Last updated on February 23, 2022

We’ve all been through a time where we have stood in front of a closet filled with clothes and have still said, “I don’t have anything to wear”.

But some smart changes in your existing closet can make a huge difference to living a more organized and clutter-free life. And today we are going to discuss everything about cabinets. From choosing a perfect closet to maintaining it, this post will give you a detailed guide to everything you need to know about wardrobes.

A closet is more than just a storage space. It helps you to organize and declutter your entire bedroom. Intelligent small closet ideas help you in managing your space, save time and reduce stress.

But more often than not, maintaining an organized closet becomes a difficult chore. The closet becomes a space where everything is haphazardly dumped, leading to you not finding anything when needed.

This problem persists, not because people are lazy and unorganized, but because the small closet designs or the wardrobe organisation ideas are not according to their needs. Each person has different needs from a closet. Hence, ready-made closets with an improper design mean that either you cannot fully utilize the space or you’re constantly remaining unorganized.

All You Need to
Know About Closets

Everyone uses their closets every single day for various reasons. But no one gives a thought about the history and ideas behind it. There are different stories as how some of the bedroom elements came into being. And even in today’s modern time, people use them while doing a bedroom makeover.

Let’s discuss a brief history of closets and how they have evolved over the years.

Chapter 1

All you Need to Know about Closets

  • 1. History of Closets
  • 2. Why is it called a closet?

History of Closets

The modern-day closets come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. But they were first seen to be used by the Roman soldiers, who needed space to organize and store weapons safely. They used closet-like structures to store and transport weapons. They were popularly called “armoniums”. The same then went on to be named “armoire” and what we now call “calamari” or “almirah” in Hindi. (Crazy, isn’t it!)

Slowly, the wealthy class of people in Europe started using closets for their personal use. In the 15th century, ordinary people did not have bedrooms. Even for the rich class, bedrooms were not a source of privacy as they used them for work, public meetings etc. Hence, to provide privacy and personal space, closets were introduced. Unlike the modern-day cabinets, these closets were like a room (a walk-in closet) of sorts. They used them not just for storage but also for reading, prayer, and other personal activities.

With the growing industrialization worldwide, production became much easier, and people could afford more things to buy. This led to using a closet as a storage space as opposed to a room. Since then, the various kinds of modern-day closets have evolved and are still in use.

Why Is It Called a Closet?

As we saw earlier, closets initially were not used just for storage, they were used as a personal space. Since it was a closed space for personal use, it was called a “closet”. However, today there are many kinds of closets which are called wardrobes, cabinets, cupboards etc.

Fun fact: Since people used the word closet to refer to personal and private space, the English phrase “being in a closet” or “closeted” arose. This phrase is primarily used to depict someone who is privately hiding something about themselves.

So basically, when you have a wardrobe inside your bedroom wall, you call it a closet. Now, let’s take a good tour of the creative and easy bedroom closet ideas that you can bring to your room!

Types of Closets &
How To Pick the
Right One for You

Your bedroom vibe is different than a second person because your styles differ. And so does your closet styles. Modern room designs have creative closets where you can fit a ton of items and still have space. And that goes to show the power of optimizing space.

From simple small ones to long ones, closets come in different shapes and sizes. Let’s discuss some of the most popular closet room design categories to help you choose the best one:

Chapter 2

Types of Closets & How to Pick the Right One for You

  • 1. Walk-in Closets
    • Reach-in Closets
    • Disadvantages of Walk-in Closets
  • 2. Reach-in Closets
    • Advantages of Reach-in Closets
    • Disadvantages of Reach-in Closets
  • 3. Linen Closets
walk closet

Walk-in Closets

A walk-in Closet is an indulgent experience. It is almost like a closed room within a room. A walk-in closet or closet room is a spacious closet room design where you can enter inside and dress up. They are generally wall wardrobe design for bedroom but with enough space to walk in. The size of a walk-in closet depends upon your availability and need. They can go from being as small as 4 x 4 ft to as big as the entire bedroom.

