Creative and Practical Ideas to Transform Your Bedroom Closet
Super messy closets are something most of us probably take as a given. Crumpled-up t-shirts, mismatched hangers, a laundry pile a mile high – none of that matters when it’s crammed behind a closed door, right?
Not necessarily.
Even if you only look in your closet at the beginning of your day, an organized layout can make a difference between getting dressed in a flash and wasting half an hour looking for your favorite t-shirt… again. Whether you have a spacious walk-in or hardly any room at all, read on for some bedroom closet ideas to help you revamp your closet design.
1. Budget-Friendly Ideas
Whether you’re reorganizing your closet or getting set up in a new space, you don’t have to break the bank to get great results. Pinterest and YouTube are brimming with DIY closet ideas to help you get organized for cheap. Putting up a long shelf over a clothes rack adds tons of storage space for shoes and bags. Installing a second hanging rod is another affordable, easy way to make more room. Put it under shorter items like shirts, instead of suits or long coats, to keep your clothes from grazing the ground.
If you don’t feel like breaking out the power tools, storage bins, and baskets are another inexpensive way to keep your closet in order. Throw socks and underwear in there, or use them as a catch-all container for the odds and ends that inevitably accumulate. This way, you can confine the chaos to a small space instead of letting it take over the whole closet.
2. Creative Built-in Solutions
Built-in closets keep your clothes organized and blend seamlessly into the room’s design. Mimic the look of freestanding cabinets with two upright wardrobes framing a window seat, or cover a wall in built-in cabinets and drawers.
Built-ins can be as bold or subtle as you want. Go monochromatic with white cabinets on white walls, or add a little dimension by framing them with a contrasting neutral. You could even take it a step further and paint them a bold color or decorate the doors with brightly patterned wallpaper.
3. Inspiring Door Ideas
If you’re planning a full closet makeover, consider swapping out the doors. Sliding doors take up less space than traditional hinged ones, making them an excellent option for a small bedroom. You can go for a minimalist design that blends in with the surrounding walls or opt for mirrored doors, which come in handy when getting dressed and make the room seem bigger.
That said, hinged doors also have their advantages. You can hang a full-length mirror from the back or add some storage by hanging a shoe organizer. They also let you look at your whole wardrobe at once, which is useful if you don’t want to spring for see-through doors.
4. Innovative Clothes Racks
Whether your closet is chock full or you don’t have a closet at all, a freestanding clothes rack is a great option. It provides extra space for hanging clothes like shirts and jackets, and you can even get one with shelves built in – which is perfect for storing shoes and folded clothes. They come in a variety of colors, materials, and designs, so they can fit right in with any design style.
Since your clothing will be on display, clothes racks can elevate your room’s aesthetic as well as its storage. Try hanging clothes in every color of the rainbow, organizing from red to violet for a cool, gradient effect. Another option is to stick with neutrals, fading from white to black or beige to brown, to complement a minimalist bedroom.
There’s nothing wrong with being practical. Displaying your favorite clothes or the ones you reach for most often, whether that’s your collection of leather jackets or all the band t-shirts you’ve picked up over the years, is an efficient, time-saving way to show off your personality.
5. Maximizing Space
Sometimes it pays to put the baby – or your closet – in the corner. Corner closets are a chic, unobtrusive way to stay organized. There’s a wealth of options when it comes to the style of your corner closet. Distressed wood with dark metal hardware fits perfectly with the rustic, vintage vibe of a modern farmhouse-style master bedroom. White paneled doors, on the other hand, are chic and traditional.
An open-plan corner closet design is another animal entirely. You can organize your clothing in different ways to add a little visual interest to the room without having to spring for extra decor. Having all your clothes fully visible at all times adds some motivation to keep things tidy. A little mess behind clothes doors is one thing, but it’s a lot harder to ignore when everything is out in the open.
6. Custom Bedroom Cabinets
If your bedroom has any tight corners or awkward angles, you might want to go for cabinets custom-built to fit the space. That way, you can make use of every inch of the room and avoid any unsightly gaps.
Custom cabinets are also a great way to make sure the room suits all of your needs. You could use cabinetry with a built-in desk, a shelf for your books, or even a lofted area to put a bed.
7. Functional Drawers
A good, old-fashioned chest of drawers is a classic for clothing storage and bedroom decor. They can be especially handy if there isn’t much hanging space in your closet. You can prioritize certain pieces – suits, blazers, easily wrinkled things made from silk or linen – and store the rest in drawers.
Place some decor on your drawers, but not so much that you don’t have room to set anything down. Plants, candles, and photographs are simple decorations that add life to the room and make it a little cozier.
