Converting this cupboard into a wardrobe, options?

Wkdwill

Hi

Im wondering if I could get some opinions from anyone.

I have a large cupboard in my bedroom which we would like to convert into a wardrobe for both my husband and myself, we did originally put 2 rails in to hang clothes on but we still dont have enough space and I think we could get much more out of it. Can I also add that this cupboard is used to access the loft, alhough we very rarely do.

Ill do my best to describe it to you, you open a standard size door to the cupboard and from the door to the back measures 80cm, then from the hinge of the door (left side) measuring across to the right measures 135cm (the door itself measure 74cm wide) and is about 8ft high.

Im looking for cheap options here, as in doing everything ourselves, possibly making our own shelves etc.

Thanks in advance.

Doozergirl

Mine's like yours it's work in progress too!

In front of you when you open the door I have a shelf higher up which holds my handbags. Underneath is the big hanging rail for clothes. Then under that I'm going to have more rails placed like a shoe rack like this (if you imagine the sides are actually my walls!)
http://www.cotswoldco.com/uk-info/storage/shoe_storage/telescopic_shoe_storage_rack/7857.html

And then directly to the right when you open the door on the right I have a single 50cm wide Ikea PAX wardrobe facing towards me which is absolutely stacked with drawers and baskets from the Komplement range. It has no door on it because you wouldn't be able to open it sensibly but it's all hidden away anyhoo

I don't know whether you'd be able to squeeze some skinny shelves in on the right hand side as well - you'd have to put your lesser used clothes on the hanging rail in the corner because it wouldn't be that easily accessible. Mine's not exactly spacious but we're getting loads in it right now! It used to be part of the ensuite - we divided it up so I now have a compact ensuite and a compact walk-in wardrobe!

If you divided up the shelf above the hanging rail with vertical pieces like cubby holes, you'd get more into/onto them. You could even make them so they fit those 99p storage boxes from Ikea into them, then you can pull them out and review what's inside.

A little money saving tip is that we went to the bit in B&Q where they cut worktops/wood etc for people - they always have offcuts of mdf which are perfect for shelves etc which they will sell to you for peanuts compared to the cost of a full sheet of mdf

macman

Whatever you do, don't prevent access to the loft. You may not use it often, but if you need emergency access one day (e.g. if your tank burst maybe) then you'll need it fast, and not blocked by shelves etc.

Atelier

Have you split your clothes into summer and winter? If you were to do this then you could buy a couple of large plastic storage boxes and by putting half away in the loft then you will not need as much space.

The recommendation for wardrobe / clothing storage is that each person should have 1 or 2 drawers (knickers/socks), hanging is predominantly half height with some provision for 3/4 and full length clothes. The rest is best folded and stacked.

One suggestion would be to have a full height rail running left to right and then under it, build some moveable cubby hole storage on castors that fill the width of the wardrobe.

If you were to have 2 units, both 600mm wide and 500mm deep with 300mm x 300mm pidgeon holes.

The one to the right could be 2 holes wide x 2 or 3 holes high (depending if you need full length hanging)

The one to the left would be 2 holes wide x 4 holes high.

If you make them from MDF then you would be able to make them from 2 x 2400mm x 1200mm sheets. Go to a B&Q warehouse and they will cost about £15 each. Work out the sizes of the sides, shelves etc and they will also cut them to the right size so all you have to do is screw them together.

Come your burst water tank then all you have to do is pull the units out, clear the hanging rail and you can get access to the loft.

Hope this helps.

Wkdwill wrote: »

Hi

Im wondering if I could get some opinions from anyone.

I have a large cupboard in my bedroom which we would like to convert into a wardrobe for both my husband and myself, we did originally put 2 rails in to hang clothes on but we still dont have enough space and I think we could get much more out of it. Can I also add that this cupboard is used to access the loft, alhough we very rarely do.

Ill do my best to describe it to you, you open a standard size door to the cupboard and from the door to the back measures 80cm, then from the hinge of the door (left side) measuring across to the right measures 135cm (the door itself measure 74cm wide) and is about 8ft high.

Im looking for cheap options here, as in doing everything ourselves, possibly making our own shelves etc.

Thanks in advance.