Designing a Wardrobe: 5 Ways to Maximise Your Wardrobe Space

When designing a wardrobe, it is important to consider how it will be used and what items you want stored in there. A well-functioning wardrobe should have PLENTY of storage space to keep all our bits and pieces safe – But what can we do to improve a wardrobe that just isn’t working the way it should? By making some minor (and budget friendly!) adjustments, you can MAXIMISE your wardrobe space in just 5 easy steps!

Add More Hanging Space

Instantly double your hanging space with the use of a tension rod. Tension rods are fabulous things: taking mere seconds to install, tension rods work exactly as the name suggests. The rod is placed between two walls and tightened to support itself within the opening, without the need of screws.

Designing a Wardrobe
A second hanging rail in your wardrobe instantly doubles the amount of space available, allowing you to potentially free up any drawers or shelves in your wardrobe or bedroom. Image: Village Green Kitchens

If your wardrobe only has a single hanging rail, add a second one beneath it (about halfway between the topmost rail and your wardrobe’s floor) to create a double hanging wardrobe, perfect for storing shirts, pants and skirts. Simple!

Designing a Wardrobe: Customise with a Closet Kit

As an interior designer, I’ve designed countless wardrobes, from luxurious walk-ins to simple and practical built in robes. Having a custom designed wardrobe is an excellent solution when building or renovating a home however, you can still spruce up an existing wardrobe to make it that little more functional using basic closet kits instead.

Closet kits such as Rubbermaid’s Custom Closet Organiser System are an amazing alternative to a custom designed wardrobe. Although you won’t have the options of selecting your preferred finishes, hardware and custom features, you do have a hell of a lot of freedom to create a fully organised closet!

Just check out their video below to see how easy it is to install – Wow!

Sort Loose Items with Baskets

Perhaps one of the quickest and most efficient ways of to maximise your wardrobe space is to use baskets or boxes to store all the little bits and bobs that tend to just float around all over the place. Sort items such as handbags, hats, spare bed linens and blankets into baskets to keep them all neatly arranged and easily accessible.

Other items that can be sorted away into baskets include slippers, socks, pajamas, clothes that are stored away according to seasons and other smaller items of clothing to help keep everything easily accessible but still neatly tucked away.

Add Shoe Racks

Hands up who has a nasty pile of shoes at the bottom of their wardrobe!

Solve your shoe storage woes with the use of a simple shoe rack. Place a rack beneath your hanging space to easily arrange and store your shoes. Another bonus of using shoe racks is that they add instant shelving to your wardrobe – They don’t need to be exclusively used for shoes! Use your new shelves for storing all your extra pieces, such as your freshly organised baskets, extra blankets and more.

Maximise Your Wardrobe Space - shoe racks
Because who in their right mind DOESN’T love a good Kmart bargain?! I have two of these babies in my wardrobe, side by side. Easily fits all the hubby’s shoes and most of mine… Yes, I have way too many shoes… Just $19 each from Kmart!

Put your Empty Space to Work

Now, it’s fairly simple to say “Use your wall space for shelves” in other areas of the home such as the kitchen or bathroom, but how do you use wall space within a wardrobe?

Well, we can use the doors of course!

Make use of the empty canvases that are the inside of your closet doors: Hang over-the-door hooks, use hanging shoe organisers, whatever easily accessible storage works best for you and your needs. Do you wear a lot of scarves or ties for example? Add a single hook to the inside of your closet door. Using a regular clothes hanger, hang up all your favourite scarves, ties or even tank tops – Ta-da! Your everyday essentials are RIGHT THERE every morning, ready to go!

Maximise Your Wardrobe Space - hanging accessories
Use the inside of your closet doors to hang smaller items such as hats, scarves, neck ties and more! You can either use over-the-door hooks or even towel rails installed directly into the door to drastically increase your storage. Image source

Designing a Wardrobe: Expert Storage Hacks

Now it gets interesting! Who doesn’t love a good home storage hack?!

There are so many ingenious ways to help keep you maximise your wardrobe space – Just checkout some of our favourites below:

Clip shower curtain hooks onto a coat hanger to allow simple storage for all your accessories such as belts, scarves or neck ties. Image source
Baskets and plastic tubs can be used for storing your seasonal clothing or other bits and pieces that tend to float around inside your wardrobe! Image source
Maximise Your Wardrobe Space - folding techiques
Maybe we’re just not folding right?! This simple technique will not only free up precious drawer space but will also allow you to easily and quickly see which items of clothing are in each drawer. Image source
Maximise Your Wardrobe Space
Hang lightweight shelving for use as a shoe organiser or for your folded clothes. This beautifully arranged wardrobe also includes a tall set of plastic drawers for more functionality – they’ve even used tubs and baskets! We were onto something there! Image source
Maximise Your Wardrobe Space
Designing a Wardrobe: Save to Pinterest for later!