Walk-in Closets are close to the traditional form closets. These allow you to have ample space and a designated area to dress up. You can also store as many extra bedding items as you want after you keep them in a vacuum storage bag. You can look at stylish bedding decor ideas for adding comfortable elements on your bed.

What are the advantages of a walk-in closet?

The space that walk-in closets provide take the spotlight. You can literally walk inside as if it’s a small room and choose your clothing or accessories. Some walk-ins also have dressers in them. Here are some more advantages of walk-in closets:

  • Ample space: More space and a designated area mean you have a separation within your house. This gives you privacy and peace while dressing up.
  • Customization: With a walk-in closet room, you can have a wider variety of customizations available because of the extra space.
  • Better maintenance: Often, bags and shoes require certain conditions to remain in their best shape. A walk-in closet provides these conditions so that one can maintain them more easily.

What are the Disadvantages of a walk-in closet?

As enticing as it sounds, the walk-in closets also have certain disadvantages. And yes, they need high maintenance and require too much space. if you have a spare room beside your bedroom you can morph it into a walk-in. But, you’ll not leave a room spare for no reason. Take a look at the disadvantages of the walk-in closets.

  • High Maintenance: Because of the size of the closet, it is time-consuming to clean and maintain the closet.
  • Too much space: While extra space can be a boon, it can also lead to unnecessary purchases and added clutter.
  • Expensive: Building and maintaining walk-in closets can be more costly than a regular wardrobe.
  • Space consuming: A walk-in closet room occupies a lot of space in the house, which you can use elsewhere.
reach closet

Reach-in Closets

These are the most commonly found wardrobe ideas for small bedrooms. They are usually made in the form of a cabinet or a small wooden wardrobe, which has a door. They mostly have a wall wardrobe design for bedrooms. They are built on the concept of grab-and-go, which means you can only take things out of it, and it does not have space to get dressed like the walk-in closets.

Reach-in closets require less space and can be fit anywhere in the bedroom. They are usually 3 to 8 feet wide and 30 inches deep.

What are the Advantages of reach-in closets?

It’s a great addition for small bedrooms. Reach-in closets don’t take up much space at all and adds a statement to the entire room. Let’s find out the advantages of these reach-in closets:

  • Wardrobe space saving: They can be built inside a room and do not require a lot of space. Hence, they are kids bedroom ideas and even for guests.
  • Cost-effective: Reach-in closets are much cheaper than walk-in closets
  • Easy to build and maintain
  • Reduces space consumption due to limited space

What are the Disadvantages of a reach-in closet?

Reach-in closets have some disadvantages as well. It’s limited space makes it a challenge for maximum storage. Hence, you can use them for a different purpose- mainly to store less things. Better yet, install one for your guest room.

  • Easy clutter: Due to the limited space, it is difficult to maintain cleanliness and keep it organized. Even minor disturbances can make it look cluttered.
  • More minor customizations: Since the wardrobes are built in a fixed space, the number of customizations is limited compared to a walk-in.
  • Need for a separate dressing space apart from the closet.

Reach-in closets are one of the most commonly found styles of cabinets in all households. The best part about these wall wardrobe design for bedroom is overcoming all the disadvantages with some small closet ideas and hacks.

linen closet

Linen Closets

Linen Closets are made for storing linen, towels, laundry, and other such essentials. A lot of families have this type of closet room design in their house. Hence, people prefer to have a separate closet.

Also, these closets are usually small, up to 30 – 40 inches in width and 15 – 24 inches in depth. But bigger sizes are also available. With such alcove styles of closet ideas for small rooms, you do a lot of wardrobe space saving.

Linen closets are great to store extra household items not to clutter up the space inside the wardrobe. These closets are essential with not many drawers and shelves. Linen closets are a great way to organize excess clothes temporarily.

Often, you may not have time to sort and neatly organize your clothes. In this case, use a linen closet to temporarily store the clothes and put them back into your closet when you find the time.

