If you're restructuring your home to including a master suite or building a new home with a master suite, one of the elements you're likely including in the design is a walk-in closet. With a walk-in closet, you can store all of your clothing, shoes, and accessories without having to crowd the items, meaning that you can see what you own when you're putting together an outfit. Not only does a walk-in closet make it easier to stay organized, but this also gives you a more private place to dress. You can use the following tips to ensure that the walk-in closet you create is the perfect space for your home.
Location
There are two locations where your walk-in closet can be located. First, it can essentially become part of the bathroom, so you can walk directly into the closet from your shower. The advantage to this is that you don't even have to wrap yourself in a towel to walk into your closet when you're done bathing. Instead, however, you can locate the walk-in closet off of the bedroom. The advantage here is that your spouse can be using the bathroom with privacy while you're dressing and vice versa. A good compromise between these two is to position the closet so that it shares walls with both the bathroom and the bedroom. It's the best of both worlds.
Bars versus Shelves
You want some bars in your walk-in closet to hang clothing, but don't forget that you want shelves as well. If you don't include them in your design, you'll need to move a dresser into the closet. You can't hang everything. (Well, technically, I guess you can, but it might look a little strange if you try to hang up your underwear!) You can also use drawers or shelves to folder and store items that are out of season or items that you don't wear often, and shelves also work well for some clothing, such as sweaters, which are easily stretched.
That doesn't mean you should completely neglect the room you need to hang items. You should install at least one high bar, which can be used for suits and dresses, as well as two stacked bars, so you can hang shirts on the top and pants on the bottom.
A Place for Shoes
You might want to keep a few pairs of shoes by your door or in a front closet, but you should also have space for shoes in your walk-in closet, so you can stores shoes you don't wear every day, as well as shoes that are out of season, like boots in the summer or sandals in the winter.
If you want to save money, choose a hanging shoe rack. You can find kinds that fit over the door, which saves space as well, and there are also some that can mount on the wall or hang on a bar. If you have a little bigger budget, consider a built-in unit, which has shelves to store each pair of shoes. You may also want additional shelving to store shoeboxes for more expensive or delicate shoes that you want to keep safe.
Mirrors
One of the biggest mistakes homeowners make when building a walk-in closet is to not include any mirrors. You should have at least one large mirror so you can see your entire outfit as you're getting dressed, and you may also want additional mirrors in case more than one person is getting dressed at the same time. Some homeowners include a built-in vanity area, and while a walk-in closet typically isn't a good place to apply makeup, since there will be no natural light it is a good place to put on jewelry. A smaller mirror at a height that's comfortable when seated works will in this case.
Storage
Along with your clothing, you may want to use your walk-in closet for other forms of storage as well. For example, a walk-in closet is a great place to keep your wedding dress and other memorabilia, as it will be out of the light and less likely to be damaged by the sun over time. This is also a good place to store items that you use occasionally, but not every day, in your bedroom and master bathroom, such as fans, extra blankets, additional pillows, holiday decorations, and extra towels.
Hooks
Lastly, you should have at least a few hooks on the walls to hold items that you use every day. This makes a great place to hang your daily-use belt, if you wear one, or a bathrobe so that these items aren't cluttering your master bath. You may also want to have a table, counter, or shelf in the closet with a lipped edge, which can serve to hold smaller items that you wear every day, such as rings, watches, and glasses. If you put these items in the same place every day, you can ensure that they won't get lost.
Posted by: TrustedProsSuggested Reading For You
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