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You are here: Home / Home / Home Neat Home: Closet Redux

April 9, 2011

Home Neat Home: Closet Redux

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You know how I turned our third bedroom into a closet, appropriately named “The Queen Room”? You can read more about it here.

The Queen Room features a big clothing rack for all of my hanging clothes. I bought it at Target for about $30 last summer.

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But the rack is a P.O.S. It wobbles and tilts and I actually had a whole bar of clothes fall on my head once!

Can you see how it is a leaning tower? And how the cheap plastic is ripping?

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See the tilt here!? It’s about to collapse!

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So I had Matt build me a new one!

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Here it is naked:

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It’s made from plumbing pipes! We saw one like it in a store and thought it would be fun to replicate. I have no idea how he built it, but here are Matt’s notes:

Matt Notes

The pipe comes from the plumbing section.  I used 3/4" pipe though I would have liked 1" thick pipes but it would have been another $20.

I recommend a base that’s composed of two 8" pieces linked with a T-joint.  This will be wide enough to give you enough lateral support.  Use rubber feet to prevent damaging the floor and slippage.

It’s easy to think your design through so long as you consider all the points where there’s an angle – note the number of T-joints and elbow-joints you need before you go to the hardware store.

If you make a two-tier rack like I made for Kath, the unfortunate thing is that you’ll come to a point when you can’t screw one bar in without unscrewing the other side.  I just had to pick a midpoint, which means that the two middle bars are only partly screwed in on each side.  This slightly reduces solidity of the unit but not so much that it’s unstable.

Finally, I highly recommend thoroughly washing and drying each piece before using it.  These pieces are covered in metal dust and some of them have a petroleum smell.  You don’t want that on your clothes!

Project cost: About $80

Here’s me putting the clothes back on!

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And the extra long width means they are open and airy! My closet grew! Need more clothes!

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Closet, Neat, Closet.

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Comments

  1. chelsey @ clean eating chelsey says

    April 9, 2011 at 7:22 am

    That is like the best thing ever to have an entire bedroom for clothes. I envy you.

    Reply
  2. kaila@healthy helper! says

    April 9, 2011 at 7:25 am

    Matt is so inventive! It looks awesome…..I think you just inspired me to organizie my closet! Thanks….it needs it! LOL!

    Reply
  3. Jess (Sweet Potato) says

    April 9, 2011 at 7:31 am

    This is what I need. An entire ROOM for my closet!

    Reply
  4. Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat says

    April 9, 2011 at 7:33 am

    WOW! Awesome job Matt!! I think that looks great Kath, and much more stable (and safe!) than the previous rack.

    Reply
  5. Joyce @ Flowing to Fifty says

    April 9, 2011 at 7:34 am

    LOVE an organized closet. However, that’s when I can see that I have no clothes. How do I learn to like shopping for clothes???? Good job, Matt.

    Reply
  6. Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope says

    April 9, 2011 at 7:35 am

    This is such an excellent idea for the extra room Kath! A lot of older homes don’t have large closets, if ANY closets in the bedrooms. The great thing about turning an extra room into a closet is that when it comes time to sell, it’s so simple to haul out the clothes and stage it as a bedroom or den. I think people tend to take away from square footage in room and spend a load of cash building new closets, when in reality they’re just not thinking outside the box! Awesome post Kath!

    Reply
  7. Estela @ Weekly Bite says

    April 9, 2011 at 7:37 am

    What a great idea!! We have a big walk-in master closet and it’s still busting at the seams with clothes and shoes!

    Reply
  8. Jumanah @ Healthy Living in the Middle East says

    April 9, 2011 at 7:38 am

    I wish my closet was half as organized! Awesome post! Awesome job Matt! Definitely helpful! Thanks for these posts! Love them!

    Reply
  9. Averie (LoveVeggiesAndYoga) says

    April 9, 2011 at 7:50 am

    Wow, Matt is super handy! My husband is not quite so handy…haha!

