Customized closet design might seem simple and easy but it requires a lot of creativity, patience and an eye for detail. It takes time to visualize how you will store your items and you must create an efficient wardrobe that makes the best use of the limited space in your home.

Before you finalize anything, it is best to meet with your closet designer or producer and ask them for guidance on good design. Closet manufacturers and furniture stores have a lot of experience about what works. They can give you useful information that will help you get the best-customized closet for your needs.

If you are planning to put together your new dream closet, here are some tips that will help you create something wonderful and useful for your needs.

Assess the Size of Your Wardrobe

Let’s start at the beginning. Before you set out to design and build your dream closet, the first thing you need to do is to take account of how much inventory you will store in it. You need to think about all the different dresses and clothing you currently have and also account for the wardrobe that you will be buying in the future.

If you have only a dozen or so dresses and don’t intend to increase your wardrobe by a lot at any one time, then you obviously don’t need to assign a lot of spacing to clothes. On the other hand, if you have several dozen dresses, including dresses for special occasions, then you will need to dedicate space for all your clothes in the closet. You may even want to dedicate separate sections of the closet to the dresses based on style; summer clothes, winter clothes, party wear, etc.

The size of your clothing also matters. If your dresses are wide or long, the clothing sections in your closet will need to be big enough to match the width and length of your clothing.

Put in the Right Amount of Single and Double Hanging Rails

You will need to put in hanging rails in your closet to make the best use of space and ensure that ironed dresses stay neat and wrinkle-free. After you’ve taken inventory of what you own, think about the placement for single or double rails that will be used to hang your shirts, blouses, coats, and dresses.

If you own a lot of clothes, tally them up to determine how much space you will need. Generally, men’s clothing doesn’t require a lot of hanging rails. Shirts and coats will need to be hanged of course but trousers and other garments can be folded and stacked into shelves.

Women’s clothing, on the other hand, usually consists of long dresses, shirts, and blouses that require more hanging space.

Use the Corners

Corners are a complicated part of your closet. There is a lot of space there, but it is difficult to see inside them or reach for clothing stored in the corners.

A good rule is never to hang clothes in the corner and perpendicular from each other. This will make it very difficult for you to search the corner and you will only be able to hand clothes on one side. One solution is to put in a curved hanger in the corner that bends slightly, allowing you good space to reach out while also making good use of the corner.

Put in a Center Island

Center islands in the closet are beautiful and offer great functional utility for users. However, they are very rare as closets are generally not big enough to allow you adequate hanging space. You will also need to have a fair bit of walking space around the center table. The ideal recommended space around the center island is 36 inches but you may be able to get away with less if you are lacking space.

Design the Space for Shoes

If you have a lot of shoes, then you definitely need space inside your closet for storing them. You may want to think about putting in a shoe rack that helps you organize your footwear better. The shoe racks are generally lower in the closet, close to the ground.

A pair of women’s shoe measure around 5½ to 10 inches in size while men’s shoes are roughly 6½ to 10½ inches wide. Since shoes are not very high, you may want to put additional racks in there just to get everything to fit in the closet, nice, and perfect. If you have long boots or planning to buy some in the future, make sure there is some space reserved for them in particular.

A good rule in closet design is to allow 8 to 12 inches of space in the rack for each pair of shoes.

Arrange the Right Space for Accessories

Accessories often get neglected in closet design but they are also quite important. You certainly don’t want your purses, ties, belts, and jewelry lying around the room. Make sure you reserve the right amount of space for your accessories in your closet.

Only Build What You Need

Your closet designer and manufacturer is a guide who can only tell you what kinds of spaces are generally built-in closets. You are the one who is going to use the closet and know your needs best.

Do not be shy about giving input about your requirements to your closet designer. If they recommend some section that you feel is not needed, be sure to let them know. They may give you a great idea about using it for something else.

For example, if you travel a lot, your closet maker may recommend creating some space for a suitcase that you will probably need for your travel needs.

The key to building a great closet is organization. Closets are generally small in size and you need to utilize every inch of the space if you want to get the best use out of the limited space.