I'm a Closet Case!

Well, not really. (I came out of those dreary digs about 17 years ago!) But I do have a serious case of closet envy, a condition that afflicts millions. Even as a child I enjoyed having clean and organized closets. I loved little boxes and storage compartments, and even though I wasn't much of a clothes-horse, I did enjoy using closet space as a means to an organizational end for much of my "stuff."

I decided to showcase a few of the fantastically-organized closet spaces featured in the pages of Martha Stewart Living over the years. Many of them are superb examples of finding space where you think there may not be any, or using unconventional spaces for new uses, such as offices.

Hanging space may be sufficient in your closet, but it's often hard finding space for shoes, bags, belts, scarves and garments that need to be folded, such as sweaters. The closet above was fashioned out of an armoire and fitted with a closet-system shelving unit. The shelves were custom cut to fit the armoire and were attached to hanging racks that can be adjusted up or down as needed. The top shelf houses handbags; shelf dividers attached to the second level keep the stacks of tops and sweaters from tumbling down. (They're arranged by color so that you can quickly find what you want to wear.) A fifteen-by-fifteen-inch, three drawer cube matches the shelving and is ideal for stashing scarves, ties, jewelry and other small items. Adding a row of hooks along the tops of the doors allows for belt storage and two rows of stackable, clear storage boxes keep shoes organized. Undergarments and socks are kept in the lower drawer.
Here is a similar system from the same issue of the magazine (January, 2005) that features labeled and lidded boxes for storage.
This closet, featured in the January, 2009, issue of Martha Stewart Living is long and spacious. Numerous drawers keep clutter in check, as do storage boxes along the top shelf and side shelves. Handbags are stuffed with acid-free paper to retain their shape and kept in flannel sacks to protect them from light and dust, stowed on two upper shelves at the far right. A basket on the lowest shelf is used as a place to put clothing items for donation and windowed boxes covered in tweed, towards the left of the photograph, display folded sweaters for easy access.
Being kind to clothes between seasons and wearings is an investment in their longevity. Use appropriate hangers so that jackets and shirts retain their shape, and stack sweaters from heaviest to lightest. Above left, we see a drawer of clotheskeeping accessories, such as an assortment of cedar inserts (which help keep insects at bay), dried lavender for sachets and a series of lint brushes. Jackets and shirts are kept perpetually dust-free with dust protectors, while woolen scarves and mittens are kept in craft boxes wrapped in acid-free tissue paper until they're ready for use next season. A handy belt hanger keeps belts easily accessible and on display, while garment bags (identified with a digital photograph of the item inside) keeps the clothes protected from blanching light and dust.
His-and-Hers closets are made more interesting by creating an accent wall within using bold-printed wallpaper in different patterns.A teenager's bedroom is outfitted with a veiled workspace, tucked into an area originally reserved for closet space. When not in use, the curtains can be drawn.
This kitchen broom closet was converted into a much more handy workspace. A large calendar on the wall keeps multiple schedules in check while a measuring tape glued to the front of the desk surface makes quick work of measuring. Correspondence is kept streamlined and tidy with a wall-hanging mail sorter and clips hung from a dowel below one of the shelves. Storage boxes keep random supplies in order and a filing cabinet on wheels can be easily tucked under the desk surface along with the stool when it's not in use. It can all be hidden away by an attractive Roman blind that rolls up or down as needed.
I included this photo of Martha's dressing room at her former residence in Connecticut, Turkey Hill, for the sake of nostalgia. I love the large, gilt-edged Federal mirror and the pumpkin pine flooring. Three Colonial doors front her closet space.
Martha also used a closet in the back hallway at Turkey Hill to create an office space, something I found ingenious enough to try myself:
A walk-in-closet in my former apartment was far too large for the small amount of clothing I had at the time. (I'm a minimalist at heart.) I used Martha's idea of fitting an office into a closet by setting up an inexpensive desk from Ikea in the unused closet nook. Books were stored on the hat shelf above and I hung photographs around the space to liven it up.