42 Narrow Closet Design Ideas And 9 Tips - DigsDigs (2024)

A long and narrow closet is a big challenge for homeowners to design. We rounded up a few long narrow closet design ideas that will tell you how to optimize the storage space and still keep the style up.

Customize Fitted Closet Or Rack System

A fitted closet and hanging rack system are capable to increase the depth, expand the inside space of the closet and take full advantage of the dead corner on the upper ceiling. Looks oppressing when you walk in? Leave the top of your custom fitted closet about 30mm apart from the ceiling.

a contemporary narrow closet with stained wood drawers, cabinets and shelves and some railings for clothes plus a window for natural light

a grey narrow closet with open shelves and railing, a basket for various stuff is a small and laconic space to store your clothes

a minimalist white closet with shelves and open storage compartments, with a lit up mirror and lit up shelves is cool and features a lot of space

a mint green closet with shelves and drawers and built-in lights is a stylish idea with a soft touch of color

a mint green narrow closet with lots of drawers and open storage compartments, with lit up shelves and a chandelier

a narrow and small closet with neutral shelves, closets and lights and a large mirror plus a small pouf

Make Use Of Awkward Corners

The corner is a place that is easily ignored in most long narrow closets. To make good use of the corner, it is highly recommended to turn the corner into a corner cabinet or shelving space.

a narrow blue closet with open storage compartments, drawers and railings, a mirror and a black leather stool

a narrow closet done with open shelves, railings, a shelf that is a desk, a chair, a basket with a lid and some lights

a narrow closet with open storage compartments, drawers, railings and lights, a har organizer hanging on the wall

Arrange Your Closet Single-Sided

If you have a long narrow closet in a small size, avoid installing your closet around, and a space with single-sided closet will allow you to move around comfortably. It will also make reaching things convenient and storage spaces will be easy to access.

a narrow walk-in closet with glass sliding doors that cover all the storage units and a vanity in the end of the space

a narrow walk-in closet with open storage compartments and drawers is a lovely space with built-in lights

a narrow walk-in closet with white airy shelves and baskets for storage, railing and drawers, a mirror and a potted cactus

a narrow white closet with lit up open storage compartments, railing and a built-in dresser is a stylish and cool space

a narrow white walk-in closet with railing, open storage compartments, drawers and some clothes and shoes

Increase The Number Open Cubbies

If you want to expand the usable space of a long narrow closet, or want more space to move around in depth, try open cubbies, which will perform a marvelous result. The open design reduces the blockage of dividers or doors, and further increases the depth of the narrow closet.

a narrow white walk-in closet with shelves, open storage compartments, railings, lights and lit up shelves

a neutral and very chic closet with drawers with glass doors, open shelves and drawers, open shelves and faux fur stools plus a crystal chandelier

a neutral and warm-colored narrow closet with open storage compartments, drawers and shelves plus some railings and a large mirror

a neutral walk-in closet with open storage compartments, drawers and shelves plus railings is a cool space to store your shoes and clothes

a small and elegant narrow closet done with white storage units, with glass doors, drawers and a curved mirror in a gilded frame

Direct The Rack And Shelves On The Wall

Similar to the design of reduction on the inside closet doors, the back panel occupies at least 2cm in depth. If your chosen hanging rack system is the same or similar color scheme as your wall, to save space for moving around, it is possible to direct the timber or rack system on the wall.

a small and glam closet in white, with built-in shelves and wardrobes, with an open storage cabinet and a glam crystal chandelier

a small and glam closet with open shelves and storage units, drawers with mirror fronts, a pink rug and a faux fur stool is cool

a small and lovely walk-in closet with botanical wallpaper, a white storage unit and railings for hanging clothes and steps

a small and narrow blue closet made of IKEA Pax wardrobes, with open compartments, shelves and drawers, a chandelier and some boxes

a small and narrow closet done with IKEA items, a large open shelf, a white stool and railings for clothes is a nice space

