Closet Systems | |
Get the biggest bang for your storage buck by choosing a closet system that's best for your situation. Here's a rundown of what's on the market in home centers and closet shops to help you do some preplanning. Choose a system that's most adaptable to your closet and storage needs. Old Familiar Rod and Shelf This is the rig found in most homes: a wooden shelf about 3 quarters of the way up the closet wall with a wooden or metal clothes rod below. It's your basic, bare bones closet found in older homes and sometimes in new ones. There's a lot of wasted space above the solo shelf as well as floor space that's not put to use. To expand its storage space, there's a wide range of closet accessories like rolling storage bins and shoe trees that can be added to this simple design. If you're renting, this might be the way to go since the accessories go with you, because they're movable, not installed. Particleboard or Wooden Modular System These systems look like designer built-ins, because they can be cut and sized to fit any configuration - they're a good-looking addition to any closet. The dividers are solid, usually 1/2-in.-thick board so the vertical and horizontal members take up considerable space. We used the rig in a small hall closet for linens and, admittedly, it looked very organized, but we lost several inches of space. Carpentry skills are required to install or have it done by a closet shop. Plastic-coated Wire System There's a myriad of these ventilated systems, some sold in kits, others as modular components and they're a good bet for heavy and bulky clothing. The components are coated in plastic and usually come in several sizes, with accessories like baskets and hanging units that can be added to the system. Carpentry skills are required to install, or have it done by a closet shop. Written by the editors of HouseNet. Copyright HouseNet, Inc. |