Good Low Cost Closet Ideas?

Question

Hi BP'ers,

We are finishing up a flip and expanded the master closet to give it more room. Has anyone used or seen some good lower cost options for making the closet nice, without going the California Closet route? Thanks in advance.

Johann Jells · Answer

I may be simple minded about closets, but since I always build storage above, so there's a ceiling at ~81",  I just put a long bar as high as possible.  People like hanging space. Other kinds of storage are much easier to add via drawers on the floor of the closet or furniture. Or they can add a 2nd bar.

JD Martin · Answer

You can go the cleat & plywood route quite inexpensively - to make it look nicer, tack dental molding or other trim that matches the style of the house to the front of the plywood. If you use 3/4" plywood, you'll have a strong, solid-feeling shelf that will look extremely thick from the trim tacked on the front. I prefer painting this setup, as it hides imperfections that are going to arise using this strategy, but you could stain & poly it as well.

Jim Adrian · Answer

I redid my master closet with Menards mdf wood laminate shelving.  Stay away from white as this looks cheap, I picked cherry color.  I think my shelves are 14" or 16" (standard product size) deep and used the standard shelf and coat rod bracket.  I went with white rods and brackets because it was cheaper but chrome is an option for both.  One closet is double stacked shelves for shirts while the other closet is single shelve for pants and dresses.  Stay away for wire shelving its looks cheap and people hate it.  Once you get clothes in there you cant really see the shelving anyway.

Mary Ann Aulbur · Answer

Wish I took the pictures before I rented.  I took pictures of all the windows and the indirect lighting in the bedrooms but not the closets.  Tenants love storage and light.  So that is what was shown in my ads.

But speaking as a homeowner, I prefer solid wooden shelves.  If high end, I would stain and polyurethane the wood not paint which I do for renters.

Jonathan Makovsky · Answer

Thanks @Jd Martin!

Jonathan Makovsky · Answer

Thank you very much @Jim Adrian and @Mary Ann Aulbur!

Jonathan Makovsky · Answer

Thanks so much @Brandon Shewbridge!! Nice call with the Elfa closes.

Yes, it's for a flip approx. $600K+ (which is not a starter home, but still on the lower price range of this market), so low-end closets won't work.

We are wrapping up in the next week - so shame on me for thinking we can pick it up off the shelf. Also, I don't think we're going to get so much on the back-end back for closets on the back-end, by putting something for $3K+ in it, so worst case we'll do something simple and let them design to what they want.

I will call up the Container Store and see what we can do. Thanks so much again.

Brandon Shewbridge · Answer

Elfa by The Container Store.  Easy to configure and easy to install.  The finished product looks very nice for a C+ - B+ property.  This would be for a flip - not for a rental.  For a rental you want what @Mary Ann Aulbur described as it would be more durable for tenants that don't give a care bout your stuff.  (I just hate painting shelves)

For my residence, I did an 8' long closet with top shelf and hanger bar the whole length and bottom shelves and hanger bar across 50% (suits & shirts).  On the other half, I installed a shelf with 6 drawers (2x3) below with 2 shoe shelves below the droors for my personal closet for under $1K.

They usually have a 30% off sale every quarter.  Just visit the website.  If you're between sales, you can usually find a 30% coupon on eBay.   Expect 2 weeks for delivery if you use their standard free shipping.

Jonathan Makovsky · Answer

Thanks so much @Mary Ann Aulbur! (Also, congrats on the first post!)

Could you direct me to a picture or link to a picture so I can see the finished product? Thank you very much!

Mary Ann Aulbur · Answer

Open wooden shelves made with plywood, supported with 1x4's, trimmed with simple stock molding and painted.  Do these floor to ceiling.  Very cheap and tenants love them.  Even if only 1 foot wide.  Also put a light in the closet.

Good Low Cost Closet Ideas?

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