6 Ways To Downsize Your Closet and Save Space
About three years ago, my husband and I had to downsize. Initially, we bought a lovely home out in Hagerstown, MD. We had decided that we wanted a farm with a garden and some chickens. Both my husband and I work from home and once upon a time we felt like we were ready to settle down by the mountainside.
As it turns out, we are still a young couple, and things change, life takes you for exciting twists and turns sometimes. Our lighting struck when Amazon decided to place its H2 headquarters in Crystal City, VA.
Both my husband and I are tech-junkies, and these days you really can have the best of both worlds – work online, and garden in the afternoons. But with a move as big as Amazon into our neighborhood, we knew we wanted to shake things up!
Shaking Things up in Crystal City, VA
Shaking things up for us meant buying a Townhouse in Crystal City. Yup- we purchased prime real estate in Virginia, and our place was close to everything!
A metro line took us right into Washington, DC and not to mention Tysons Corner- the holy grail of shopping in the DMV! We traded our farm for a city with a high potential for growth and tons to explore.
I even found out that there are community gardens around the entire Northern Virginia area.
Having an outdoor space in the community made me feel so much better about leaving behind our farmhouse.
However, there was one colossal dilemma! MY CLOSET. Back at the farmhouse, I had all the space in the world for my shoes, clothes, winter storage, and summer storage.
I felt like I was playing Tetris trying to get everything in my new townhome organized! Then I found the best closet design resource in Great Falls, VA: 180 Closet Design.
My Wardrobe Reorganized
First things first, I wanted a closet and space to fit my particular needs. I began by asking for a clothing closet redesign. I needed an area with the following attributes listed below, and I was surprised to find out how helpful my consultation with Scott, at 180 Closet Design, was.
Together we planned to make my four by three closet into a spacious reshelved and organized space where I can keep all of my clothing.
What I Wanted in a Closet
- More space
- Shelves for my shoes
- Racks for pants
- Built-in Drawers
6 Tips for a Small Closet Reorganized: Scott’s Closet Attributes
- An extender rod to double my available hanging space
- Shelve dividers to store clothing more efficiently
- Undershelf baskets to increase storage space
- A shoe rack hanging from my closet door
- Hooks for my jackets
- Extra shelving above my closet doors for storing winter clothes
Scott’s ideas for my down-sized closet were life-changing. I was so happy with the results that I wanted to reorganize my entire townhome! I did not go that far, but what I did do was have Scott help me transform the walk-in closet in our guest room.
Transforming a Walk-in Closet into a Creative Space
I have a serious card-making hobby. And my husband loves to invest in my card-making happy because I talk a lot and it gives him a break. Okay, okay, it is a balanced mixture of me doing what I love and keeping a household excited through creativity!
What I needed this walk-in closet space in my house to be was the ultimate craft corner. I have a large paper cutting tray, all kinds of glue, beads, pens, and markers, and craft supplies that needed to be organized.
What Scott Implemented
Scott installed a large pegboard on one of the walls and a shelving unit on the other. He also mounted a fold-up hinge desk to give me more space! We painted the walls my favorite color, and even build in a stereo system so that I could get into my creative zone any time of the day.
I was able to have proper lighting installed so that I could dim or brighten the lights depending upon the project. Listed below are the main changes to my walk-in closet turned creative space!
- Hinge desk built into the wall
- Pedboad with additional shelves
- Shelving unit
- Labeled drawers for art tools
I was so happy with the results and genuinely amazed by the amount of space I felt like we had in our new townhome. The organization makes such a difference, and when you have shelves in place, and a strategic planner on your side, you see the difference.
What I once thought was an impossibly small closet is now a strategically planned space where I can even store my winter clothing!
Don’t get me wrong, and I did have to get rid of a few things, and really think about what brings me joy. After all, why would I wear anything if it doesn’t make me smile! And when it comes to my creative space, well that is a life-changer!
Closet Space is Life-Changing
When I wake up in the morning, I know where everything is, and that is such a wonderful feeling. My day is better, and I can get things done in an organized and fluid manner. Organizing your home is truly a form of self-care. I was so happy to find city gardens in my area and relived to feel at home even when downsizing.
Having an organized, creative space makes me want to head home and get crafty! I am so thankful for Scott at 180 Closet Design and would hire him again in a heartbeat.
