Need closet organizer advice

[MATT HASSMER]

I want to build a built-in closet organizer & need advice on measuring the space & design. Any info would be much appreciated.

[Duane Thomas]

Depending on how much inspiration you need, I'd go to easyclosets.com and play around with their online tool.
FWIW, I was planning on going a similar route but got too pressed for time (and a bit lazy) and just bought a small system from them for my son's room.
Decent enough stuff, and I made it a little more "built in" by cutting and fitting some of the existing room base and shoe molding around the base.

[Travis Gauger]

I have done a few built in closet organizers. The first thing I tell people when they ask for one is that they should go to a BORG and buy it with installation. It will be cheaper for them. Then those that want real wood, and nice drawers, etc, we go to work. Suggestions would be the same as with any tight fitting built in. Measure the squareness of closet at floor, ceiling, and midway up walls. Leave room to play, I undersize the units by 3/8" and then cover gap with molding. This is becoming real popular in my area as people can't trade up to a nicer house due to the housing market, so they are upgrading their exsisting homes. Fine with me.

[Keith Beck]

Pick up the latest issue of Workbench, it's got some pretty good ideas and plans for a closet organizer. I bought the issue just for that article.

Keith

[MATT HASSMER]

that was my issue. can't upgrade to a bigger house right now, my wife wants to get rid of one dresser so that she can have a craft table in the bedroom (i'll be building that at some point, too), & we need a place for those clothes to go. i didn't want to buy a system because they don't seem that sturdy; shelving starts to sag after a while & the chipwood/mdf that most of those products are made of isn't that durable.

[wallace chapman]

As others have said, a good place to get ideas is from the big remodelers like California Closets or easyclosets. However, if you can build it yourself then you have unlimited design options.

measure all four walls and note any vents, irregularities,and openings. Keep in mind for the built in look you will be removing the baseboard so don't measure around the bottom. Most importantly, how will you handle corners? you can have open corners, corner shelves, or design away from the corners. Also, keep in mind some basic design principles such as allowing enough room to open drawers while also allowing space to bend to the drawer. Note how high you want to hang clothes, you can stick to a standard height(recommended) or adjust it somewhat to your needs. How is the lighting in the room, will the design need more or will it block lighting? Many things to consider, but the best approach is sketch it out first or use a design program like Sketchup to see exactly how it will fit.

good luck, you will be up and running in no time with help from these guys. you will eventually get the confidence to design and build your own after sketching it out.

[Prashun Patel]

There's no 'cheap' way to do it. The shelves and uprights are cheap. The price (and wife appreciation) is all in the details (crown / base molding, drawers). That's where you get creamed.

Unless yr doing it for fun, then I'd just go with a mail order system. My favorite diy reach-in system is sold by John Louis Home. Places like California Closets will sell you the parts at a slight discount if you do the install yrself (but you won't save that much).

If yr gonna do melamine from a place like Cali, then make sure you upgrade the edgebanding to 2mm pvc.

[Jim Becker]

I agree, Shawn. I'm about to do this in the new master closet in our addition and no matter what way I approach it, I'm going to spend a grand...build or buy. (I have priced it out so many ways, my head is spinning....)

[Scott duprat]

Go to Gary M. Katz online, find the tips and techniques from the top, find laying out and building closet shelves. Has a very detailed and reasoned system/style for closets. The rest of the site is very good as well. Lots of Sketchup stuff.

Scott

[Matt Meiser]

I've been planning all along to build organizers for our closets. Until yesterday---I found a couple of the Closetmaid systems new for 1/2 price. They won't be quite as nice as custom built or the California Closet type systems, but for what they are costing me, and for the ease of installation I just can't justify doing anything different.