No Closet? No Worries; 4 Options for Faking It

July 18, 2012

That title is an outright lie. No closet = major worries.

If you, poor soul, have somehow willingly committed yourself to living quarters that lack a bona-fide closet space, you will know the great extent of the worries involved in such a scenario. You will have no doubt spent countless nights tossing and turning, wondering “where will I hang my maxis?” and “how on earth will I keep my button-downs freshly pressed?” The thought of the deep wrinkles incurred by having to fold them causing glossy beads of sweat to form on your puckered brow.

First off, let me be the first to say; I’m sorry. I am so deeply sorry for you, my clementine, for your bleak and desperate plight. The voyage ahead will be trying, a true test of your will. But all hope is not lost. True, no substitute will ever be as sweet as the real deal, but there are ways to make up for your closet deficiency. In humblest of opinion, I offer the following:

The Clothes Rack

Not only are these easy to procure or assemble yourself, they are also, as of late, uber trendy. A clothes rack is guaranteed to take you from destitute to tre cute in a matter of moments!

I’ve seen these range from the very basic…

To the awesomely complex…

 

 

Image credits: Passion for Fashion,  Jennifer Hagler via Design Sponge, Cupcakes and Cashmere, hrrrthrrr, The Life Styled, Karina Holmen via Design to Inspire, Vanilla Scented via A Pair and a Spare

The Wall-Mounted Pseudo-Closet

If you want something that feels more permanently attached to your dwelling, less free-range and more chained down, than mounting some racks or shelves is your best bet. Again, this can be executed on the small or the large scale.

Image credits: Isabel Asha Penzlien via Design Sponge, IKEA, Design Shimmer via Decor8

The Cover-Up

Now, let’s say you like the idea of the aforementioned options, but you feel your clothes deserve an ounce of privacy. A place to call their own. We’re all deserving of at least that. Well, pop on your party hats and get to installing– a cabana or some curtains are sure to fit the bill.

Image credits: Glitter Guide, IKEA, unknown

The Lion, The Witch, and The You Better Believe I’m Going to Make Myself Some Closet Space!

Wardrobes are perhaps the most natural and obvious choice for the role of understudy to the closet. Wardrobes range in size and style, so fret not about finding one that will fit within your inexcusably measly square footage.

Image credits: House to Home, Party Tights, IKEA, Glamour

I do so hope that I have herein offered you a small glimmer of hope, a light at the end of the closet. Get creative, get to hangin’ and whatever you do, never surrender yourself to the lacking.

15 Comments

  1. Ronda on July 18, 2012 at 8:14 am

    Those are all great ideas but I particularly like the glass door wardrobes. But what I really want to tell you, Annie, is that you write so beautifully, vividly, hurmorously … (too early for me to think of more adjectives). As a self-proclaimed neat-freak, I love your articles. You could write fiction and I would enjoy it.

    • Annie on July 18, 2012 at 1:26 pm

      Ronda!! Thank you so much for that sweet comment, your words totally made my day! 🙂

  2. Revival Girl on July 18, 2012 at 8:46 am

    Great ideas and post! As someone who lives in a century home with a lack of decent closet space, I thank you 🙂

  3. pillowsalamode on July 18, 2012 at 10:04 am

    LOVE!!! I’m definitely bookmarking this post! 🙂

  4. Monica@beautyparler on July 18, 2012 at 11:21 am

    Obviously depending on size of your space these would work & I love that they look steamlined but the one near in the kitchen hmm wouldn’t want my clothes to smell like food:-))
    BTW, Annie you won my CoverFx giveaway. Congrats!!

  5. viv on July 18, 2012 at 2:01 pm

    These are all such great ideas!

  6. Dawn {The Alternative Wife} on July 18, 2012 at 2:59 pm

    Such great options! I grew up without a closet during highschool. I lived in my parents basement so I had some horrible clothes racks. Not fabulous at all. And now at the beach house I don’t have a closet in my bedroom so I’ve had to make do. Love all of these ideas. Will definitely be putting them to use. You always get me thinking 🙂 xoxo

  7. Crissie on July 18, 2012 at 6:31 pm

    Seriously Annie – you read my mind! Moving into a room in Sept that doesn’t have a closet (there’s one in the hall… not the same!) and I was looking for clothes rack inspo! This post is PERFECT!! xoxoxo

    • Annie on July 22, 2012 at 2:58 pm

      So happy the timing was right!! Really hope this post helps you.