Increase The Number Of Drawers

Replace your hanging space with drawers in your small and long narrow closet. It is tested that the storage space of drawers is 2 to 2.5 times more than that of the hanging area. That is to say, you can stock 2 to 2.5 more clothes into drawers than you can hang. If you are not somebody who hates folding garments, and pursue more storage space, don’t miss the drawer addition in your long narrow closet. Not only that, drawers can be a great asset to store your jewelry, eyeglasses, belts, ties, scarves and hats without damage.

a small and narrow closet in white, with open shelves and railing, shoe shelves attached to the wall is a lovely idea for a small home

a small and narrow walk-in closet with light-stained drawers, open storage compartments and railings, a black vintage chair

a small and narrow walk-in closet with open shelving and storage compartments, drawers and an artwork is a great space

a small and narrow white walk-in closet with holders for clothes, open shelves for shoes, drawers for smaller stuff is cool and organized

a small contemporary closet in white, with a large open shelf with boxes, dressers, holders with hangers and a stool

Increase The Number Of Shelves

Shelves can be stacked layer by layer to the ceiling, making full use of the vertical space. The orderly shelves create a clean and tidy effect, while also visually creating a sense of spaciousness.

a small minimalist closet with holders for hangers, lots of drawers, open shelves and a single black chair

a small minimalist closet with lots of open storage space, dome drawers and holders for hangers, a creative stool and a glass sliding door

a small neutral closet with an L-shaped shelf for boxes and a rack under it to hang stuff, a couple of IKEA dressers

Arrange More Shoe Shelves

Arranging a shoe shelf in your long narrow closet is an urgent thing to do if you are in favor of collecting shoes. But you should reject cubbies as your shoe storage shelves. Before building the shoe shelves, you should know: for men, you should set the shelves at a minimum of 14 inches or 35.6 cm in depth. For women, at a minimum of 12 inches or 30.5 cm in depth. If you want more flexibility, it is suggested to change the fixed shelves with adjustable ones, so you are free of making your shelves move with your shoes and boots.

a small Nordic closet with open shelves, holders for clothes hangers and some built-in drawers is a cool idea

a small stylish closet done in light stained wood, with holders for clothes hangers, some open shelves, built-in drawers and a black chair

a small white closet done with IKEA storage units, open shelves, storage compartments and railings, a white faux fur stool

Install Sliding Doors If Required

Imagine you have to unfold a hinged closest door in a narrow space. Where should you stand? Will the doors hit your shoulder or body? Is it convenient to take out the garments and close the cabinet door? In this case you need a horizontal sliding cabinet door which will spare much more space for the passway. These are all the tips about long and narrow closets, we hope they were useful for you!

a stained narrow walk-in closet with lots of shelves, drawers and even steps to reach all the necessary things

a stylish neutral narrow closet with large open storage compartments, drawers, cabinets on top and some boxes plus a glass door

a tall and narrow white closet with lots of shelves, open storage compartments, railings for clothes and built-in lights

a tiny girlish closet with botanical wallpaper, a faux cascading plant, open shelves, some cubbies, holders for hangers and a wooden stool

a tiny Scandinavian closet with built-in shelves, a rack with clothes hangers and some boxes for shoes is all cool

an ultra-minimalist black and graphite grey closet with lots of shoe shelves and some drawers plus holders for hangers

42 Narrow Closet Design Ideas And 9 Tips - DigsDigs (2024)

FAQs

42 Narrow Closet Design Ideas And 9 Tips - DigsDigs? ›

From the waist down should be your deeper storage and the narrow storage should be from the waist up. DON'T pack your belongings under hanging bars. If you do this, it is most likely a habit from the past, when it was common to use old cheap wire shelving at eye level, surrounding the closet perimeter.

How to organize a deep and narrow closet? ›

From the waist down should be your deeper storage and the narrow storage should be from the waist up. DON'T pack your belongings under hanging bars. If you do this, it is most likely a habit from the past, when it was common to use old cheap wire shelving at eye level, surrounding the closet perimeter.

