Perfect Children's Closet Organizer

awesome kids closet organizer
Difficulty
Intermediate
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Build your own full width kid's closet organizer, no matter the width of your closet.  We love the open bottom perfect for toy bins, the shelves at lower heights so littles can easily access their favorite clothes.  And there's even a little hanging space for mom (to hang those cut outfits!).  

organizing a kids closet

Why We Love This Closet

  • Custom Sized - A tailored fit looks so much better than making something work and blocking the walls out for closet rods.  
  • Beyond Clothes - This kids closet is perfect for storing clothes AND toys, books, blankets and out of season items.  
  • User Friendly - The higher placed shelving is suitable for adult placing (think hanging outfits or top shelf bins).  The lower storage areas, like the toy bins and milk crates for socks, are perfect for littles to access and use independantly.
  • Grows with Them - with adjustable shelves and removeable milk crates, this closet is ready to grown with your child.  
  • Designed to Last - you just have one closet to make amazing.  Why not do it right the first time with the right materials?  This closet was built using 3/4" hardwood plywood and easy to repair, repaint, and repurpose.

 

VIDEO - Watch Me Build this Closet Organizer

This closet was actually super easy to tackle and install!  In this video I'll show you how I built this closet.

 

Pin For Later! 

Custom Full Width Kid's Closet Organizer

Preparation

Shopping List

 

  • 3/4" plywood ripped to 11.25" (as needed for your closet design)
  • 3/4" edge banding for finishing front edges of plywood
  • 1 - 1x3 in the total width of your closet interior
  • Pocket Hole Jig set on 3/4" setting with 1-1/4" pocket hole screws
  • Optional Shelf Pins for adjustable shelves and Shelf Pin Jig
  • 3" wood screws (self tapping star bit recommended) for hanging on walls and matching bit
  • Drill
  • Table Saw
  • Miter Saw
  • Level and Stud Finder (for hanging in the closet)
  • Tape Measure
  • Paint or Stain and suitable finishing tools for desired finish

Instructions

Step 1

Designing Your Closet Organizer

Since closets come in varying sizes, it's best to measure your closet and design to fit your closet specifically.  Use Ana's Free Furniture Design App to create your own custom design and download the plans:

Click here to use this tool in a pop-up full page view

Here's the configuration I used:

  • Depth = 11.25"
  • Height = 48"
  • Width = Inside width of closet minus about 1" 
  • Bays = 3 - you may need more or less bays depending on your closet width.  Make sure shelf spans are between 12" (to prevent hard to access and build shelves) and 36" (to prevent sagging shelves)

The two outer bays I sized to fit standard milk crates.  I do suggest leaving out the shelves on top of the milk crates - they will just be in the way of accessing the milk crates.  And when your child grows (and clothes get longer), you can just remove the milk crates.

The middle shelves are all adjustable.

 

Cutting the Pieces

Download the plans for your custom design and cut the pieces from 3/4" plywood.  The front edges of the plywood need to be finished with 3/4" edge banding applied to an iron, then trimmed off and sanded.

Step 2

Once you have your carcass pieces cut and front edges finished, simply build the two outside towers with 3/4" pocket holes and 1-1/4" pocket hole screws.

For the middle pieces, also attach the top shelf to a same sized bay support.  The bottom shelf of the middle should be drilled with pocket holes for attaching on final assembly. 

Paint or stain the closet pieces.

Place inside the closet and attach middle top and bottom to the two outer towers.

Hang the organizer about 24" off the floor through the back cleats into studs in the wall.

Add closet rods and shelf pins for adjustable shelves.

Finishing Instructions
Preparation Instructions
Sanded with medium grit sandpaper
Finish Used
Roll and brushed organizer with paint with primer in semi-gloss.
I did sand between coats with fine grit sandpaper.

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