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A small closet is usually not too small. It is badly used. One rod and one shelf leave the floor, the door and most of the air above the clothes empty. A few changes can double what the closet holds without making it harder to find things.
The ideas below go from cheap fixes you can do in a renter's closet to a full modular system. Do them in that order and stop when the closet works.
Measure first
- Width, depth and height. Measure the opening and the inside, because many closets are wider inside than at the door.
- Depth. Hangers need about 24 inches of depth to hang straight. A shallower closet needs a rod turned sideways.
- Door type. A swing door blocks the front of the closet, a sliding door leaves half of it hidden, and a bi-fold leaves a gap.
- What you own. Count what you hang and what you fold. Long coats and dresses need about 60 inches of rod height, shirts and trousers about 40 inches.
- Light and outlets. A dark closet wastes its top shelf.
Building rules differ, so check yours if you plan to change walls or wiring.
01Double the hanging rod
Most closets use only the top half of the height. A second rod about 40 inches below the first turns one row of shirts and trousers into two. Keep long clothes on one side.
02Slim hangers
A thin velvet hanger takes about a third of the space of a thick plastic or wooden one, and clothes do not slip off. It is the cheapest change in this list.
03Shelf dividers
A shelf without dividers collapses into a pile. Dividers keep folded sweaters and jeans in stacks you can pull from without disturbing the rest.
04Hanging organizer for folded clothes
A fabric tower that hangs from the rod gives you six shelves in the space of one hanger. It suits knits, scarves and T-shirts, and it comes with you when you move.
05Use the door
The back of the door holds shoes, belts, bags and a mirror. Choose racks that hook over the top of the door, so the door can still close and you can take them with you.
06A modular closet system
If the closet is yours and you want a built-in look, a ready-to-assemble system uses the full height with matched shelves, drawers and hanging space. Pre-measured units can be combined to fit wider closets.
Ready-to-assemble closet systems at Rara RTA Cabinets
07Drawers inside the closet
Drawers keep small things visible and free the shelves above for boxes. Full-extension, soft-close runners let you see the whole drawer, which makes them the most useful part of a modular system.
Free room design at Rara RTA Cabinets
08Shoe storage that fits
Shoes eat floor space. A shoe rack with angled shelves or a narrow cabinet puts a dozen pairs in a footprint the size of a doormat.
09Add light
A closet with a single bulb hides half its contents. A plug-in or battery LED strip under a shelf lights the clothes and makes the closet feel larger.
10Boxes up high
Use the top shelf for off-season items in matching boxes with labels. Light things go highest, heavy ones lower.
For storage near the front door, see small entryway storage ideas, and for a kitchen of the same size, small kitchen storage ideas.
Which one for which closet
- Reach-in closet, one rod: double rod, slim hangers and shelf dividers.
- Shallow closet: a sideways rod, hanging organizers and the back of the door.
- Walk-in closet: a modular system with drawers and light.
- Rental: hook-over, clip-on and freestanding parts only.
Before you pay
- Measure the inside again before you order a system.
- Check the weight rating for rods and shelves.
- Count what you hang and what you fold, and buy for that, not for an ideal closet.
- Confirm shipping times and the return policy for large boxes.
