Mona wrote to me and ask me this:
I am in desperate need of a closet redo and was wondering if you would mind making some suggestions. Basically I share my closet with my elderly mother (tore down wall between for more space) and it is not efficient at all. The closet is 44 1/2 inches wide, 58 inches deep, and 8 feet high. I have shelves on both sides (48 by 11.5 inches) two feet below the ceiling. The closet opens to both rooms by doors on either side. I have attached a couple of pictures so you could get an idea. I am looking for budget friendly solutions (hopefully around $100 for total redo) because I had to cut down on work to care for my mother due to some health problems. Basically, I am going to repurpose things I already own and hope to buy some low cost storage solutions (shelf dividers, storage boxes). Please help!!!
So, here are some of my ideas to help her with her problem.
If possible, I would suggest actually taking down one side of hanging. The closet is just so narrow that you can't walk through it when the clothes are hanging - as you can see above. Use one rod but add a double hanging rod. This will take up about half the side of the rod so that she can store her shorter items on top and her mom's items on the bottom - separate but still in the same space.
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For the rest of the rod, where they are hanging longer items, you can divide it with simple dividers {very inexpensive}.
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Across from the hanging, once you've take down the other hanging storage, I would suggest getting a narrow dresser or shelving. You can re-do one you already have OR get one at a garage sale. If you can't find anything that narrow, here is one above that is narrow and has wheels to roll in and out and is inexpensive.
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Here is what you could even do with an old dresser or nightstand. They even added a little chair here next to it, but a roadside rescued dresser with no drawers can be turned into something clever for your pants and sweaters.
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You can make baskets using cardboard boxes that you can fit to your shelf to hide ugly things or just leave open like above.
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Above the small shelving you can use molding for something like this to hang shoes.
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Or, use that wall to your advantage - as a matter of fact, use the two doors on either end of the closet to your advantage also and put stuff on the back of the doors. I have a whole post about that, but here is an example above.
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Add a laundry basket or a laundry sorter, this one above is a little more for your budget at $60 but would be a really good use as the bar can go up and used to hang clothes, as well you can roll it to your laundry area OR just grab a bag or sorted laundry and take right to the laundry room. I hope all these ideas have helped Mona AND you, too! When you have a small budget, it's possible to organize but you may have to put in a little more work to do it!
Keep your pictures coming...I enjoy trying to help solve your organizing dilemmas. Email me and send me the pictures of your unorganized spaces. Anyone else have any other ideas for Mona's closet?
Oh, and don't forget...the giveaway for the Cosmo Lay N Go ends TONIGHT at midnight!!! Go HERE to make sure you've entered!
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