There’s nothing our small wooden wardrobes cannot fit. See how!

Factors to Consider
When Choosing a Closet

Small closet ideas and techniques are a great way to keep you and your space organized. But you must choose the correct closet from the beginning itself to ensure minimal changes and quick adjustment.

Moreover, the right closet helps you make your house a home. Hence, it’s important to design your wardrobe or closet after considering a few important factors. This way, you will find the it easier to use as your keep things organized. Plus, you won’t even have to run around the house to find another pair of socks. Efficiency!

Chapter 3

Factors to Consider when Choosing a Closet

  • 1. Placement
  • 2. Type
  • 3. The User of the Closet
  • 4. Material
  • 5. Design
  • 6. Interior
  • 8. Space/Dimensions of the Room
  • 9. Wardrobe Storage Ideas
palcement

Placement

The placement of the closet will determine the size of the closet. Make sure to take proper measurements before buying a closet.

small closet ideas

Type

Decide on a kind of closet, based on your needs. Walk-in closets or large wardrobes can seem lucrative initially but may be an added burden if you do not have the time to organize and maintain them.

user closet

A User of The Closet

Determine who will use the closet and their specific needs. For example, kids’ closets will need to have a shorter height to be accessible to them.

meterial

Material

Closets are available in various materials like iron, glass, plastic, wooden wardrobe, etc. Choose the right material which matches your aesthetic

design

Design

The look and feel of a closet are just as essential as its functionality. Pick a plan as per your style. Closets are available in a wide variety ranging from minimal to a stylish design.

interior

Interior

A closet occupies a large amount of space in the bedroom. Hence it should match with the interiors of the bedroom. Try to follow a similar colour scheme as the rest of the room. To make the space look bigger, choose lighter colors for the
closet, with minimal design.

space dimension

Space / Dimensions of The Room

Make sure that the closet is proportional to the size of the room. Huge closets can quickly weigh down a space.

wardrobe ideas

Wardrobe Storage Ideas and Needs

Understand your storage requirements before choosing a closet. Look for options that are not too restrictive and allow you to add/remove shelves and other customization options. Multiple storage in wardrobes is one of the essential wardrobe ideas for small bedrooms.

These small factors are often overlooked while buying closets but make a huge difference. Keep all these factors like the wardrobe storage ideas in mind, and prepare a list of your requirements. This list of small closet designs will quickly help you gauge your needs and have the perfect closet organizer.

Customise Your Closets:
Your Space in Your Style

Every person has different requirements for a closet. Profession, personal style, requirements, budget, and various factors affect how you need and use a closet. A ready-made closet is designed for a mass audience, which does not and cannot consider your specific needs. Thus, a custom closet is a great way to build a closet as per your needs.

Chapter 4

Customize your Closet: Your Space in Your Style

  • 1. What are the Advantages of a custom closet?
  • 2. What are the Disadvantages of a custom closet?
  • 3. Are Custom Closets Economical?
  • 4. Things to Consider before Getting a Custom Closet
  • 5. Small Space Ideas: Ways of Styling your Small Space
    • Build from Scratch
    • Buy Customisable Closets
    • Optimize Space
    • Increase Lights

What are the Advantages of using a Custom Closet?

Custom closets are personalized for you. This is a style that a lot of households use. One of the advantages of custom closets are that they help you organize things efficiently.

  • Increases productivity: A space that is designed for you ensures that you find everything you need on time and stay organized. This helps in making faster decisions and reducing decision fatigue. A cluttered space also increases stress, which in turn affects productivity.
  • Wardrobe Space Saving: Custom closets ensure every space is designed to suit your needs, so no space is wasted.
  • Save Time: A clear and more organized closet ensures you save time daily.
  • Better style: A custom closet allows you to choose the design as per your needs and likings. So it reflects your style and suits your needs.

While custom closets seem great. There can be certain disadvantages to it as well.

What are the Disadvantages of using a Custom Closet?

