A DOZEN CHEAP CLOSET IDEAS

Decide what your closet needs to do. If the plan is to just make the space more efficient, first decide how to arrange your most handled items around eye level, less handled below eye level, and least handled above your head. Think about efficiency, ease and comfort.

If your closet now has just coat hanger rods and a shelf just above eye level, focus on the blank spaces. Spaces below the hanging shirts and coats, above the shelf, at either end wall. Think about what you could put in those spaces.

Look into MDF systems. MDF is a material used for cheap closet ideas, inexpensive shelving units and low cost racks and drawers. They come in 2 ft. and 3ft. (wide) units. The 2 ft. units have the widest range of configurations, but the 3 ft. units are a better value if you have a 6 ft. wide wall. Besides making your life easier, a nice, well lit, organized closet makes a difference when selling the home.

Create good lighting. Keep in mind that the light has to be between you and the contents of the closet. Behind you and you cast a shadow on what you're trying to see. If you already have a light in there (perhaps with a pull chain) you're in luck. Simply replace it with something nicer and hanging just above your head.

A pull chain on a brand new fixture is not a real estate deal breaker, you know. An actual chain with a wooden bead at the bottom is okay. A string with a knot is not. If you want a switch to be installed, you may need an electrician. In that situation, the best of the cheap closet ideas is to forget about it.

Paint it white! Or a light earth tone, at least. Once you get the space efficiently filled, there won't be much wall left. What you want is LIGHT.

Stay away from cedar. Cedar closets may keep moths away, but the scent can overwhelm, even to adjacent spaces. You don't want your bedroom to smell like a rabbit cage, do you? But, mostly, consider the money you'll loose by building a cedar closet. And, definitely NOT one of the cheap closet ideas!

About that floor. The floor of a closet matters, because you'll be standing on it in your bare feet nearly every day. Here's a one of the cheap closet ideas you'd never think of. Keep an eye out for closeout laminate flooring. You could pick up enough to floor a 6' X 8' closet for less than a hundred dollars. Its an easy job to do, especially if there's two of you, and lam floors are surprisingly warm and easy to clean.

Are you really cheap? Spend a few hours at your local building supply salvage. People give away closet systems for new and improved all the time. Search building supply your city or salvage your city (ie. building supply miami fl) using the Google Custom Search Box (right). If you've never been, these places are absolutely incredible!!! I once bought a near new, perfect condition Hunter 5 blade, 52" contemporary brushed nickel ceiling fan for $10!

Are you reeeeeallllly cheap? Buy one or a couple of $20 plastic shelving units. The image at the left represents a $20, 5 shelf, 28" wide, 5 ft. high plastic unit available at Target. If you have 7 ft. of linear space, buy 2 ($40) and make a couple of 2 shelf units (under the shirts and short coats?) and a third unit using the leftover materials to go up to 6 shelves high.

You can configure the shelves in a dozen different ways, by simply adding or removing the poles and shelves. If you're good with a hacksaw, or have a bandsaw, you can even "customize" the heights. Once you have all your sweaters, shoes, jeans and whatever on them they may look great! Search cheap closet ideas or cheap shelf systems using the Google Custom Search Box (right).

There's usually LOTS of wasted space below the shirts and short coats. How many long hanging things do you have? Are there things hanging that should be folded? Vise-versa? Could the door be a shoe rack? Put some thought into it. Go online and see what's there. Do some drawing. Cruise the cheap closet ideas at the Big Boxes, discount department stores and thrift stores.

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