
It looks like a miracle, however we’ve gone from completely zero closet area in our bed room (once we moved in we simply had dressers for garments) to having simply as a lot area as our final home’s huge walk-in closet! We’ve beforehand lined how we put in Ikea Pax wardrobes and, extra importantly, how we made them look built-in. So at the moment we’re throwing open each door & drawer to point out you ways we’ve organized each inch of our closets (that is the submit for you in the event you’re searching for ideas that helped us maximize our storage, and particular merchandise that may make your closet really feel much more personalized).
It ought to be mentioned upfront that neither of us have what we’d name a considerable amount of clothes (though I’ve at all times had a factor for footwear and jewellery, so there’s nonetheless loads of that occurring). You possibly can learn all of my ideas for curating a minimal closet right here – however I’ve really been in a position to develop mine a bit recently, because of the entire storage we’ve added to our bed room during the last 3 years.
Since our home is in a mostly-finished section and we’re spending rather a lot much less on residence renos than we’ve for the final 15 years, I’ve been having enjoyable discovering secondhand clothes/baggage/footwear/jewellery with among the money I’m not spending on furnishings and Residence Depot runs – ha! So that you’ll see a little bit little bit of that too (there’s a video tour in right here for you as effectively).
Why We Love Ikea Pax Wardrobes
The Ikea Pax closet system is widespread for a purpose. It’s extremely customizable, provides tons of inside fittings and organizers, and will also be “hacked” with paint, {hardware}, and extra to offer it a personalised look. That is the third home we’ve used it in (right here was the primary, over 15 years in the past!) so it was a no brainer for us once we wished so as to add a wall of built-in closets to this room.

We had been in a position to match three 39″ wardrobe containers (double doorways) and one 19″ field (single door) alongside this wall (that’s all the best way to the best and not using a brass knob within the photograph above). The three bigger wardrobes – seen open beneath – act as our day-to-day closets. The smaller closet on the top incorporates our vacation decor and is simply accessed very sometimes (John’s nightstand simply strikes out of the best way for the couple of occasions a yr we have to get in there).
We used lots of Ikea’s inside fittings but in addition added another techniques together with issues we already needed to make every part work as arduous as doable for us. Don’t fear, we’re rounding up all the things on the finish of this submit for you.
Closet Group Video Tour
You possibly can see me open each door and drawer within the video beneath, so whether or not you simply wish to see how issues are organized or simply wish to poke round another person’s closets (sounds enjoyable to me), right here you go:
Notice: You can even watch this video right here on YouTube.
The Left Closet: Sherry’s Footwear, On a regular basis Equipment, & Lengthy Hanging Storage
Now we’ll take you thru every part one after the other. The left wardrobe is the one we added earlier this yr and it has actually been a recreation changer, particularly as a result of it offers me room to retailer longer gadgets like full-length clothes and boots much more simply.
Relatively than put in drawers like we did within the different two extensive wardrobes, we added this Ikea divider to separate the underside into two 19″ sections. You possibly can customise it with drawers or slide-out trays, however their slide {hardware} takes up extra vertical area than these primary cabinets.
With this configuration, I used to be in a position to match 25 pairs of footwear and boots in right here and, by lining every pair up toe-to-heel, I can see all of them from the entrance (the matching shoe is behind the entrance one). I nonetheless maintain another pairs of often-worn footwear in our kitchen porch cupboard, however this can be a good spot for all the things else.

The highest of the divider created a pleasant little touchdown spot for some on a regular basis equipment that I have a tendency to succeed in for, like belts, my fav sun shades, purses/clutches, on a regular basis jewellery I put on most frequently, and that type of factor.

A few of the storage items up listed below are issues I’ve had for some time, like this stacking jewellery organizer, however a more moderen addition is this acrylic divider that I exploit for retaining my small clutches organized. It makes it really easy to slip one thing out with out all the things toppling over. Extremely suggest.

For my bigger purses and scarves, we put in this pull-out hanger above the smaller gadgets. You possibly can see within the first photograph of this part that I even have some baggage hung over hangers too (make sure to watch the video for more information about why and the place we put all the things). It has been a terrific system for placing all of my baggage in a single spot with out taking over lots of area. Additionally… why sure I did get a secondhand Fendi bag just like the Jersey woman that I’m. I’m a giant fan of The Actual Actual, Poshmark, and What Goes Round Comes Round (in addition to any and all in-person thrift shops). P.S. I like animal print, okay?