    I love the closet organization. A clean and organized closet is just a must have for me. It’s the only way I can “see” my items, too. If it’s messy, all I see is mess and can’t even focus on the clothes. I even have my clothes grouped by colors, i.e. blacks, whites, pinks, and everything in between.

    I love the shelf w/ white baskets, you have, too. Super functional!

    Reply
  10. Silvia @ skinny jeans food says

    April 9, 2011 at 8:05 am

    I had that P.O.S. closet rack from Target, too, and it did the same thing on me… bending to one side and then the plastic ripped and the whole thing collapsed. Good you have Matt to build you a stylish new one, but for everyone else there is one on Amazon for $49 which is wonderful and STABLE. No problems with it.
    Collapsible Clothing Rack-Commercial Grade

    Reply
    • Lucy @ The Sweet Touch says

      April 9, 2011 at 10:19 am

      Checking this out right now!

      I’ve been looking for something like that rack forever and it’s always too flimsy looking or too expensive!

      Reply
    • Tracey says

      April 9, 2011 at 11:11 am

      My rack from Target toppled over, too. Thank you so much for the Amazon recommendation! I am going to check it out as well. 🙂

      Reply
  11. Pearl (Crunch and Chew) says

    April 9, 2011 at 8:25 am

    Wow, Matt’s super talented!

    Reply
  12. Parita @ myinnershakti says

    April 9, 2011 at 8:43 am

    Great job, Matt! I love that idea. Having an organized, clean closet is the best…especially for someone like me who always waits until the morning of to pick out her clothes. You should see me taking my sweet old time, and then freaking out when I finally get around to look at the clock. 🙂

    Reply
  13. Jo says

    April 9, 2011 at 8:54 am

    With all due respect, you get what you pay for. $30 for a clothing rack=P.O.S., no question.
    Nice job on the DIY one–very creative!

    Reply
  14. Molly says

    April 9, 2011 at 8:57 am

    Ha! Your opinion of your Target rack is great!

    Reply
  15. Freya (Brit Chick Runs) says

    April 9, 2011 at 9:00 am

    One day I dream of having a room devoted to clothes…right now, I just have a clothes ‘wall’ and it’s horrible!
    Matt is super clever though – could he build a flat pack clothes rack that can be posted across oceans!? :p

    Reply
  16. Molly says

    April 9, 2011 at 9:01 am

    I love your honest opinion about the target rack. An organized closet = pease of mind.

    Reply
  17. Stacy @ Every Little Thing says

    April 9, 2011 at 9:19 am

    Our guest bedroom is also my “queen room.” It’s usually a mess but I clean it pretty regularly. The closet definitely isn’t big enough though! I am constantly reorganizing.

    Reply
  18. Jenny @ Fitness Health and Food says

    April 9, 2011 at 9:25 am

    oh that looks great

    I think something like that would help me because I don’t do dresser storage well! 😛

    Reply
  19. lynn @ the actor's diet says

    April 9, 2011 at 9:28 am

    plumbing pipes! i love it – reminds me of super mario bros!

    Reply
  20. Grace says

    April 9, 2011 at 9:28 am

    that’s the dream! Turning an entire room to a dressing room 🙂 LUCKY YOU!

    Looks fabulous and it looks like it’s time for some RETAIL THERAPY!

    Reply
  21. Justeen @ Blissful Baking says

    April 9, 2011 at 9:28 am

    Wow, Matt did a really great job!! I love how organized your Queen Room is 🙂

    Reply
  22. Kate (What Kate is Cooking) says

    April 9, 2011 at 9:29 am

    I envy your closet! I don’t have one in my bedroom… nor do I have a dresser… I had to buy a bed with drawers to store my clothes!

    Reply
  23. Hilary says

    April 9, 2011 at 10:00 am

    Where did you get all your lovely baskets? I need about 500 of them ; )

    Reply
    • KathEats says

      April 9, 2011 at 12:35 pm

      Target! They are not POS’s 🙂

      Reply
  24. Michelle (The Runner's Plate) says

    April 9, 2011 at 10:19 am

    I love being organized, and this is something I would totally do!

    I especially like the baskets on the shelves!

