Oh, Those
Closets!
A companion piece to Lynette Ranney
Black’s Dream Sewing Spaces.
For many of us, finding
WOMEN
storage space for our
sewing paraphernalia is our
biggest challenge. It’s
Height __________________ Shelf or Drawer
logical to use the closets in Reach___________________ Space Requirements
our home, but they are Ceiling Height ____________ #_____ Sweaters ____________ Folded Size
already stuffed full! Closet #_____ T-Shirts _____________ Folded Size
organization may be the Hanging Space Requirements #_____ Shorts ______________ Folded Size
key for carving out more # ______ Shirts __________________ Length #_____ Swimsuits ____________ Folded Size
storage space. A wide # ______ Skirts __________________ Length #_____ Beach Cover-ups ______ Folded
array of closet storage # ______ Pants __________________ Length #_____ Slips ________________ Folded Size
units and accessories can # ______ Jackets _________________ Length #_____ Camisoles ___________ Folded Size
be found in home #_____ Bras ________________ Folded Size
# ______ Coats __________________ Length
improvement, housewares,
# ______ Dresses ________________ Length #_____ Underwear __________ Folded Size
and other specialty stores.
# ______ Jumpsuits _______________ Length #_____ Nylons/Pantyhose _____ Folded
# ______ Evening Dresses _________ Length #_____ Socks _______________ Folded
Clothing # ______ Robes __________________ Length
# ______ Other __________________ Length
____________________ Rolled
#_____ Nightgowns/Pajamas __ Folded
Inventory # ______ Other __________________ Length # ____ Shoes _______ Inches
# ____ Maintained in Boxes? _______
Identify your needs and the Miscellaneous Storage # ____ Purses
spatial requirements of # ______ Belts # ____ Hats
clothing and household # ______ Scarves # ____ Gloves
goods before planning the # ______ Necklaces # ____ Other
closet. Here is a checklist, # ______ Other Jewelry # ____ Other
followed by dimensional
information on typical Related Storage
clothing and linen storage. Soiled Clothing Hamper Size _________
Mirror Size _______
Travel Rod/Temporary Hanging Size _______
Suitcase Storage _______________
Packing Shelf _________________
Size _____ ”x ______”x ______”
Size _____ ”x ______”x ______”
Iron/Ironing Board _______________________
Briefcase Shelf __________________________
Sitting Area ____________________________
Other _________________________________
Other _________________________________
1 ©2010 Palmer/Pletsch Inc., www.palmerpletsch.com
MEN
Height __________________
Reach___________________
Ceiling Height ____________
Hanging Space Requirements
# ______ Dress Shirts _____________ Length
# ______ Casual Shirts ____________ Length
# ______ Dress Slacks ____________ Length
# ______ Casual Slacks ____________ Length
# ______ Jeans __________________ Length
# ______ Jackets _________________ Length
# ______ Robes _________________ Length
# ______ Coats __________________ Length
# ______ Other _________________ Length
# ______ Other _________________ Length
Shelf or Drawer Space Requirements
# ______ Dress Shirts _____________ Folded Size
# ______ Casual Shirts ____________ Folded Size
# ______ Sweaters _______________ Folded Size
# ______ Walking Shorts __________ Folded Size
# ______ Jeans __________________ Folded Size
# ______ Swimsuits ______________ Folded Size
# ______ T-Shirts ________________ Folded Size
# ______ Sweatshirts _____________ Folded Size
# ______ Socks __________________ Folded
__________________ Rolled
# ______ Shorts _________________ Folded Size
# ______ Pajamas ________________ Folded Size
# ______ Hats/Caps
# ______ Handkerchiefs
# ______ Shoes __________________ Inches
Maintained in Shoe Boxes?