  8. Rachel {little bits of lovely} on July 18, 2012 at 10:45 pm

    I actually really love the idea of having your clothes out on display and at the ready, rather than having to fossick through a cupboard. At least having some of your clothes out on a rack means you can access them so easily + its great if you are indecisive 🙂 These are all gorgeous ways of displaying them! xx

  9. Haley on July 25, 2012 at 12:09 am

    I LOVE THIS POST! That’s so helpful and exactly what I needed to read today because I’m thankfully working with a closet space (teeny tiny, but hey some closet is better than none, right?) and needing more ideas on how to store or organize and what to do with the other half of my closet that doesn’t fit in the “closet”. These are all wonderful ideas! thanks!

  10. […] of the most consistently read posts here on LS is the one titled No Closet? No Worries; 4 Options for Faking It. That this is one of the most highly sought after posts comes as no surprise to any of us, […]

  11. Chris on October 25, 2014 at 4:11 pm

    Alright here’s a tricky one for you. Got a small loft style room with no closet. Room is approx. 11 x 8. Has 2 windows though. Nice view of the parking lot and the street. What can be done with that?

  12. desk adventures on August 1, 2015 at 12:25 pm

    […] via […]

  13. Ann Valadon on July 18, 2018 at 9:58 am

    i just purchased plastic shelves from Home Depot for my basement. I saw your cover for metal racks and would like the instructions. It is just what I was looking for.

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15 Comments

  1. Ronda on July 18, 2012 at 8:14 am

    Those are all great ideas but I particularly like the glass door wardrobes. But what I really want to tell you, Annie, is that you write so beautifully, vividly, hurmorously … (too early for me to think of more adjectives). As a self-proclaimed neat-freak, I love your articles. You could write fiction and I would enjoy it.

    • Annie on July 18, 2012 at 1:26 pm

      Ronda!! Thank you so much for that sweet comment, your words totally made my day! 🙂

  2. Revival Girl on July 18, 2012 at 8:46 am

    Great ideas and post! As someone who lives in a century home with a lack of decent closet space, I thank you 🙂

  3. pillowsalamode on July 18, 2012 at 10:04 am

    LOVE!!! I’m definitely bookmarking this post! 🙂

  4. Monica@beautyparler on July 18, 2012 at 11:21 am

    Obviously depending on size of your space these would work & I love that they look steamlined but the one near in the kitchen hmm wouldn’t want my clothes to smell like food:-))
    BTW, Annie you won my CoverFx giveaway. Congrats!!

  5. viv on July 18, 2012 at 2:01 pm

    These are all such great ideas!

  6. Dawn {The Alternative Wife} on July 18, 2012 at 2:59 pm

    Such great options! I grew up without a closet during highschool. I lived in my parents basement so I had some horrible clothes racks. Not fabulous at all. And now at the beach house I don’t have a closet in my bedroom so I’ve had to make do. Love all of these ideas. Will definitely be putting them to use. You always get me thinking 🙂 xoxo

  7. Crissie on July 18, 2012 at 6:31 pm

    Seriously Annie – you read my mind! Moving into a room in Sept that doesn’t have a closet (there’s one in the hall… not the same!) and I was looking for clothes rack inspo! This post is PERFECT!! xoxoxo

    • Annie on July 22, 2012 at 2:58 pm

      So happy the timing was right!! Really hope this post helps you.

  8. Rachel {little bits of lovely} on July 18, 2012 at 10:45 pm

    I actually really love the idea of having your clothes out on display and at the ready, rather than having to fossick through a cupboard. At least having some of your clothes out on a rack means you can access them so easily + its great if you are indecisive 🙂 These are all gorgeous ways of displaying them! xx

  9. Haley on July 25, 2012 at 12:09 am

    I LOVE THIS POST! That’s so helpful and exactly what I needed to read today because I’m thankfully working with a closet space (teeny tiny, but hey some closet is better than none, right?) and needing more ideas on how to store or organize and what to do with the other half of my closet that doesn’t fit in the “closet”. These are all wonderful ideas! thanks!

  10. […] of the most consistently read posts here on LS is the one titled No Closet? No Worries; 4 Options for Faking It. That this is one of the most highly sought after posts comes as no surprise to any of us, […]

  11. Chris on October 25, 2014 at 4:11 pm

    Alright here’s a tricky one for you. Got a small loft style room with no closet. Room is approx. 11 x 8. Has 2 windows though. Nice view of the parking lot and the street. What can be done with that?

  12. desk adventures on August 1, 2015 at 12:25 pm

    […] via […]

  13. Ann Valadon on July 18, 2018 at 9:58 am

    i just purchased plastic shelves from Home Depot for my basement. I saw your cover for metal racks and would like the instructions. It is just what I was looking for.

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