Find the Best Closet Drawers Ideas

A closet drawer project provides convenient storage and enhances the value of the home. Whether a professionally designed custom installation, a DIY project or a prefabricated unit, a drawer exists to solve almost any problem. The trick is to find the right drawer ideas to suit any given situation.

Closets are not just a place to hang things. With the tight storage requirements of modern homes, closets need more storage than the single rod with shelf above one usually finds. Finding ideas for new closet drawers is a two-step process. First, determine needs and limitations, which defines the range of acceptable solutions. Then look for ideas in that range, even if they involve thinking outside the box.

What is Needed and What is Possible

Determine Needs

Know what exactly is to be stored in the closet drawers. If there will be jewelry and makeup, plan for small shallow drawers. If excess bedding has to fit, the drawers must be large.

Evaluate the Existing Structure

No matter how convenient it would be, a drawer for skis will not fit in a 48-inch closet. Measure the inside of the closet and the door opening. Also, measure any features that will stay, such as a shelf.

Think About Permanency Considerations

Sometimes closets cannot have built in drawers, because of their construction or because they are in rented premises. This does not rule out closet drawers as a storage solution, though. Freestanding drawer units to fit in closets are available or may be custom built.

Make a Budget

Closet drawers come in a range of prices. From high-end custom units in exotic woods to fiberboard drawers from the discount store, closet drawers can suit any pocketbook. Research is simpler, though, if the budget is determined beforehand.

Where to Find Inspiration

Examine Print Materials

Your local library will have decorating and home improvement magazines going back for several years. Ask about their yearly indexes to turn up drawer specific articles without having to flip through a lot of pages. Check the library’s book collection, in both the home decorating and DIY sections.

Home improvement vendors and professionals have another print resource to consider: brochures. These will yield specific information as to materials, sizes, prices and finish options. They may lack the creative touches that will be found in books and magazines, however.

Search The Internet

Search the Internet for home improvement articles. A web search may also turn up valuable information from government sources about regulations and permits, advice from home extension departments and ideas from design students’ portfolios. Do not forget message boards and even old-fashioned mailing lists and IRC to get advice from other homeowners

Seek Face to Face Advice

Some advice comes from real people. A person who has recently installed closet shelves may have valuable input. Design and construction professionals are also valuable resources. Ask around.

Whatever the particular closet shelf installation, it will benefit from a bit of thought and research before the tools come out. Think about needs, limitations and resources to get an idea of the scope of the project. Add creative solutions to make it unique, and then install exactly the drawers to fit the situation