What size is a long narrow closet? ›

Long Narrow Walk-in Closet Dimensions

Many closets are long and narrow, measuring from 4 to 6 feet wide by 10 to 12 feet long. Fortunately, these smaller closets can still be utilized for efficient storage. To maximize the space in a long closet, think creatively about where you'd like to store items.

How many items of clothing should I have? ›

Research on How Many Clothes We Need

According to a report referenced by Vogue in 2022 that leans on sustainability goals, “The researchers found that a “sufficient” wardrobe consists of 74 garments and 20 outfits in total.

What is a California closet? ›

California Closets is a manufacturer of custom closets and storage for homes. The company provides its products through its showrooms franchising business systems in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Dominican Republic.

How to use a very narrow closet? ›

Who knows—organizational bliss could be just one click away.
  1. Use Dividers on Shelves. The Container Store Clear Shelf Divider. ...
  2. Use "Floating" Space. ...
  3. Double Up Your Hanging Space. ...
  4. Utilize the Back of Your Door. ...
  5. Stack Your Shoes. ...
  6. Add a Small Dresser. ...
  7. Add Clothing Categorizers. ...
  8. Maximize Hanging Storage.
Feb 9, 2023

How to make a long, narrow closet functional? ›

Increase The Number Open Cubbies

If you want to expand the usable space of a long narrow closet, or want more space to move around in depth, try open cubbies, which will perform a marvelous result. The open design reduces the blockage of dividers or doors, and further increases the depth of the narrow closet.

What is the narrowest depth for a closet? ›

The comfortable recommended depth of a closet is 24” (61 cm), but closet depths as narrow as 20” (50.8 cm) can be used if desired. Shelf depths of 12” (30.5 cm) should be used for shoes and smaller clothing elements.

What size is a dream closet? ›

Layout and Space Needs for Your Dream Closet

Your walk-in closet should measure at least 7 feet by 10 feet, preferably 10 by 10 if two people will be using the space.

How wide is a narrow closet? ›

1. What's Your Closet Type?
Closet TypeDimensions
Small walk-in4 ft. x 8 ft. x 4 ft.
Medium walk-in7 ft. x 9 ft. x 6 ft. (up to 12 ft. wide)
Large walk-in12 ft. x 14 ft. x 7 ft.
Extra-large walk-in, dressing room style12 ft. x 14 ft. x 7ft deep (or larger, up to 17 ft. deep)
1 more row
Jan 14, 2020

What is a good closet width? ›

A closet that is 6 feet wide or more can give you more space both on the side and back wall and still leave enough room in the center of the closet. If your closet has a greater depth than 10 feet, you can even have an island or seating inside the closet.

What color makes a closet look bigger? ›

Choose Light Colors for Small Closets

Light colors like white, beige, and other pastel colors do an excellent job at making your tiny closet appear larger.

How can I make my closet look amazing? ›

You can make your closet more organized, functional, and visually appealing with big and small upgrades including shelving, racks, rods, wall hooks, shoe storage, lighting, paint, wallpaper, seating, rugs, and decor.

How do I organize my closet with dead space? ›

Unlocking Hidden Storage: 10 Creative Ways to Utilize Dead Space in Your Closet
  1. Overcoming Frustration: Vertical Shelving. ...
  2. Tackling Stress: Underutilized Floor Space. ...
  3. Visual Harmony: Transparent Storage Boxes. ...
  4. Increased Confidence: Accessory Hooks. ...
  5. Reduced Clutter: Shoe Cubbies. ...
  6. Mindful Living: Jewelry Trays.
Dec 1, 2023

How does Marie Kondo organize her closet? ›

The KonMari Method™ encourages tidying by category – not by location – beginning with clothes, then moving on to books, papers, komono (miscellaneous items), and, finally, sentimental items. Keep only those things that speak to the heart, and discard items that no longer spark joy.

How narrow is too narrow for a walk-in closet? ›

Minimum. Small walk-in closet sizes can be, at the absolute minimum, 4 x 4 feet or 16 square feet total. This leaves room for the 24 inches needed to hang clothes as well as the standard 24 inches of clear walkway for people to be able to step inside of the space.

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