8. Stylish Freestanding Cabinet
If you don’t have much room in your closet but plenty of floor space in your bedroom, freestanding cabinets can help you make up the difference. An imposing, antique armoire complements a variety of decor styles, from modern farmhouse to traditional. You can leave them bare on top or liven them up with trailing plants. Short cabinets give you a little extra storage in the form of surface area, making them a great option to take the place of a nightstand.
Of course, there are plenty of cabinetry options to suit different tastes. Look for more boho materials like wicker or rattan, or brighten up a set of lockers with a fresh coat of paint. Less conventional colors like orange or blue can also add some personality.
9. Embracing Modern Design
A sleek, organized, modern closet is just the thing to make you feel put-together. Organization is key, so keep the items you like grouped together. Look for a closet organizer featuring lots of square or rectangular shelves offset from one another, and consider opting for an open concept or glass sliding doors to show off your layout.
There are plenty of features to choose from that will tie your closet design together. LED strip lights add a sultry, high-tech touch. Neutrals are a given. Choose from a color that blends the closet with the wall behind it or in a highly contrasting hue.
10. Optimal Organization
Even if you don’t have an actual room designated as a closet, a reach-in closet can get the job done. These are great candidates for recessed areas in the wall that aren’t deep enough to turn into a seating area or reading nook. Just put up a closet rod and slide a few storage bins in there, and you’re good to go.
Okay, so you’re not a fan of the open plan; add some doors to the equation. This is also a great way to make the space feel more finished if it looks a little too DIY for your taste – and to hide any mistakes you might have made along the way.
11. Space-Saving Solutions
Keeping a small bedroom closet free of clutter may feel like an uphill battle, but all it takes is a little strategy. Since a visual mess can be just as disorienting as a physical mess, streamline the space as much as possible. Get matching hangers so you’re not dealing with a jumbled mess of plastic, metal, and wood.
There’s no right way to organize your closet, so go with a system that resonates with you. You might prefer to sort by color so that each section blends seamlessly into the next. You could also sort by material, occasion, or length of the garments.
12. Smart Strategies for Utilizing Spcae
While your definition of the word “closet” is probably pretty well set, there’s definitely room to think outside the box. Pretty much every part of the bedroom is fair game.
Built-in drawers under a bed are a great place to store extra pajamas, loungewear, and blankets. Or, if you want to go the extra mile, loft your bed above a small platform and install a closet rod underneath to add a little extra hanging space.
Even the floor has something to offer. If the room has bunk beds, the stairs can double as a set of drawers.
13. Luxurious Walk-In Options
A spacious walk-in is a dream closet for many – but not if it’s a total mess! Stay on top of closet clutter and decorate the space with intention. It may be just a closet, but you can still play up the luxury. Invest in warm, soft lighting. It’s more flattering than harsh fluorescents, and you’ll have an easier time getting dressed if you (literally) see yourself in a better light.
There are plenty of ways to elevate the space beyond just a run-of-the-mill closet. Add a bench in the center for a friend to sit as you get ready, or set up a vanity near a light so the space can double as a closet office. Now that so many people are working from home, it’s important to find a quiet space in the house where you can be productive – and your bedroom closet might just be the perfect spot.
14. Elegant Wardrobe Closets
What better place to store your wardrobe than, well, a wardrobe? They come in a wide variety of sizes, colors, and materials, making them a great way to make an unexpected statement and tie the room together.
White doors set in a light wood frame complement a mid-century modern bedroom perfectly, while a slate gray wardrobe with metallic accents is effortlessly modern. Get one that covers your whole wall or go for a smaller wooden antique.
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FAQs
How do I organize my bedroom closet?
The first step is decluttering so you don’t waste time organizing clothes just to get rid of them. Then, you should organize your closet in a way that works for you—put your most-worn items toward the front for easy access, or sort by color so your open closet isn’t an eyesore.
How do I make more room in my closet?
Try sliding a shelf, some wicker baskets, or a small dresser under your clothes to maximize closet space. If your closet is full to the brim, a freestanding clothes rack in your bedroom can hold your more aesthetically pleasing pieces and serve as functional decor.
How do you declutter a closet?
Whether you want to declutter gradually or go full KonMari and do it all at once, a good closet cleanout depends on brutal honesty. Look at each piece—try it on, if it’s been a while—and ask yourself if you really like it, if you feel like yourself in it, and if you ever actually wear it.
Which clothes should I fold and which should I hang?
If you’re low on space, the most important clothes to hang are delicate items and your more structured pieces—suits, coats, and anything made of linen or silk. Clothes in the middle of the spectrum, like t-shirts and jeans, can go either way. Fold anything prone to stretching, like knitwear.