# ______ Other
# ______ Other
Miscellaneous Storage
# ______ Ties ___________________ Length # ______ Belts __________________ Length
2
Typical Dimensions—Women’s Clothing & Accesories
6” 6” 5” 5” 8” 4-8” 4” 3-6”
Shirts/T-shirts
Hanging: 29” long
1” pole space Jackets
Hanging:
31-38” long Pants Skirts
2” pole space Hanging: Hanging:
26-40” long, 31-40” long
1” pole space 1” pole space
Dresses/short nightgowns Coats
Shirts/T-shirts Hanging: 45-54” long Hanging:
10”x 13” Pants
16”x 16” 2” pole space 45-54” long
2-4” pole space
Robes (floor length) Nightgowns (full length)
Hanging: 60-64” long Hanging: 60-64” long
Men’s Clothing & Accessories 2” pole space 1-2” pole space
6” 4” 6-9” 6-8” 4”
Ties
27”
T-shirts
Sweaters 10”x13”
10”x14”
Walking Shorts Pajamas
16”x16” 8”x13”
Dress/Casual Shirts
Hanging: 33-39” long
1” pole space Jackets Belts
Slacks/Jeans Hanging: 34-44” Folded:
Hanging: 20-40” 38-45” long 4½”
long, 1” pole space 2-3” pole space Socks x10”
Rolled: 4”x 5”
Coats
Hanging: 50-66” long
3-4” pole space
Robes
Dress Shirts/ Hanging: 50-66” long
Casual Shirts 2” pole space Shoes
Slacks/Jeans Hats Dress: Slippers: Boots:
16”x16”
16”x16” 10”x 6”x11” Handkerchiefs 4 2/3”x3½” 9”x 6”x12” 9”x 4”x12” 9”x 11-30”x12”
3
Typical Closet
6-18” 2” Accessory Dimensions
Built-in Shoe Racks:9”x6” each cubby
Freestanding Floor Shoe Rack: 21”x 8”x 10”
Shoe Bag: 20”x 36”x 8”
13”x 57”x 15”
Purse Rack: no. of purses x 12”x 10”
Sweaters Hat Box: 12” and 14” diameter
Folded: 11”x13” Garment Bag: 20”-21” x 57”x 8”-24”
Boot Rack: 18”
Tie Rack: 18”
Hangers: 16-21”
Recommended Rod
Shorts Folded: Placement and Support
14”x 8” (short)
14”x12” (knee length) Rod heights (height of rod and shelf above rod)
Scarves may vary according to the height and vertical
Hanging: 30-40” reach of the person using the closet and the
length of clothing owned. Common rod
Belts
Hanging: 24-34” long heights for clothes are as follows:
Height
from
Item Floor
Floor-length Gowns/Robes 68-72”
Street-length Dresses/Coats 54-63”
Slips ( half slips, Shirts/Pants/Skirts/Jackets 48”
camisoles)
Children’s Clothing 32-45”
10”x11” Double Pole (apart) 36-45”
Swimsuits
Evening Dresses
12”x12” Recommended
Hanging: 60-69” long
2-6” pole space Maximum Span
Necklaces
18”-36” Pole Size Max. Span
Jumpsuits
Hanging: 60-64” long Wood 1 1/8” diameter 3 feet
2” pole space Wood 1 3/8” diameter 4 feet
Wood 1 5/8” diameter 5 feet
Metal 3/4” diameter 6 feet
Metal 1” diameter 8 feet
Metal 1 1/4” diameter 10 feet
Stockings &
Pantyhose Shelves should be 2-3” above rods to allow
Socks
Folded: 4”x10” space to lift the hanger off the rod without
Folded: 4”x10”
Rolled: 4”x 6” hitting the overhead surface.
Rolled: 4”x 5”
Purses
Shoulder: 12”x10”
Clutch: 14”x 8”
Gloves 5”x 8½”-22”
Recommended Maximum
Loads for Shelving
Plywood Thickness
Span 3/8” 1/2” 5/8” 3/4”
12” 163 330 593 817
16” 68 138 249 374
Shoes 20” 35 71 127 191
Dress: 24” 20 41 75 111
4”x 6”x 9½” 32” - 17 30 46
Boots: 36” - 12 22 33
6½”x 8-14”x10½” 40” - - 16 24
Slippers:
48” - - 10 14
4”x 4”x10”
(Maximum load: pounds per square feet)
4
Minimum Closet Solutions
Closet Now that you know what you have to store and how much space
Sizes is needed, what do you do now? How can you rearrange the
space or organize the closet better to free up space? Let’s look at
some “before” and “after” closets to give you ideas.
