TrueValue.com


		Closets & Cabinets


		In The Basement or Garage


		Miscellaneous

Build a Closet Organizer
Explore Closet Space: The Final Frontier

Level of difficulty: Intermediate

Closets are probably one of the most used parts of a house and usually the least organized. With a little work you can double your closet’s storage capacity and organize it so you can spend the time used searching through your closet on more productive things.

There are a lot of closet organizers on the market, but this project is an easy-to-make system that is adaptable to fit your closet needs and is a fraction of the price of store-bought kits. This system combines a shelving unit in the middle (you can leave it open or add drawers, either way you can store sweaters, shoes, etc.) with two rods on one side (for short clothes like shirts, pants, sport coats, etc.) and the other side supporting one rod for long clothes (dresses, coats, etc.). There are shelves over the top and two rods as well.

Tools and Materials:

Stud finder Paper (to make a layout of your organizer) Level Tape measure Pencil 2 pieces of 3/4-inch plywood that are 20-inches deep and however tall you want your shelving (ask your local hardware store or lumberyard to cut them for you) 3/4-inch plywood that is 20-inches deep and as wide as shelving unit (enough plywood for however many shelves you want in shelving unit) Saber saw (have hardware store cut large side pieces, you can cut shelves) Masking tape Electric drill with screwdriver attachment Sandpaper 1-inch screws (about 18 of them) 1/2-inch screws (about 20 of them) 4 shelving standards (long enough to go from top of shelving side to the bottom) Hacksaw 4 shelf clips for each shelf in shelving unit 4 angle brackets 3 closet rods, you determine length 2 pieces of 3/4-inch plywood shelving that are 12-inches deep and long enough to go from side of shelving unit to the wall (these shelves go over closet rods) 4 combination brackets (support rod and shelf) 2 closet flanges with the diameter of your closet rod 1x2 wood that is 24-inches long 2-inch screws (need 2) Drawers with runners (optional)

Step 1. Plan Your Closet

		Use the stud finder to locate the studs behind the closet walls. Use the tape measure and get the dimensions of your closet and the distance between studs. Design your organizer. The lower rod on the side with 2 rods should be 3 inches lower than the bottom of the short clothes to give room for the hangers. Measure your longest short clothes already hanging and add 3 inches. Also, take into consideration that the brackets at the ends of the rods need to be attached to studs. The sides of the shelving unit attach to studs as well. Empty the closet.

Step 2. Draw Level Layout Lines

		Measure where the top shelves over the rods are going to be. Using level, mark in pencil on the wall a line long enough to be a guide for the shelf brackets.

Step 3. Cut Plywood for Shelving Sides and Over the Rod Shelves

If you haven’t had your shelving sides cut at the lumberyard, the next step is to use the saber saw to cut the 2 side pieces for the shelving unit as well as the 2 shelves for over the closet rods. When cutting the plywood front (finished side) needs to face down to avoid splintering it. To keep from splintering the back, cover the cut line with masking tape before you cut. Sand the shelves and sides. The shelves for the unit are cut in Step 7.

Step 4. Paint the Shelving Sides and Over the Rod Shelves

Apply primer and paint to the shelves and the sides. It is easier to paint these before you put them up. The shelves for the shelving units are painted in Step 8.

Step 5. Attach Standards to Shelving Unit

Cut the shelving standards so that they are long enough to run from the top of the shelving side to the bottom. Use hacksaw to cut. Attach standards, using 1/2-inch screws, on both sides of each shelving side. They are placed 1 inch in from the front and back ends. There are numbers stamped on the standard and they should be right side up.

Step 6. Attach Shelving Unit Sides

		Attach an angle bracket to the top and the bottom of the shelving side using the 1/2-inch screws. Place the side at a right angle to the wall and use the level to make sure the side is vertical. The side needs to be positioned so that the other end of the angle bracket is on the stud. Mark on the wall where the holes in the angle bracket are. Drill 1-inch screws through the bracket, attaching it to the wall stud. Repeat with the other side.

Step 7. Cut and Paint Shelves for Unit

Measure shelves to make sure that they fit between the shelving standards. Cut and sand if they are too wide. Paint the shelves and allow to dry. Put shelf clips into the standards (count the holes in the standard or use the numbers stamped on the standard as guides so the clips are at the same height). Put in the shelves.

Step 8. Attach Upper Shelves and Rod Brackets

Attach the combination brackets to the wall studs using the 1-inch screws. Use the lines marked on the wall as guides. Put the rod into the combination bracket and attach the shelf to the bracket, using 1-inch screws. Repeat this for the other shelf with rod.

Step 9. Attach Lower Rod

On the wall, measure down the wall to where you are putting the closet rod and make a mark. Measure 12 inches from the back of the closet and mark so that you have an “X” where the rod goes. Mark 2 lines that are 1 inch above and 1 inch below the “X”. Find the studs on either side of the “X” and measure the distance between the two studs. Cut the 1x2 board that length, this is what the flange is affixed to. Using the 2-inch screws, attach the 1x2 piece to the studs. The piece should be between the two lines. Measure the distance from the 1x2 to the shelving side. Cut the closet rod 1/4 inch shorter than this distance (this makes it easier to slide the rod into place). Slip the 2 flanges onto the rod, one for each end. Slide the rod into position. Use the level to make the rod horizontal. Attach the flange to the 1x2 using 1-inch screws and attach the other flange to the shelving side using 1/2-inch screws.

Step 10. Install Drawers (optional)

If you want drawers, you can attach drawer runners to the side or bottom of the shelves in the shelving unit. Attach these runners using the 1/2-inch screws. If the runners go on the sides, you might have to cut them so that they fit between the shelving standards.