Oh and every of our three huge wardrobes have a high shelf that’s tougher to entry – John can attain it, however I want a stool – so we principally maintain miscellaneous stuff up there. As an example, on this part, I’ve some unused artwork frames and canvases.
You can even see that there’s a mirror we held on the left door (we blurred stuff that’s private like images, drawings our youngsters made, and many others), however that’s actually useful for selecting sun shades or throwing on a necklace or one thing. I even have one other considered one of that very same mirror on the left door of my different closet for make-up/earrings – only a small addition like that may make issues really feel tremendous practical & environment friendly.
The Center Closet: Sherry’s Shorter Hanging Garments, Clothes Drawers & Pullout Make-up/Jewellery Tray
The center part can be my stuff (John simply wants just a few drawers and a dangling bar and is comfortable as a clam – we’ll get to his closet in a minute). Nicely, this wardrobe can be the place we retailer sleeping baggage and different journey stuff on that high shelf – however in any other case it’s all my garments in right here.
This wardrobe is ready up like a reasonably conventional closet. I’ve bought my hanging bar up high and 6 drawers beneath. For our hanging bars, we’re large followers of these slim velvet hangers as a result of they’re so compact, they’re non-slip, and so they are available numerous colours (ours are rose gold). Sorry wooden hangers, we’ve moved on 😉

I additionally ordered some velvet hanging clips so I might use the identical hangers to hold my skirts (shorter skirts are on this wardrobe, and longer maxi ones are within the different closet with my lengthy pants and lengthy skirts).

Underneath the hanging bar are the drawers with the remainder of my garments. Nicely, aside from the highest one which is a shallow pullout drawer outfitted with felt organizers.

I’ve bought random getting-ready stuff in right here like make-up, deodorant, hair stuff, sunscreen, lesser-worn sun shades and jewellery, and many others.

I particularly love this part for storing small jewellery like rings, earrings, bracelets, and even stuff like spare buttons. And sure, these are tinkles razors that I exploit on my mustache. Me-ow.

Under that shallow drawer are the remainder of my garments. You possibly can see me pull all of them out and describe how they’re organized a bit extra on the video tour, however the high is principally socks and underwear and pjs and stuff like that.

Then within the drawer beneath that I’ve bought all of my denim the left two stacks are denims and the best stack is jean shorts.

The following drawer down homes numerous tops, that are organized utilizing a few of these comfortable Ikea bins that we’ve had for ages. I fold my bodysuits longer in that slot on the best aspect and it helps me not pull out a high considering it’s a tank but it surely’s a bodysuit (#AlmostEverythingIsBlackAndIGetConfused).

The drawer beneath that one is colder climate stuff, like long-sleeved tops and sweaters. Decide not my lack of fancy folding – that is my revolt after years of working at Categorical in faculty.

And final, however not least, the underside drawer has bathing fits and cover-ups (the best way these Ikea techniques work, you may’t have a traditional drawer on the underside as a result of the closet door hinges must go there – so this pullout steel basket is the most suitable choice we’ve discovered). Sure, I really like someplace that permits me to have a complete drawer full of these items. As a woman who used to have one bathing swimsuit and will solely actually swim exterior just a few months of the yr after I lived additional north, this thrills me to no finish.

And simply as I discussed, you may see that light-weight mirror caught to the left door of this wardrobe as effectively, which is useful whereas making use of sunscreen, make-up, placing in earrings, and many others.
The Proper Closet: John’s Garments, Hats, And The Weirdest Factor In His High Drawer
The final of the three giant wardrobes is all John’s. It’s greater than sufficient area for him, for which I’m glad. Hashtag synergy.

Earlier than we tour John’s stuff, let me level out that although it seems near the mattress, he has no bother attending to his stuff (see beneath). If it had been too cramped, we wouldn’t have upgraded to a king-size mattress earlier this yr. However we did, and we find it irresistible, and we’re by no means going again.

John additionally makes use of these slim hangers for his gown shirts on his hanging bar. He doesn’t put on them that always nowadays, which is why there aren’t too many (though there are inexplicably 3 variations on the identical blue examine sample). His lack of ten million collared shirts supplies us some bonus area to retailer the household’s winter coats in right here in the course of the colder months. And we’ve a sneaky method of constructing them virtually disappear in the summertime months once we don’t want them…

A lot of the yr all of us get by with no jackets or lighter ones which might be saved in our laundry room by the entrance door (see beneath). But it surely does often get chilly sufficient right here to warrant a heavier coat, therefore retaining them in John’s closet to be “on the prepared” in the course of the winter months.

The place do they go the remainder of the yr? Nicely, we shrink them down utilizing these area baggage that connect to any commonplace vacuum hose. Look how these two fluffy winter coats slim waaaay down because of out little area bag methodology (high pic is earlier than, and backside is after)

Then our little flattened coats simply slip into one of many suitcases that we retailer wayyyy at the back of our son’s under-bed space (he has baskets he makes use of and may simply attain all alongside the entrance fringe of the mattress and our suitcases dwell behind these). The area baggage not solely maintain our coats compact, but it surely makes them simple to unpack from the suitcase every time we go on a visit in the course of the hotter months.

So, lengthy story quick, a lot of the yr John’s closet seems prefer it does beneath, the place his shirts have a bit extra room to unfold out. However we wished to point out you the “winter model” of his closet to exhibit how versatile and hard-working these areas will be for us. And what a distinction some $17 area baggage could make.

