Living without closets? - Page 2

[Camellia]

Subscribing to this thread. We are a family of 6 and are moving from an 1800sq.ft. home to a 3bedroom apt that will probably be somewhere in the 900sq.ft. ball park. Plus, we have been spoiled with a garage and will no longer have that luxury.

[Fiercemama]

We have about 1300 sq ft with only one closet in our house for our family of three that is about 24 inches wide I think. But I am feeling spoiled compared to your storage. However, I don't live in those beautiful woods. Your place is going to be amazing!

While others have added suggestions regarding the storage, I will add some about the stuff to store. We flip our wardrobes twice a year. Since we have limited closet space (we have a wardrobe in our mudroom for outdoor coats), we avoid as much as possible clothes that need to be hung. I choose polyester skirts over wool say, so that I can just fold them into a drawer - cuts down on time and money at the dry cleaners too! DH still needs some convincing that his flannel shirts can go in a drawer.

Also, as they say in real estate - "build up". I remember IKEA did a whole catalogue with this idea a few years ago. Lie down in the room and look up and see where you can add.

[polyhymnia]

We had no closets when we lived in London. We had lots of cabinets and wardrobes. I do wonder though - I don't know the layout of your house but I did see the photos from the real estate page; is it possible to wall off the area under the stairs and turn that into a closet? Or would you lose too much floor space that you need for the appliance that is currently there?

Ikea is great for wardrobes, they have lots of inexpensive, sturdy and good looking options.

MTA: Oh yeah and under-bed storage!!! We had a bed that sat on a base with drawers in it. I think Ikea have some. These are way better than under-bed drawers.

MTA again: we put the mop and broom in between the fridge and the wall there cause it was the only place tall enough and out of the way. It stuck up above the fridge cause it was just an under-cabinet size fridge but at least it was "out of the way".

[flowmom]

I haven't read all the replies but I'm thinking that the IKEA Stolmen closet system would be great for your situation - here's it as bookshelves and clothing storage. It's not super cheap, but it would really add to the home's infrastructure without requiring any structural changes.

[melibee]

I just have to tell you that I looked at the realty pics and I love love love your soon-to-be abode! Oh, how I wish there was something like that for that price in my neck of the woods! (Then we wouldn't be living in a 700 sq ft basement Actually, we're quite happy where we are, but you are about to own something pretty close to my dream home.:

It's lovely. Enjoy!

[kerc]

That is my dream home! Oh my!!!

I would totally build a porch on the front. Closed in/not heated. That solves your mudroom problem. Also cabinets -- I'd re-do the bathroom with one of those bathroom cabinet dealies they show at home depot and the like. (Or ikea).

Every piece of furniture needs to do two purposes: an end table = a dresser. A coffee table = a storage trunk, etc.

Also take a little gander at Delight's apartment -- she posted pics WAY back december? january? she had some good clothing storage ideas with limited closet space.

[wombatclay]

Thanks!

The sale process is moving slowly but surely...we should be in by Christmas. We have a lot of plans for the next building season (dormers, wrap around porch, bay windows to replace existing windows, etc), but we wont be able to do much this year since were already getting frost and some people claim scattered snow showers at elevation!

I'm trying to stay laid back and avoid "home" stress, but I'm really starting to get excited!

[BuggyBee]

subbing...nice thread idea

[Siana]

Originally Posted by maisiedotes

I *love* that unit! Have you ever been to "In Home Furnishings" (if they are still around)? They have huge wall unit things there- I swear I love every piece of furniture in that place! You may be able to find something cheaper, although who knows if it would fit the area exactly the way a custom one would. I am jealous. I want one!

I would be THRILLED with any kind of built-in at my house- the closest thing we have is a big bookcase that DH screwed into the wall so it wouldn't tip forward. *sigh* With a house built in 1795, you would think it would have SOMETHING cool....

DP's not thrilled about the built-in unit idea being made by someone else. He's always wanted to do lots of woodworking, but how can it be practical in this space we live in? (We live in an apartment-style condo. with two bedrooms, one of which is actually a store room that's pretty cramped, that I want to convert into a sewing room for my business). Won't we need at least some enclosed room for woodworking? I'm not seeing the practical side, though DP does have a point on focusing more on cleaning up the clutter we have first.

On that note, I often organize our to-get-rid-off stuff, but lots of it never actually makes it out the door! (DP and I are both responsible for this). I want to sell some stuff, but it's more often too much of a hassle to me than anything to have people emailing me to haggle on prices, and strangers walking through my home! So I guess rule one should be get rid of stuff you don't need before aiming to create storage space for other stuff. Heck it'll make this place a lot more livable anyways, I have to agree. However, I still want to fulfill my curiosity and get a quote for a custom built unit

[USAmma]

The kids' room has no closet and is very small. We found a nice wardrobe from IKEA that suits them, their clothes, and their toys very well. Dh and I have a nice big closet but 1/2 of it has been converted to my "office". For the livingroom we have a larger IKEA entertainment shelf-cabinet system that was around $400 for the whole thing. It stores a lot of books, puzzles, my knitting and knicknacks. We have learned to pare down our clothing collection, store out of season stuff under the bed, and just learn to live with less.

[ekortering]

Subbing

I'm excited for your little slice of heaven!!! Here are links to Delight's apartments:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/happyja...7594309114341/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/happyja...7600025082938/

[wombatclay]

wow... that apartment is lovely...and so airy!

[Terrilein]

Originally Posted by wombatclay

The roof is peaked so there is about 220 sq ft of "full height" space down the middle and another 200 sq ft of "short" space. The chimney flue unfortunately runs about three feet in from the wall at one end of the "full height" section so we'll need to plan around that. We'll build shelving into the short space but want to keep it open in order to maintain the feeling of space.

I'm not quite "seeing" where the flue is, but I get the peaked roof thing. Your "short" areas are where the roof meets the floor at something like a 45° angle? If so, how about building storage space (basically just built-in cabinets on both sides about a yard high (give or take). That way the angle ends about a yard higher and allows you to put furniture against the walls. And depending on where the flue is exactly you can build the cabinets flush against it, or just round off the cabinets leaving shelves on the ends or build shelves going around the flue.
Here's a very crude sketch of what I mean:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...us/storage.jpg
ETA: I didn't mean for the storage areas to end up looking like they are built out of the wall in the flue sketches. My error, but I think you get what I mean . . . hopefully.

[UUMom]

We recently bought an 1880 farmhouse with no closets. It was difficult. To say the least. On Friday of last week, we had a contractor finally complete a small double walk- in closet our bedroom. We simply could not take it any longer! I am not a clothes person, but I do need to find stuff...and now I can. The contractor built a bunch of shelves -- I have my side, dh has his--. I love it. I can find what I need now.

Most of the seasonal stuff is in the basement on racks, and the children have free -standing wardrobes.

[blissful_maia]

We don't have closets in this old house! We have lots of shelves, though, and mostly I store things in baskets on the shelves to keep them organized. Broom, mop, etc. I keep in a large wooden box with the handles sticking out.

Clothing is in dressers or on hooks.