Closet Space

[AmyBoz]

First of all, let me begin by saying, I really do not have a lot of clothes, but I have pretty small closets, I guess. I have 1/2 of a closet (dh has the other half) and some drawers in my dresser, and two rolling, under-the-bed storage containers and they are all just packed to the gills with clothing. I'm losing the extra closet in the nursery in February when the baby comes, and I just don't know what to do. I have been through my clothes at LEAST 4 times this summer and have donated quite a bit and all that is left is stuff that I really wear every week during the school year and every day in the summer. It's been pared down immensely. There is nowhere in my room or in my closet for stackable shelving or more storage containers and I just don't know what to do with the lack of space. Dh faces the same problem. We go round and round because he keeps leaving his clothes on this armchair we have in our bedroom, and I keep reminding him that the purpose of the chair is for me to have somewhere to sit and read in our room without getting into bed. Can't quite do that with all of his STUFF there! Do you ladies have any suggestions on what I can do to ease the situation? There is a shelf over the clothing bar in the closet, but that, too, is stacked with clothes.

[Heather]

Could you have those clear storage boxes on the bottom of your closet for your sweaters/tshirts. I have seen that done and they are placed on a shelf on the top of the closet but if you have empty space on the floor that might work and it would free up some space either in your dresser or on hanger.

[DawnM]

Amy,

what about those white wire closet inserts where you end up with a double rod and double hanging space? You can get them in all configurations to fit any size closet. You'd still have hanging space for dresses and longer items so you wouldn't lose that. We changed out the closet in my DD's room (tiny room and closet) - took out the top shelf that held the rod and purchased a closet insert. She now has space for hanging longer things, a double rod for shirts, jeans on hangers, etc. and a row of shelves from top to bottom in the middle for folded clothes. I swear it almost doubled her space. Next we're tackling my DH's closet and doing the same. You can get them for single closets or double closets that are shared.

Growing up my mom (entering the business world again after my DF died) only had a very tiny closet in the house we moved to. What she did was to buy one of those sturdy over-the-door metal clothes hangers. It fits over the top of the door and comes straight out from the middle at the back of the door (I hope you know what I mean because I'm not explaining it very well ). Anyway, that gave her a lot of extra hanging space for her suits and dresses that she wore to the office, didn't take up space, and relieved her tiny closet situation.

I know it's frustrating. Our first house - we had NO closets ... talk about

Good Luck!

[heavensent_7]

I sympathise MASSIVELY! - We have built in cuboards in our tiny rooms and mine is as wide as my arms outstretched and that is ALL I have! I also share this with DH.

I tried putting in fabric folding shelves that hang over the rail, but then there was nowhere to hang our stuff! I tried putting it under the bed, where it got all dusty!

We also had a chair in the bedroom that was piled high with DH's stuff - It got to me SO much that I actually dumped it So now he uses the floor (It's pretty hard to dump the floor)

I thought about dumping HIM (honest) It seems a bit drastic but that's how much his never ending STUFF depresses me.

So I didn't have ANY good ideas but I do feel the pain!

[DawnM]

Bev - you crack me up. (in a good way)

[homesteadmamma]

Bev, rofl, I'm sorry but your post just hit me that way.

Amy I can sympathize with you but have no answers. Our house is an old Victorian house, with such tiny closets that you can barely move in them, and in our m/bedroom we don't have a closet at all!!! We have to put out clothes in the dresser.