One other factor John did since he didn’t want the entire hanging bar area was add this dice organizer shelf to 1 aspect. That is NOT an Ikea product, but it surely was a terrific measurement and it simply sits on the shelf and matches properly. We screwed it to the within wall of the wardrobe to additional safe it, and John makes use of these cloth bins to corral stuff like sweatshirts within the backside two and the household’s winter gloves and hats up high. These winter equipment are not often wanted, which is why it’s no downside to be blocked by his hanging hats (if he takes them down he can simply slide out that high basket).

John’s drawers are organized utilizing a mix of cloth Ikea bins (like these and these) and random different containers we had round. His high drawer incorporates necessities like t-shirts, socks, underwear, bathing fits, extra hats, and – sure – a stash of sweet that he retains hidden from his spouse and youngsters. He’s a sucker for these post-Halloween sweet reductions.

As you’ll have additionally seen, each John and I maintain a few of our toiletries like deodorant and hair stuff in these closets. That’s as a result of, as we talked about on this submit about how we dwell with just one rest room, we don’t need anybody unnecessarily monopolizing the toilet with issues that may simply be performed in one other room (our daughter has a vanity-type setup in her room for instance). And John and I every have these mirrors on our closet doorways so we try this type of stuff in right here as an alternative.

Again to the drawers. His second drawer has pants and shirts (kinda like my denim drawer) and his third drawer is all train garments. He even has room in there for all of his race medals and a yoga mat.

His final commonplace drawer incorporates his “messy” garments for portray and yard work and stuff. Plus, he randomly retains some “dressy” stuff in right here too, like a few ties, undershirts, and gown footwear. Since he doesn’t put on that stuff fairly often, he doesn’t want a ton and doesn’t take up a lot area. His day-to-day footwear are saved in the out of doors shoe cupboard on our kitchen porch with the remainder of the household’s.

We in some way forgot to take a photograph of his backside drawer, however you may see it within the video (it holds John’s laptop computer bag and a few spare sheets together with Burger’s beloved blanket that we’ll maintain ceaselessly). And on the very high shelf John retains our journey duffel bag and, in the intervening time, some puzzles we’re bringing to his mother & dad the following time we go to.
We additionally each have spare area below our hanging bars that’s type of a “flex area” that is useful if, say, we’re having friends over and must rapidly put away some mail or packages that arrive. We additionally use it this time of yr to stash our vacation presents earlier than we wrap them. And talking of the vacations…
The Bonus Closet: Seasonal Decor
Like we talked about, there’s a 19″ Pax wardrobe tucked into the best nook of this wall, and it’s blocked by John’s nightstand more often than not, however that doesn’t imply it’s wasted area. We’re in a position to match ALL of our Christmas decorations in there – ornaments and lights up high, random decor within the center, and our ENTIRE 6’5″ Christmas tree on the underside (because of it breaking down into three smaller segments).

We principally solely transfer John’s nightstand and open this cupboard two occasions a yr – as soon as in November to get stuff out after which once more in January to place stuff away. I’m so glad it’s not only a useless nook that serves no goal and we really get to fill it with seasonal stuff. Sensible storage = our love language for actual.
Our Closet Organizing Necessities
I discussed lots of issues on this submit that we use to maintain our closets organized, so I wished to wrap issues up by placing them multi functional place for you:
- Slim No-Slip Hangers
- Velvet Hanger Clips
- Stacking Jewellery Field
- Acrylic Purse Divider
- Gold Jewellery Dishes
- Inlay Show Tray (right here’s an alternate measurement)
- Boot Shaper Inserts
- Charcoal Odor Luggage
- Velvet Ring Show Organizer (just like our Ikea model)
- Pull-Out Hanger
- Dice Organizer Shelf
- Cloth Storage Bins (for #11)
- Light-weight Mirror
- Shrinking Storage Luggage
- Felt Drawer Organizers (we even have these)
- Expandable Drawer Dividers
So whether or not you will have a customized closet or only a primary little nook, hopfully a few of these techniques will help. Even desirous about how you will have it organized and seeing if you may make extra sense of issues. For instance, I might retailer my quick skirts with my longer ones and clothes but it surely simply made much more sense to retailer them within the different wardrobe with my shorter hanging stuff as a result of my mind works that method and I’d be searching for them on my “shorter hanging bar” versus on an “all-skirts bar” if I had it organizd that method.
Equally including an inexpensive little mirror additionally helped with operate a lot. Anytime you end up strolling to a second location to do one thing is a clue you would possibly discover it MUCH EASIER in the event you can create a spot to do this factor inside the main location.
And lastly, typically you simply want sweet in your high drawer. No judgment.
Different Closet & Group Posts

For those who’d wish to see extra peeks inside our closets, or get extra group ideas, you would possibly take pleasure in a few of these posts:
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