(XL) Walk - In Closet
I was lucky enough to find a two-bedroom within 10-15 minutes of each of my jobs when I first moved out on my own. It was a basement/ground level unit with four good-sized rooms and a decent bathroom. My living room was big enough for my giant old-school TV, my desk/work space, and some dumbbells and yoga mats, so the second bedroom was available for something else. Now, sure, I could have found a roommate and cut down the cost of living, but I don't think I surprised anybody by turning it into a giant closet/dressing space instead.
I was extra-fortunate because my family had a bunch of furniture items they didn't want/need and had some items in storage, so all I really had to buy for this room were the curtain rods, lamp, and two beige "book" shelves. The curtain rods came from Walmart and I was pleasantly surprised by the neat little designs and how sturdy they were. The lamp was also from Walmart and I purchased the shelves through a Facebook yard sale group for $50. The bureau, closet organizers, and other small items came from various family members (my brother and my mom's BF even carried the giant bureau into the apartment for me!). The stackable closet organizers, which were originally from Home Depot, are awesome! These little shelves and drawers can be used separately or together in all sorts of configurations. I'm on my third apartment now and am still using them in my closets.
OK, I'll admit it, I have a bit of a shoe problem. I know. But aren't the shelves of pumps and boots so pretty? Shoes were split into different categories... wedges, work pumps, fun pumps, sandals, booties, boots, sneakers, and so on. I put dresses on one wall, with strapless dresses and skirts on another curtain rod in the same corner. On one side of the far wall, I put dress shirts, blouses, and blazers and on the other side, chunky sweaters, flannels, and other miscellaneous items. The bureau was great for accessories (tights, belts, hats, etc.) and the big drawers on the bottom filled up quickly with t-shirts, sweatshirts, and other lounge-wear and athletisure.
I have since gotten rid of (donated and consigned) a good amount of shoes and clothes, but it was so fun having everything on display. I feel as though I was a lot more creative with my outfits and really used all of the different items I had because I could see what I had to work with. It was very easy to keep this room tidy; the room itself was pretty big and everything in it had a home... clothes rarely piled up anywhere and shoes went right back on the shelf they came from, so it always looked neat and it was easy for me to find anything I was looking for.
Tip: Even when I've had smaller closets, I don't "store things seasonally..." unless you're in a dorm or somewhere that's super tiny, I wouldn't recommend tucking sweaters or tanks away every few months. I like to layer a lot (especially here in Massachusetts, where some days go from 37 and rainy to 57 and sunny in a single day), so hiding items that I may want to layer with wouldn't help me very much. However- my closet isn't just full of random blouses and dresses shoved into wherever they'll fit. I hang items "seasonally"; all of my blouses and dresses are organized by sleeve length... if I'm every looking for a long sleeve dress, I know to check in the back right and if I ever need a tank (in the summer when it's hot or winter when I want to layer with a sweater or jacket), I know to look in the front left. It's much easier to navigate my closet when it is organized this way.
