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Behind Closet Door Storage

behind closet door storage closet storage
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Intermediate
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Claim two extra square feet in your closet with this amazing easy plan!

Guess  what goes on behind closet doors in the Knock-Off Wood house?
Scary, eh?  What could be behind Grace's closet doors . . . .
I'll give you a sec to put junior football helmet on . . .
What can you expect out of a preschooler's closet?

It's taken me weeks to get the courage to share the closet of a three year old with the world, but it's taken me months to take what was just a clever idea and turn it into . . .

A closet with even more storage

Here's the bottom.  You can see how I simply built bookshelves, attached them to the inside of existing closet doors, put the doors on hinges, and added a couple extra square feet of storage to a tiny closet.  Oh, those hooks are Command hooks from 3M - So easy to use, I love them!

When open, the doors opens completely flush, giving you the most room to access the inside of the closet (as long as there is not a wall or something in the way).  No those are not my bookcases (the saggy white ones), they are the last of the flat pack particle board furniture that I have in my home. When closed, the bookshelves sit in the door frame, taking up what used to be completely wasted space.  And in a house the size of mine, with exactly three closets, every square inch of a closet is prime real estate.

These are super easy to install.  Simply remove the bifold door hardware and attach the bifold doors with standard hinges as shown in the photo

The weight of the doors rests on wheels, so you can load the doors up.  In one closet door, I was able to store ALL of Grace's books.

That's alot of books!

Think of the possibilities - pantry items, toiletries, towels, accessories, and did anyone mention shoes?

And best of all?  I can close the doors live my dream of a simple, bare home, free of clutter.  No one (besides you, my friends) would ever know what's behind my closet doors.  All for around twenty bucks a door!

So wanna make your own?  Here's how I did.  You will need to alter your shelves to your own closet specifications.  So get your measuring tape out!

Pin For Later!

Behind Closed Door Storage

Measure to fit your closet doors.

Preparation

Shopping List

1x6 Boards Heavy duty hinges four caster wheels 1x2 Boards Anchoring bolts for hollow core doors Screws

Common Materials
Elmer's Wood Glue
Elmer's Wood Filler
120 grit sandpaper
primer
wood conditioner
paint
paint brush
Cut List

Cut your boards to fit your closet and closet doors.

Tools
Tape Measure
Speed Square
Pencil
Safety Glasses
Hearing Protection
Drill
Circular Saw
Power Sander
Level
Drill Bit Set
General Instructions

The success of this project greatly depends on building square, and installing level and square with a square closet opening.

Instructions

Step 1

First, measure your closet doors. If they are a standard 24″ wide, you will need to subtract 5 1/2″ to get a total door shelf of 18 1/2″ wide. That means all of the shelves will need to be cut at 17″ wide.

Measure the overall height of the doors and subtract two inches. Cut two 1x6s to this length. You will also need to cut as many shelves as desired to the shelf width (in my example, 17″ wide). Also cut 1×2 shelf trim to the shelf width, one more than the number you cut for shelves.

Step 2

Basically, you just build a shelf, as shown above, out of 1x6s. You have to make the shelf 5 1/2″ narrower than the closet door so that it has room to swing when opening and closing.

Step 3

Then you attach the 1x2s as shelf trim and supports. I used my Kreg Jig™ to build Grace’s closet doors, but you could also simply use 2″ wood screws countersunk. Don’t forget the glue.

Step 4

Then you attach the caster wheels to the bottom. You only need two caster wheels per door. I use 1 1/4″ caster wheels. Those are the pocket holes I used to build the shelf with.

Project Type
Bookshelf and Bookcase Plans
Room
Closets
Style
Children's and Kid's Room Furniture and Toy Plans

Comments

Sharon (not verified)

Sun, 10/10/2010 - 13:29

Question- What kind of wheels would you use on this project if you had carpet floors?

Farm Marm (not verified)

Sat, 11/20/2010 - 13:09

You have psychic powers! I had this exact idea in my head for month! I have a VERY small pantry and there isn't a door on it.. I've had many ideas for what kind of door to use. Needing space for the spice rack (I have about 100 jars of spices and mixes) I thought- what about the back of the door? For the front I want to use metal sheeting trimmed out ;) I have some Watkins brand spices that I want to put magnets on the back of and attatch to the door front (I have one of those "stainless" refrigerators)...besides the abc mags for the lil ones..Thanks Ana for the great site! I have become a stalker! ha ha! I have at least 40 projects saved for building! lol

Laura (not verified)

Sun, 12/26/2010 - 16:02

Perhaps consider switching your sliding doors for two hinged doors (non-bi-fold) ...
Use really good/heavy-weight hinges, to help accommodate the weight you put in these shelves (& try not to get carried away with loading them with super heavy items) ...
That way, you SHOULD be able to get away withOUT having to add wheels on the bottom on the shelves ...
and you won't have to give up on this storage idea because of that 2" rise in your closet floor.
Just something to ponder. =)

Laura (not verified)

Sun, 12/26/2010 - 16:05

oops! Ana mentions this idea below ... =}
I agree with her, though ... this should work just fine =)

Twin over Full… (not verified)

Sun, 01/02/2011 - 20:07

[...] probably my marriage too), a storage sofa that  also sleeps one, a coffee table that hides legos, closet doors that add 25% more storage to your closets, lockers for your closetless entryways, or storage beds to increase storage dramatically in [...]

sue underwood (not verified)

Fri, 01/07/2011 - 18:20

would this work with a single bifold door that is unable to open past 90 degrees? is there any way i could accommodate that? thanks so much!

