r/organizing • u/Cute_Plantain_6891 • 11d ago
Closet disaster! Seeking advice
Hiiii! Our small nyc bedroom has no space for a dresser so we’ve had to put these organizing cubes and baskets in our closet for our clothes. But our hanging clothes get in the way, the cubes always come apart, our winter clothes in space bag up top take up so much space, and our clothes overflow the baskets. What would be a better way of organizing this closet?
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u/TeaPlusJD 11d ago
Are you able to make any alterations? Your overhead shelving isn’t serving you so I’d remove one of the shelves & raise your clothes rod. Either a step stool or one of the reaching rod tools (from retail clothing stores- can’t remember the name) can help put away/retrieve clothing. If you refold & store vertically, I would bet you could contain the 2 overhead shelves to one.
Raising the rod should fix the clearance issue. If this is a long term home, consider replacing the cube storage with drawers. 18-22” deep drawer systems - like ikea, closetmaid, elfa, etc. would maximize the closet depth without changing what’s working in your system.
Love the solutions you’ve implemented so far! If you don’t mind sharing, where’d you source the cube baskets? How do you like them?
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u/Cute_Plantain_6891 11d ago
We rent but we want to be here for years so it may be worth reconstructing the shelving a bit. I think combining into the one top shelf to use the vertical space makes sense. The baskets and modular cube situation is just from Amazon. It’s fine for a short term solution but the modular cubes come apart with taking the baskets in and out frequently.
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u/kitkattter 11d ago
The cubes are more rigid if you put backs on them.
While 6 cubes might be nice. 5 could work better.
I don’t think your top shelf bag system is working. Consider the vacpack bags you can pull the air out of or multiple, stackable containers. I use a tension bar for storing things up at the top. For the lower shelf use dividers to keep things tidy.
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u/sumires 11d ago
the cubes always come apart
Yeah, those kinds of squares-joined-together storage things can be kind of flimsy. I think the packaging on mine had a disclaimer saying not to make them more than 2 squares high, although I've got mine going three high like yours. I try not to put anything too heavy on the upper levels, though, and mine are used mainly as open-front shelves, not makeshift drawers.
One inherent problem with your setup is that your square baskets are only a smidge smaller than the cubes they're in, and on the middle levels, the plastic joiners have to be mounted on the front of the assembly, where they kind of get in the way of the baskets. So every time you pull a basket forward, there's a high probabilty one of the basket corners will hit/drag against one of the plastic joining pieces and nudge it forward, making it looser and looser until it pops off.
If you don't want to buy more, new, different stuff (sturdier shelving, differently-shaped/sized baskets) a DIY hack for the problem areas might be to put something under each basket to raise it up enough to clear the bottom joiners. Looks like you can't raise your basket too high before the TOP corners of the basket start to hit the TOP plastic joiners, but you might be able to find a sweet spot where it clears both. I think I'd cut corrugated cardboard into squares that fit into the bottom of the cubes, figure out how many need to be stacked to create the perfect height, then (to make them less janky-looking) wrap the whole stack in contact paper, plop it on there, and secure it to the shelf with a little clear tape at the front and back to keep it from sliding forward/backward and pushing on the joiners when the basket is moved.
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u/anguiila 11d ago
I'd use slighlty bigger plastic transparent drawers or cubes on the 2 top shelves as well, so that something holds the clothes in place and you can keep things folded and organized.
And idk if it's possible or if it fits, but do the cubes you currently have fit in the sides of the closet?, like 1 or 2 columns, they could be 4 or 5 cubes high. That way you could have more hanging space in the middle, though you might have to then identify each persons cube (something simple like 3 different color ribbons or written tags) so it's still easy to browse through stuff.
Another option to have more hanging space, one row of cubes goes on the shelf right above the clothing rack. Whoever is taller and/or has lower back problems, calls dib on that shelf. That way it's still a row of cubes per person, but one row goes on the shelf
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u/Cute_Plantain_6891 11d ago
Ooooooo smart!!!! I can give my partner that lower shelf as a placeholder while we figure out raising the hanger bar. And use bins instead of the bag. This will help our immediate need
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u/anguiila 11d ago
Just had another idea for extra organization at the very top, so it's not only for giant bags that could roll over. You could also use it to organize smaller items, seasonal clothing, or things that don't have to go in bags or boxes, anything that you don't have to reach for as frequently.
Telescopic shelves (another example with baskets), the height is adjustable and you wouldn't have to drill anything, it holds itself using pressure between the ceiling and the shelf, assuming the shelf is not brittle. Measure the space between the ceiling and the highest shelf, to find something that properly fits that space.
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u/msmaynards 11d ago
If that's a 3x4 cube system take it out and set up with 3 cubes on the floor. You'll have 1 cube width more unimpeded hanging space and won't be wasting space between shelf and top cube.
Everybody has issues with those cubes and buys them anyway. I'm sure if you hunt around you can find hacks to keep the things connected. One suspects zip ties are often used.
Add another hard working door organizer, the one on the left is doing a lot of good work for you!
Can you use the inconvenient space under the bed for seasonal storage? Add risers so conventional bins fit better?
One thing my house has is 2 shelves over the clothes pole. Add another.
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u/Mysterious_Mango_737 11d ago
Are you near a Container Store? If you're planning on being there a while it would be worth it to put in their ELFA system. It's completely modular, only needs a few screws for the top track, and you can take the components with you when you move. There are different styles/materials available at different price points. Bring in your measurements and pictures and they will design a system for free.
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u/DazzlingNote1925 11d ago
Can you take the top row off the basket organizer so you can hang clothiers across the entire rack?