A closet can be set up to be very functional and efficient. There are many closet shapes and layouts and so many options to explore when laying out your closet. Most needs can be met by following some simple construction guidelines. Personal needs and tastes can be taken into account to make your closet unique and personal.
Rods
Arrange the rods so you have at least one section mounted high to allow for hanging long clothes, such as dresses and coats, and one section with a high- and mid-level rod for hanging shorter garments. Mount the rods with support plates on the end walls and have at least one rod support near the middle also mounted on a wall plate. Wall plates are typically 1-inch-thick material roughly 6 inches square. Take care to mount the plate in such a way that the top edge will fall where you want your shelf support level to end up. The middle support plate should fall on a stud if at all practicable.
Shelving
Support the shelf ends on the rod-support plate. Run 1-by-2 cleats the length of the wall at the back edge of the shelf. Space the rod bracket down by a short piece of 1-by-2 to allow for clearance between the rod and the shelf above.This will allow for easier removal of hangers. Mount one shelf over the upper rods and mount one shelf that runs the complete perimeter of the closet at the level of the top of the door trim. Construct the shelving from 1-inch-thick material or #xBE;-inch plywood. Apply screen mold on the outer rough edge of the plywood to cover the exposed grain.
Shoe Boxes and Accessories
Shoe boxes act not only as storage for shoes but can also support a rod plate to allow for extra hanging room. Shoe boxes typically rest on the floor and act as the support for the upper-room shelf, which eliminates the need for wall cleats. The boxes are roughly 6 feet tall by 18 inches wide. A shoe box can be a simple level-shelved cabinet or be set at an angle to present shoes as in a shoe store display. Accessories can include a built-in seat for putting on shoes and a jamb switch that turns the closet light on when the door is opened and turns it off again as the door is closed.
Sample Setup
A typical setup for a closet 8 feet wide by 12 feet deep would have on one side a single high rod with a shelf directly above. The other side would have the two-rod setup with a shelf over the top rod only. The back end of the closet would have the shoe box centered and could have short rods or short shelves supported on both sides. The closet can be completed with a top shelf that runs continuously around the top of the space supported by wall cleats, the shoebox and rod-support plates. Be aware that smaller closets may need to have the entry-door side of the top shelf left out to allow easier access to the rest of the top shelf.
