With all the extra time at home these days, this is the perfect opportunity to reassess your home, and set yourself up for success when we all return to work and play! I recently had the pleasure of designing a dramatic before/after transformation for a couple of Bay Area professionals. The closet is a shared space, and doesn’t have an excess of square footage like a lot of the dressing rooms we share on the blog. It’s a space like many of us already have in our homes! These often present the greatest design challenge, as every square inch needs to be utilized, and functional. There is no room for waste!

In this client’s case, both husband and wife are busy working professionals, and need this space to serve their individual needs and preferences. In this post, I want to share a few of the ways we reconfigured the space for a more functional flow, while giving the entire design a dramatic facelift for a more fabulous first impression!

ORGANIZE BY LENGTH

This is a good rule of thumb for any closet, but is especially critical when you’re sharing a space with a spouse or partner. Identify the categories of clothing by length. Maybe you can share one area for your longest items (slacks, coats, evening dresses), freeing up more space for you individually to separate your shorter everyday items. Maybe not! But taking stock in this way will help you to identify which areas of your respective wardrobes are eating up space and wasting valuable real estate in your closet. This, along with keeping your hangers consistent (shop these with HangersDirect) will make for a more curated and merchandised look!

UTILIZE PULL-OUT SHELVES

When you’re using the full depth of your space, you want to make sure you can reach everything easily. In order to store as much as possible within reach, I recommend pull-out shelves! These will help you to access everything on a shelf, not just the first item you see. This way, you can keep your most frequently used folded items and accessories below eye level, and reserve the upper areas of your closet for more archival / seasonal storage.

CREATE SEPARATION

Just because you’re sharing a small space doesn’t mean your items have to be stacked on top of each other. Create separation wherever possible. Your morning routine and your marriage will thank you! Whether this is by separating your items entirely, or creating a designated spot for each of you to land at the end of the day (a bureau, dresser top, etc), you should each have your own personal “place” in the closet. Additionally, separating items within a shelf and drawer helps to maintain order within any high-traffic space. Use shelf dividers and drawer inserts to keep everything in its place!

KEEP EVERYTHING VISIBLE

You don’t have to display your pieces, and you may not have the luxury of space to do so! But, it is critical that you are able to see what’s in your closet, otherwise you’ll never use it. File larger items like suitcases and handbags sideways, so you can easily identify them and use the full depth of your space. This way you avoid having to store items in front of one another… Never store something behind! You’ll lose it forever.

Hopefully this post inspires you to take a look at some spaces in your own home that can better serve your lifestyle! Whether it’s a mud room, entryway, wardrobe nook, or even a wide hallway, I think this closet proves that even small spaces can pack a big punch! For a full interview with me about this project, and a little more backstory on the clients’ needs, check out the feature in CA Home+Design!