Yes, we know custom closets are cool, fun, and elegant. But they have some disadvantages which you need to look at before committing to buying one:

  • Improper design: Choosing the right plan can be difficult, and people often end up with inappropriate and unusable designs.
  • Change in preferences: Change in preferences are natural, and over time the custom closet may not suit your needs.
  • Increased tendency to shop: You may be tempted to shop more than usual due to lesser space constraints.

However, with minor upgrades and control, you can overcome these disadvantages. Small Bedroom closet ideas and custom designs can help in the long run, and the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.

Are Custom Closets Economical?

One of the primary reasons people stay away from building a custom closet is the belief that it will be expensive. But that is a myth. As the name suggests, custom closets are designed to take into consideration all your needs, which includes your budget as well. So no matter what your budget is, you can still customize your closet with some helpful small closet ideas.

You can do customization with small wardrobe organisation ideas and changes as well. Thus, adding small organising elements to your existing wardrobe or closet can also make a huge difference. If you are on the lookout for a new closet but cannot design it yourself, check out the closet options on Wakefit, they have various options for a room of every size, with specialized design.

Also, these small closet designs are minimal and allow you to customize as per your needs. So with small customizations and closet ideas, you can create a closet that is perfect for you, under your budget.

custom closet

Things to Consider Before Getting a Custom Closet

A custom wardrobe in India is a great idea but you’d have to consider a few things before installing one. They are a major time and space saver! Thanks to their personalised organisation style. That is, it built for you! The way you store and look for things. But it shouldn’t be an impulsive purchase as you might not receive the utmost benefits of it.

However, to get the maximum benefits from the custom closet, keep the following things in mind before getting one.

  • Who is using it: It is crucial first to decide who will use the closet and only then go ahead with customising the closet. Once you know who is using the closet, it will be easier to understand their needs and perfectly
    build a small closet.
  • Understand the purpose: It is also vital to understand what purpose you will be using the closet. Is it to get dressed? Is it just to store clothing? Do you want to store shoes? Answering such questions will help you
    sort through the options better.
  • Identify the problem areas: Identifying the current problems with your closet can help you list things that you need in your next closet. This is the best method to understand your closet needs and give it a refresh.
  • Understand your style: Along with the functionality, the look of the closet is equally essential. To understand your style, look for inspiration, and you will have a perfect closet in no time.

If you have a clear understanding of your usage style, you can store ample items in your small closet organizer and still have space for more.

Plus, this type of closet in India saves you so much time. It’ll help you be efficient as it’s design would be according to your organisation and priority style.

Small Closet Ideas: Ways of Styling Your Small Space

Less space keeps people from adding anything into their rooms. Let alone the thought of adding a new wardrobe. But there are other ways you can look into to maximise your space for clothes.

If you think adding a new furniture would kill the space, think differently. You can install a narrow wardrobe that sticks to an entire wall. Or maybe use a small spare room to make a walk-in closet!

Here are some closet ideas and ways in which you can customize your closet:

build scratch

Build from Scratch

This is the best way to build a closet. You can control every aspect of the closet and make every detail according to your preference. However, this one can turn out to be expensive.

customisable closet

Buy Customisable Closets

Often, small closets come with closely packed shelves and drawers, limiting the availability of options. So buy closets that have a lot of open space that allows you to have some flexibility.

optimize space

Optimize Space

One of the crucial small closet ideas DIY hacks is to optimize space. Making use of vertical space and space on doors can make a huge difference in creating a clutter-free and organized space. Using space saving hangers, organising bags and hooks can help in creating a more organized room. Using this technique you can also look at guest room design ideas and add a medium sized reach-in closet!

increase light

Increase Lights

Small closets often do not have proper lighting, making it challenging to find things quickly. Use stick-on lights or an additional light source to get better lighting.

Thus, even simple space saving wardrobe ideas can make a massive difference to your organising skills and make it better for you to live. You feel that using a wardrobe in Indian household can be so easy and efficient. When you prioritize the placement of one type of item and know how to use the lights optimally, it gives your bedroom a boost.

