take stock of your items and determine what kind of storage space you’ll need in the closet.
If you have a lot of items to fold, consider adding shelving or even a drawer to tuck your belongings away in. If you have a lot of dresses, be sure to allocate space where they can hang without covering up other items. If you have lots of seasonal items you need to store for part of the year, install out-of-the-way top-shelving.
Don’t forget to factor in shoes. If you have a large collection, consider installing shelving in your closet. You can opt for adjustable straight shelves that you can move up and down to account for different shoe heights. This makes it easier to store boots. If you’d rather have a better view of your shoe collection, consider slanted shelving.
Be sure to consider where you’ll toss your dirty clothes at the end of the day too. If you have room for it, you can place a hamper in the closet. You can even install a tilt-out hamper to neatly conceal your dirty clothes out of view.
That’s right. Your closet can be a place to express your style too! Walk-in closets offer a great opportunity to expand the overall aesthetic of your home. Don’t be afraid to express your style with fun elements such as wall art, an ottoman, stylized clothing displays, and whatever else will make the space feel more like your own.
At the end of the day, the most important thing you can do to prepare for your closet remodel is to factor in your daily needs and desired functionality. Ask yourself, what will make your life easier? Be sure to consider everything we mentioned above and you should be well on your way to a fantastic closet you’ll love for years to come.
Want more design and renovation tips? Be sure to browse through our Tips & Resources page for more inspiration!
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