STORAGE SOLUTIONS

Closets and cupboards

Whether you’re purchasing a readymade cupboard or building a custom designed closet for your home, here are three recommendations to keep in mind.

IN CONTEXT Your cupboard should be suitable for the room it is in both in terms of design and appearance. For instance, if your bedroom is small, it’s better to opt for a built-in closet rather than an external cabinet that will take up precious space.

If you have high ceilings, make the most of them by opting for tall cupboards. You can stow away rarely used items like luggage on the top shelves.

Finally, choose the exterior look of your closet in keeping with the surrounding space. A charming distressed wood wardrobe would be perfect in a vintage bedroom but not so in a minimalist space with a modern feel. ERGONOMICS Closets should be structured for easy use. Digging into endlessly deep shelves to find your clothes or balancing on your toes to grab a handbag from its hook is a definite no-no. These commonsense rules aren’t always followed by manufacturers so put the cabinet to the test before you finalise the purchase!

Experts recommend limited cupboard depth so you don’t lose things at the back. About 24 inches is ideal to accommodate hanging clothes – increase this to 28 inches for coats and jackets. For shelf only closets, consider a depth of 14 inches and height of 10 inches. This allows you to stack folded garments right to the top of the shelf in a single row and see them all at a glance. Also, attached hooks for handbags or ties should be easily accessible. FUNCTIONAL Once you have the basic dimensions in place, look for the bells and whistles that will help you keep your belongings organised. One option is to buy a cupboard with a variety of handy ready-made features like a pullout rack for pants; drawers with built-in organisers for undergarments and ties; and shelves divided into separate sections for different categories of clothing and accessories.

If such a closet is either unavailable or beyond your budget, don’t worry; you can use innovative ideas to transform even a basic cupboard into an uberfunctional unit. Look for smart organisers like rotating hook holders to clip scarves and ties, drawer inserts that create separate compartments for undergarments and belts, and shelf dividers to keep your garment stacks from toppling.