Amanda (not verified)

Thu, 01/13/2011 - 10:28

I can't believe how much I LOVE this...I think I'm actually getting an adrenaline high just thinking of what I can do in our house for storage! It's even making me want to delay putting our house on the market!! :) This is TOTALLY going in my daughter's room, and the shelves are also going in our master bedroom (along with the closet organizer plans!)!

Nina T. (not verified)

Sat, 02/05/2011 - 13:55

I absolutely LOVE this idea.....and for my own closet, not my kids!!! What an awesome idea!!!! I feel a honey-do list coming ! :P

Angie (not verified)

Sat, 02/05/2011 - 22:43

While looking for a way to actually use the huge space above my closet rod I came across your website....this is an absolutely brilliant idea...I think I will try this in my grand kids playroom!!

Alyssa (not verified)

Sun, 02/06/2011 - 05:47

This is a wonderful idea, and just what I've been looking for! Thank you so much for sharing! Now, I've never done a woodworking project. Would I have to drill my own pocket holes, or just use those types of screws? Do I have to cut my own wood - or will a Home Improvement store do that for me? The most I have in the tools department is a small electric screwdriver and a cheap-y "all you need" tool kit.

Sorry Mom « Th… (not verified)

Sun, 03/06/2011 - 10:59

[...] The first picture of the shelf may not have looked like much, but here it is installed in the bathroomYep, look at me go! I made that, but I couldn’t have done it without Ana’s genius. It took longer for the paint to dry that it did for me to build it. We can store a lot of stuff in that shelf. We’re a frugal family, we stock up when we find good deals and the challenge is finding a place for it all. I mean where are you going to store 15 body poufs that you pick up on clearance for 90% off? Well, you can store them on the top two shelves of this. If you wanna build your own, check out Ana’s site and find the plans here. [...]

Locksmith Jack… (not verified)

Fri, 07/29/2011 - 03:42

Ana, I can imagine your doubts of sharing these pictures of your kid’s closet, but let me tell you, this is the best idea ever! Congratulations for you, it was a beautiful work. I will take some of these ideas for mi child’s room. Thank you!

Guest (not verified)

Wed, 09/07/2011 - 18:52

Hi! I love your closet! Where did you get your white shelves that are inside the closet? Did you make those as well? Thanks!

AmandaV (not verified)

Wed, 12/28/2011 - 17:48

I have 2 girls sharing a small-ish room, and I have the shoe organizer over each door. Do you think there is more or better usable space using these organizers, or the shoe holder?
also their closet has space/ or a "cubby" area on each side. it really seems like wasted space, since it isn't the easiest to get to. anyone have any ideas for this area?
(on the right and left of the doors, this area is closet space, and you have to lean in and under the clothes to get to the space, HELP.. please of course )
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y251/flame_chick/DSCN9332.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y251/flame_chick/DSCN9337.jpg

tannisg

Tue, 01/10/2012 - 07:58

I love these shelves, and I love that it uses that wasted space!

I am going to build a new closet organizer for my big girls room (9 and 12) They say not to make the shelves deeper than 12 inches so things dont get lost back there (like they do now at the bottom of drawers and "I don't have anything to wear!!") but that leaves a lot of real estate!

The problem is that there isn't room for the doors to swing out, they're pretty crammed in that room already.

I took off the sliding doors and replaced with a curtain so both sides can be accessed at once.

I am trying to wrap my brain around a rotating shelf similar to this one:
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=21748&filter=pantry

but I don't know where/how to attach it (floor to ceiling pole?) or what kind of hardware to use. The shelves themselves I think I would like to make just like these - 1 by 6 box with shelves and open on both sides with 1 by 2 rails to keep stuff in (I'm thinking lotion bottles, small bins of pencils, hair stuff, etc)

Any thoughts on the hardware? I also posted in the project suggestions but I thought I'd try both - thanks!

Bubba's mom (not verified)

Fri, 03/09/2012 - 20:51

I love this idea! Looking at my closet doors (which are set up just like the picture), I feel like it would hit the side molding when trying to open it if I converted to non-bi-fold. Anyone have any issues with that?

Frequently Asked Questions

Wood Questions

What kind of wood should I use?
Most of our plans use standard construction lumber like pine or fir. It's affordable, easy to work with, and easy to find. It's also rapidly renewing and biodegradable, so a great eco friendly choice!