Creative Additions to
A Small Closet for
Space-Saving

No matter how perfectly you design a small closet, you will face some problems with it. Over time your needs may change, and your wardrobe must be able to accommodate those changes.

Simple small closet ideas DIY can creatively change the way you use your closet and fix any problems that you may be facing with it. These ideas are also great for those on a budget. For eg, a portable closet that gives you the freedom to tag it along wherever you want.

However, it’s not only about the design you want for your closet, but also about hygiene. Regular closet cleaning should be a routine. Reorganising your small closet once in every 6 months goes a long way.

Now, let’s see the different closet ideas for small rooms and their creative organizing elements. It’s time to bring your vibe to your bedroom! Take cures from these thoughtful closet organizer ideas and get started!

Chapter 5

Creative Additions to a Small Closet for Space-saving

  • 1. Compact and portable clothes rack
  • 2. Drawers
  • 3. Organizers
  • 4. Hanging baskets
  • 5. Poles
  • 6. Shelf Dividers
  • 7. Quarterly Reorganizations
  • 8. Make use of Technology
compact portable

Compact and Portable Clothes Rack

If you are someone who struggles to decide what to wear every morning. A portable clothes rack can be of great help. Here you can pick your outfits for the week and lay them out. A portable closet ensures you keep the clothes aligned without having to stuff everything into the wall wardrobe. Clothing racks are extremely cheap, movable and small-space friendly.

drawers

Drawers

Drawers are of great help if you have a deep closet. They help you in making the space behind accessible. While most closets come with a drawer, you can get them additionally attached as well. They help in maximising the space and optimize the storage.

organizer

Organizers

Small closet organizers are a must-have for every closet. They come in various types. Organising bins and storage bags are great ways to store all your clothing and protect it from dust. Other organizers like space saving hangers with multiple hooks, lingerie bags etc., are also great closet organizer ideas to add more storage space. They also help make your closet cleaning easier as you only pull the organizers out and don’t have to restore each item.

hanging basket

Hanging Baskets

Hanging baskets are the most underrated small closet idea. They make good use of the vertical space in the house and keep the house clutter-free. You can use them to store laundry and other small items. They quickly take the mess away, so they are great for the lazy organizers!

poles

Poles

Poles in closets can allow you to hang your clothes and therefore stands as a commonly used closet organizer. Hanging clothes are always better as opposed to folded ones. Firstly, they will enable you to see all items visually. Secondly, they are easy to organize, folding takes a lot of time. Thirdly, folding can also damage clothing items like suits and shirts. Lastly, poles are one of the wardrobe storage ideas that help optimize space and let you store more.

shelf dividers

Shelf Dividers

If your closet has wide shelves, it can get tricky to organize things within it. For this, one of the best bedroom closet ideas is to use shelf dividers. They are a great small closet organizer.

One of the small closet ideas DIY is using cardboard to make dividers. Make vertical or horizontal compartments to divide the shelves.

Shelf division provides you with more clarity to organize things. For example, on the shelf for bottoms, you can add dividers for trousers, jeans, shorts, skirts etc. Dividers will ensure the clothes remain in place and do not mix up.

quarterly reorganization

Quarterly Reorganization

This is the most important wardrobe organization idea. If you pick up only one thing from this post, let it be this one. Closet cleaning every 3 months is vital for getting the best use out of your clothes. Often, we miss out on using so many clothes because they are hidden in some corner of the closet. (out of sight, out of mind!).

Thus, a reorganization every 3 months helps in giving a fresh and clean start to your wardrobe. Seasons also change almost every three months, so this reorganization will help you to bring ahead appropriate clothes.