Reach-in Closet
The minimum front-to-back depth of space
Reorganize Two Closets
for hanging clothes is 24”. The accessible Create an empty closet to claim for sewing by reorganizing
rod length is equal to the width of the door and redesigning two closets...
opening, plus 6” on each side.
at least 24”
Edge-in Closet
With an edge-in space of at least 18”, the
accessible rod length can be much longer
than the door width. HIS HERS
at least 18”
Walk-in Closet
This type provides rods on one, two or
three sides of an access path at least 20”
wide. A wider access space within the
closet may be used as a dressing area.
at least
20”
THE NEW “THEIRS”
5
Reorganize a Walk-In Closet A Coat Closet
Using just two walls of this walk-in closet for clothing really opened up Reorganization
the space, and actually provides more storage (no “lost” corner spaces). A coat closet doesn’t have to be
Double poles, dresser drawers, and high shelves all add usable space. a jumble. Consider dropping the
pole height down for the longest
coat and adding more shelves
above for hats and gloves. A
simple shoe rack keeps boots
and shoes organized.
left view
right view
BEFORE
6
The Linen Closet The Food Pantry
Another closet that may benefit from reorganization is The best shelf depth for storage of cans, jars and
the linen closet. Are linens scattered in more than one food boxes is 9”. Storage of extra pots, pans, and
closet? Could they be combined into one if you bowls should be 12”. Vary the shelf depths as
customized your closet? Here’s a possible solution: needed so you can store as much as possible in as
little space as possible. By reorganizing my food
pantry (I changed the depth and height of the
Linen shelves for specialized needs), I opened up space
Dimensions for sewing storage adjacent to my sewing/office
area (see pages 100-103 in Dream Sewing Spaces).
FLAT SHEETS:
Twin
12”
72”x108” fold to 9”x13½”
Double
81”x108” fold to 10 1/8”x13½”
Queen
7”
90”x115” fold to 11¼”x14 3/8”
King
108”x120” fold to 13½”x 15” 7”
FITTED SHEETS:
Twin
39”x 76” fold to 9 3/4”x 9½” 12”
Double
54”x 76” fold to 13½”x 9½”
Queen
60”x 80” fold to 15”x 10”
King 12”
72”x 84” fold to 18”x 10½”
Standard Pillowcases
21”x 33” fold to 7”x 11”
King Pillowcases 8”
21”x 45” fold to 7”x 15”
Twin Blanket
66”x 90” fold to 16½” x 22½” 10”
BEFORE
72”x 90” fold to 18”x 22½”
Double Blanket
80”x 90” fold to 20”x 22½”
Queen/King Blanket 10”
108”x 90” fold to 27”x 22½”
Hand Towel
11”x 18” fold to 5½”x 9” 24” 9” food
12”x 20” fold to 6”x 10”
AFTER
18”
Face Towel
Wash Cloth
15”x 26” fold to 7½ x 13” 12” for pots and
9”x 9” fold to 4½” x 9” Great for
16”x 32” fold to 8”x 16” household items
12”x 12” fold to 6”x 12” fabric and
18”x 36” fold to 9”x 18”
14”x 14” fold to 7”x 14” sewing storage!
Bath Towel
Bath Mat
22”x 44” fold to 11”x 11”
24”x 48” fold to 12”x 12”
20”x 30” fold to 10”x 7½” If space allows, consider
20”x 34” fold to 10”x 8½” creating bays (as shown
26”x 50” fold to 13”x 12½”
22”x 36” fold to 10”x 9”
28”x 52” fold to 14”x 13” on page 112 of Dream
Bath Sheet
Note: There is no standard Sewing Spaces) to use for
36”x 68” fold to 12”x 17”
method of folding linens. food storage. Think of
Fold to fit your storage area.
44”x 72” fold to 14¾”x 18” your pantry as an efficient
grocery store!
7 Visit www.palmerpletsch.com for information about Dream Sewing Spaces
