Tania Sinel: how to build a custom closet from scratch

With this easy tutorial, you can learn how to build a custom closet from scratch.

I can't start a post with an ugly picture, so here is a peek at whats to come.

This closet tutorial goes something like this:

I went into Target for trash bags.

I came out with a freestanding closet unit.

Don't you just hate it when that happens?

Oh, and I hit the dollar spot too.

Truth be told, Cody's closet has been a sore subject in our house. He doesn't have closet doors, partly because he doesn't want them, and partly because there isn't room to open a full door with his current desk situation. Clothes are everywhere. Piles here and there, no hamper so everything winds up on the floor. Typical 15 year old boy I suppose. But it was driving us all crazy, even him.

So when I saw this storage unit while shopping for trash bags, I thought, "hey, that might work" and loaded it up in my cart.

Cody was out of town last weekend so I thought it would be the perfect time to install it.

It's basically this one. I couldn't find the exact color online.

I took a picture of the box if you want to search in the store for it.

It was around $70.00.

The following is a bunch of bad i phone pics, but it will explain help the process. Of course I added to it because I couldn't just leave the one unit well enough alone.

Get ready for your brain to hurt on this before picture:

As you can see, only about 2% of his clothes ever got hung up and there's a ton of wasted space.

Here is a picture of after I put the unit together and put it in the closet:

{FYI: It took about an hour and totally do-able for one person.}

Still a ton of un-utilized space.

So I measured everything out and went back to 2 Targets and got some wood bins.

I purchased 6 large and 4 small.

Brought them in and placed one on a shelf to see if tit would work.

The size yes, the color no.

Thank goodness I had a quart of this liquid aging magic on hand.

An hour later, and they matched perfectly.

The large bins happen to fit perfectly along the right side of the wardrobe. However, you aren't supposed to stack more than 2 high because they will tip over. I knew I wanted 6 high so I had to come up with a quick solution.

So I screwed a 2x4 into the studs and then using a nail gun, attached the bins to the 2x4.

Sturdy as can be.

Here's a tip if you want to do this.

Make sure the bottom bin is 100% level or your whole stack will be crooked in the end. I had to shim up the first bin to make ours level.

4 small ones on the left are for socks and underwear, big ones are for t shirts and shorts.

At the same time, and with the intent of it looking like a true built in, I added a shelf to the top that runs the length of the closet.

I did this by simply adding two pieces of 1x10 pine cut to length. I used the same accelerator on them to give them that grey finish.

I didn't need to nail them in, they fit very snug and rest on the wardrobe.

After all this work I decided I needed a little shopping break, so I went to Marshall's and picked up a grey wood box that will act as his hamper, and some matching hangers.

Are you ready to see the final result?

Get ready for picture overload, I was pretty proud of myself for knocking this out with no help and in one day!