During this reorganization, make sure to get rid of things that you don’t use anymore. People often hoard so many things, which adds a lot of clutter. Thus, ask yourself the classic Marie Kondo question of “does this spark joy?”

use of technology

Make Use of Technology

With everyone’s busy schedule, it can often get difficult to keep up with maintaining a closet. Thus, it is best to make use of technology and apps to ease the process. There are various apps available that will store a picture of all the clothes you own and help you decide on outfits on the go.

You can now pick what to wear, what needs to be washed, what’s not been worn from your phone. You can take care of all this on a commute back home. These space saving wardrobe ideas and tools come in handy to save some time every day.

Thoughtful and efficient wardrobe organisation ideas and changes can quickly revamp your wardrobe on a budget. These hacks will save you time, money and space.

 

Smart space saving wardrobe ideas and techniques are a great way to build a perfect and functional wardrobe. From a portable wardrobe to space saving hangers you can use a lot of ideas to declutter and rearrange your rooms! Making simple changes to the default closet can completely change the way you organize your space.

 

Also, make use of these wardrobe ideas for small bedrooms and build a perfect closet. You must also check out the wide variety of closet options on Wakefit. There are two-door, three-door, four-door and various other engineered closets for you to choose from. You are sure to find your perfect match there!

Check out our collection of wardrobes to add your closets


Frequently Asked Questions on Small Closet Ideas

While you can use both these terms interchangeably. Closets usually refer to large cabinets that you can use for the storage of various items. While wardrobes are used specifically for storing clothes.

You can customize your closet in many different ways. Some are:

  • Build a custom wardrobe from scratch
  • Buy a ready-made wardrobe but add custom attachments like drawers, shelves etc.
  • Add organizers, shelf dividers, hangers etc. and customize your existing wardrobe.
  • You can also use a portable closet with soothing clothes to display. This adds as a great look as well along with saving space.

Contrary to popular belief, people with every kind of budget can build a customized wardrobe as per their needs. Wardrobe organisation ideas and creative additions are economical and yet help in creating a custom closet.

Other than that, ready-made closets are not space-optimized, which means you may have to make an additional purchase to store things. Thus, the overall value to derive from the ready-made closet reduces, making it less cost-effective in the long run.

Rearranging your wardrobe helps maximise space. You can take out all and place items according to priority. If you find your wardrobe chaotic and can’t find a thing, here are some tips to maximize a small closet:

  • Take all of the items out.
  • Stack them but according to priority. For eg, if you rarely use something, keep them at the back or stack them first.
  • Place your everyday or regular-use items in the front. That is, stack them at the end. This way, you’ll always find them easily at one spot.
  • You must understand where it is currently underutilized.
  • Once you know the problem areas, work on them by adding creative things to optimize the space better.
  • In general, clothes organizers, accessory organizers, shoe bags etc., are a great way to optimize the small closet space.

Choosing the right closet depends several factors such as:

  • Space in the room
  • Amount of belongings to put into the closet
  • Design of the closet
  • The theme of your room
  • The size, color and type of closet

Sometimes, when people don’t have enough space, they resort to a portable wardrobe. It’s small, stealthy, and is an added storage!

Walk-in closets are great but in case you have a small bedroom, there’s a thing you can do. If you have a tiny room right beside your bedroom make a doorway that connects the two. And voila! There you have it! But to design your own walk-in closet, you must consider a list of things. For eg, whether the space is enough for you to freely walk, make sure to put lighting in strategic areas, and more.

  • Measure the space correctly
  • Ensure enough place to walk
  • Include hanging rods
  • Use redundant space
  • Add sufficient and proper lighting
  • Add multiple shelves
  • Add modular or fitted rods

Ideally a traditional closet is roughly 24-27 inches deep. A walk-in closet is generally deeper and is at least 36- to 48-inches deep. The width of the closet must ideally be half the width of the room it is in or more. For instance, a typical 12×12 bedroom would fit a 6-feet wide by 48-inches deep closet.

Melanin is considered the most durable material for closets. Small wooden wardrobes are also common in India. However, Melamine is a mix of organic chemical compounds which make it a significantly stronger and sturdier material for closets than normal wood.

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