Can I use hardwoods instead?
Yes—just keep in mind they're heavier, cost more, and can be tougher on tools and harder to join together and finish. I recommend not tackling a hardwood project until after you have built several softwood projects.

What if my boards are warped?
Choose the straightest boards at the store. You can often work around slight warps by cutting them into shorter pieces.

What wood should I use for outdoor furniture?
Use red-toned or pressure-treated 2x lumber for framing, and cedar or cedar fence pickets for the decking. Outdoor furniture should be built like a deck—your local home center can help recommend the right wood for your climate.

Will my wood move or warp after I build?
Potentially, especially in humid climates. Let your wood acclimate indoors before building. Once acclimated and kept in a stable environment, movement should be minimal. Remember, most houses are built using framing lumber - it's all about keeping moisture down indoors.

Cutting Questions

Do I need a miter saw?
A miter saw is great, creating fast, safe, and precise cuts, even for beginners. But most plans can be built with a circular saw and a straight edge. If using a circular saw to cut, take time to practice, and get good at making cuts, before cutting your project boards.

How do I get clean cuts with a circular saw?
Clamp your board, measure twice, cut slow, and use a sharp blade. This takes practice, so spend some time making cuts. I go through becoming proficient at freehand cutting in my course, it is worth taking if you want to master this skill.

Will the store cut my wood?
Yes—most stores will do rough cuts to help you transport your materials home. But from store to store, the quality of cuts could greatly vary.

Joinery Questions

What screws should I use?
We recommend star-head self tapping screws for framing, most common sizes are 2-1/2", 1-3/4". Pre-drill if close to the edge or you find your wood is splitting.

Do I have to use pocket holes?
Pocket holes are the cheapest, easiest and fastest way to do some joints - like edge to edge or a hidden fastener joint. There are other methods, but these can be time consuming and expensive. We recommend using pocket holes as indicated in plans for best results.

How do I keep things square?
Use a speed square and measure diagonals after each step. Always clamp joints before screwing to keep them tight and flush.

Finishing Questions

Stain or paint before or after building?
A quick sand before and a full finish after gives the best results. Pre-finish if you're doing two-tone or detailed finishes.

What type of finish?
Use oil-based or water-based stain. For paint, cabinet-grade latex or enamel works great. High use surfaces on indoor projects should get a coat of polyurethane, I recommend a Helsman or Spar or other flexible poly that won't crack or peel with wood movement. For exterior projects, use a finish suitable for exterior fences.

How to get a smooth finish?
Start with a well sanded project. Sand between coats (220 grit), wipe clean, and apply light coats with a foam brush or roller.

Plan Questions

Can I change the size?
Many people do, and that's the great thing about building your own furniture! But do keep in mind going bigger might mean more supports are required, and often plans are optimized for minimal material waste.

Are these beginner-friendly?
Yes—plans are written with simple tools and clear steps in mind, with every effort to make plans as simple as possible.

Can I sell what I build?
Absolutely! Just don’t resell or repost the plans themselves.

General Questions

What tools do I really need?
A drill, circular saw, tape measure, square, and a few clamps will get you through most projects.

Do I need a workshop?
Nope! A driveway or small patio is plenty to get started, just make sure you have a level place to work. If you find you are building several projects a year, creating a small workbench is a great way to store tools and have a dedicated workspace.

What if I mess up?
Wood filler, sanding, or flipping boards goes a long way. Mistakes are part of the process!

What can I do to make my projects look more professional?
Start with straight boards, make accurate cuts, clamp all joints, and line up everything neatly. Sand thoroughly, use a neutral finish, and apply it in light coats for a clean look.

I've never built anything before. Where should I start?
Start with a few smaller softwood projects to get hands-on experience. Or if you're tackling a big project, buy a little extra lumber and practice your cuts and joints first. If possible, work with someone who has a bit of experience.

Care & Maintenance

How long will my furniture last?
With good joinery and regular care, your DIY furniture can last for decades. I have pieces in my own home that are over 20 years old and still going strong! One of the best parts about DIY furniture is that it’s easy to repaint, refinish, or repair—so your projects can grow and adapt with you.

How should I care for outdoor furniture?
Lightly pressure wash or hose it down once or twice a year. Tighten screws and reapply finish as needed to protect it—just like a deck or fence. A little upkeep goes a long way in extending the life of your furniture.

How about indoor furniture?
Regularly dust or wipe with a damp cloth. If it starts to look worn, a light sanding and touch-up paint or stain can refresh it in no time. DIY pieces are meant to be durable and fixable—so don’t be afraid to give them some love now and then.

Want to Build with Confidence?

Check out my ebook: 12 Skills to Build Your Own Furniture
It walks you through the core skills every builder needs—measuring, cutting, joinery, and finishing—so you can build beautiful furniture that lasts.

Still Have Questions?

Email us anytime at [email protected] and we’ll be happy to help!