Remodeling Contractors

source: Kendyl Young, Flickr.com

These days, closets are as important to a home as bedrooms or bathrooms. Not only are they growing in size but they’re becoming more and more sophisticated, and a hanging rod and a few shelves just don’t cut it anymore. Whether you live in an upscale Los Angeles home and you’re looking to build a walk-in closet, or if you’re on a relatively tight budget and looking to improve your existing closet, the following are a few remodeling tips that can help you maximize your space and make efficient choices.

What Stays and What Goes?

Whether you want your closet to be able to hold more clothing or you just want it less cluttered and easier to access, you should go through your things and get rid of any items you no longer wear. In an organized closet each item has its own place, so if there’s not enough room in your closet for everything consider moving things out. A dresser outside of your closet can be filled with those unused things instead of installing drawers inside your closet that take up space and crowd the area.

Tidying Up

If you have a standard rod-and-shelf closet, one way to get more hanging space is to install a second hanging rod. This may necessitate moving the original rod either higher or lower so that there is enough space between the two, but if your closet reaches the ceiling this shouldn’t be a problem in most homes. Small drawers can be added for undergarments, drawers with clear fronts are great for storing small accessories and hooks can be installed to hang belts, hats and ties. Contact a professional remodeling contractor to help you pick out the right items and install them in your closet.

Using Your Space

Take advantage of all the space in your closet. Even if you’re not tall enough to reach the top of your closet you can still store rarely-used items there. The same is true for the bottom of the closet – there may be room to store things beneath the lowest shelves. Put things in roll-out boxes and store them there, but be sure to label the boxes on the outside so that you can readily find things when necessary.

Lighting

Lighting is an important factor in your closet. You want to be able to see what you have and not miss something because it’s too dark; and you also want to select the right item and not find out later that that black blouse is actually navy blue or those slacks and jacket aren’t really a match. Make sure the lighting you install is not behind you, casting a shadow, and that there are no incandescent light bulbs too close to items of clothing that could heat up and start a fire. If either of these problems exist in your closet contact an electrician and have him move your sockets and light fixtures.

Flooring

Make sure your closet is clean and tidy. You don’t want dusty or moldy clothing, so contact a flooring contractor and replace that old, worn-out flooring with a new hardwood or carpet flooring. While a carpet will keep you warm when you’re barefoot and picking out what to wear, it’s harder to clean and collects dust.

The best way to take advantage of your closet is to organize it. Whether you’re installing shelving, more rods, or any other feature, be sure to hire an experienced professional.