Creating Your Own Custom Closet

When we decided to take on the project of transforming our smaller walk-in closet to a  customized look, the first thing that we did was to investigate the ‘professional’ companies. We  were shocked at the over $5,000 price that it would cost to make this change, and decided that  we could do this on our own. The results were gorgeous and the cost was around $1,000. 

We had those ugly white coated wire frame shelves around the top of the closet that held metal  bars to hang clothes. The first thing we did was empty out the closet (which was a trial in itself)  and remove these travesties. After painting the entire room and ceiling, we replaced the shelving  with strong, sturdy wood; making sure that we had wood braces to hold the weight of everything  that would go on the shelves. The next thing we did was to replace the metal poles with wooden  braces and wood poles. Locating the studs in the walls for anchoring is a requirement. All of the  wood was stained and sealed prior to installation. 

Almost all of the ‘professional’ closet companies included built-in or add in drawers. We bought  unfinished wood furniture that would fit on either side of the closet, then stained and sealed it. Of  course, we measured before purchasing, to ensure that we could get the items in and out, if need be we had to shop around to a number of locations to find the best quality wood furniture and  we used this time as our ‘together time’, scheduling a nice trip and even lunch out.  

All staining and sealing was done outdoors and we allowed all wood to remain outside while  allowing any smell or scent to be dissipated. Moving the furniture in was a breeze and we found  that emptying the closet out also gave us an opportunity to get rid of some of the things we  thought we would use (but didn’t). Old shoes and clothes were placed in containers and donated  so that when we brought the clothes and items back into the new closet, they were truly those  that we wore. 

The results of our custom closet was incredible. It met our needs, with just a little work and  became a stunning customized addition for our home. The best part is that the chest-of-drawers  style wood can be removed or left in place, depending upon what we want in the future or if we  sell the house.