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How to Transform a Spare Bedroom into a Walk-In Closet

Anthony Cuomo • Nov 25, 2014

If you have ever seen the television show, 19 Kids and Counting, you might remember that the Duggar family, who, as the name implies, have 19 children, all share one huge “family closet.” All of the clothing for all of the family members is stored in this one room, which makes putting away laundry a breeze for such a large family. Now, most of us do not have the need to store the clothing for 20 people in one room, but the idea is a good one: Whether you have small children at home who need help keeping their closets organized or you are an empty-nester with too many bedrooms to fill, designating a spare room as a walk-in closet can help you make the most of the space while allowing you plenty of room to store everything that you need to store. Here are some ideas to help you make this work:

Work with the unique features of the room
If it’s a tiny room, perhaps one that you used as a nursery when the children were babies, you might want to switch the door so that it’s opening toward the hallway instead of inside, where it might block some of the space that you need. If the room is large, then you probably don’t need to do this. Make note of where any windows are located so that you can plan to work around them instead of covering them up. Also, if there is an existing closet or cubbyhole, you’ll probably want to keep that door uncovered. If the room is shaped oddly or has built-in features, you might be able to take advantage of the space.

Install clothing rods at the right height
If you have young children, put some rods just a few feet off of the ground, assuming that you want your kids to be able to reach their clothing to foster independence. If you have a lot of separates, go ahead and hang one rod several feet off the ground and another three feet above that. This way, blouses can go on the top rod and skirts or folded-over pants on the bottom rod. Dresses can be hung from a taller rod that will allow them to drape naturally toward the floor without touching the floor.

Include space for accessories and undergarments
You could move bureaus with shelves into the room, or you can have drawer space installed for a permanent solution. Bookcases with bins can also serve as holders for accessories. Or, you could ask your custom closet professional to install closet accessories such as tie racks, jewelry trays and shoe racks right in the room.

Think about lighting and seating
With a typical walk-in closet, an overhead light is usually installed. In a larger room, however, you could choose an overhead light or you could put in lamps, halogen lighting or even a ceiling fan with an attached light. Seating is also a helpful feature to include, because it’s easier to finish getting dressed when you have a place to sit to tie your shoes.

Have fun decorating the space
While you might not get too involved in decorating an ordinary closet, a spare bedroom turned into a huge closet has a lot more decoration potential. Make it as whimsical, bright, muted or elegant as you would like. And remember, once your friends hear about your huge closet, they’ll probably want to see it, so go ahead and showcase something about your personality in this room, just as you would in any other room of your home!

Making a spare bedroom function as a walk-in closet can be a great luxury for your whole family. Give some of these tips a try when you’re ready to remodel that space.

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