    Reply
  25. JenATX says

    April 9, 2011 at 10:26 am

    of course you need more clothes! that is the most reasonable thing one can do when she gets a bigger closet haha

    Reply
  26. Hope says

    April 9, 2011 at 10:27 am

    Wow! What a nice closet! I wish my closet looked like that! 🙂

    Reply
  27. Michelle | Gold-hearted Girl says

    April 9, 2011 at 10:30 am

    I love using clothing racks! Especially if your clothes are colorful. I’ve been eyeing this one at Ikea for a looong time.

    Reply
  28. Rebecca says

    April 9, 2011 at 10:33 am

    Nice meeting you today at the race expo, the bread was very yummy! I live in town and am always game for a run in town.

    Trail running group link below. If anything, you can get some good ideas for area hikes.
    http://charlottesvilleareatrailrunners.blogspot.com/

    Reply
    • KathEats says

      April 9, 2011 at 12:36 pm

      Thanks for the link!! Will check it out 🙂

      Reply
  29. Kristi @ KristiAteIt says

    April 9, 2011 at 10:42 am

    Oh what I would do to have a room just for my clothes. Amazing! Nice handy work, I’m impressed!

    Reply
  30. Katie @ Nourishing Flourishing says

    April 9, 2011 at 10:43 am

    Looks like Matt saved the day; love that he made this, and with such a unique element! Neat indeed 😉

    Reply
  31. stace says

    April 9, 2011 at 10:47 am

    So cool! Every girl should have a Queen’s room! Good job KERF and MERF!

    Reply
    • KathEats says

      April 9, 2011 at 12:36 pm

      MERF <3

      Reply
  32. Joy says

    April 9, 2011 at 10:59 am

    Hey Kath! I wanted to tell you about an event that you and Matt might be interested in. There is going to be a Food and Wine Festival at the National Harbor in DC in May. Here’s the website: http://www.wineandfoodnh.com/ I’m not affiliated with it at all [otherwise I would give you free tickets 😉 ] ; I just thought it might be something you would be interested in. My husband and I are going to the Saturday event. Hope you can make it!

    Reply
    • KathEats says

      April 9, 2011 at 12:37 pm

      Man I wanted a free ticket!! J/K.

      It looks totally awesome, however I think that’s the weekend before our opening (or 2 weeks prior) and we probably shouldn’t schedule any events!

      Reply
  33. Tracey says

    April 9, 2011 at 11:17 am

    Kath, I wanted to let you know that I received my Shaklee yesterday, and spent last night cleaning everything in our kitchen. 🙂 Our microwave is original to the house (it’s built in), and about 20 years old. I could not believe the gunk that came off – that I didn’t even realise was there! A bit gross, I know, but also quite incredible. I am excited about tackling the rest of the house! Also, a few days ago my husband and I signed up for Mint. When I looked at our spending chart I gasped out loud! Our shopping is a bit out of control, and we had no idea how much were spending. So basically, in a matter of days, you have truly inspired me to make amazing changes in my life, and I am so grateful! Thank you for your inspiration – and your passion for life. 🙂

    Reply
    • KathEats says

      April 9, 2011 at 12:37 pm

      I absolutely love comments like this !!! Please send me some before + afters of your cleaning projects!

      Reply
  34. Jil @ Big City, Lil Kitchen says

    April 9, 2011 at 11:19 am

    Love the action pics. haha

    Reply
  35. Camille says

    April 9, 2011 at 11:31 am

    I love that you have a closet room! Fabulous dahling!

    Reply
  36. Lea @ Healthy Coconut says

    April 9, 2011 at 11:34 am

    Very good DIY project.

    Are you able to disassemble it when you guys move? I’m thinking of having one built but will need to be able to transfer from room to room, or house to house if needed.

    Reply
    • KathEats says

      April 9, 2011 at 12:37 pm

      Yup!!

      Reply
  37. Miranda @ Working Mom Works Out says

    April 9, 2011 at 11:37 am

    I love men that can make stuff. It’s hot! My husband is the same way!!

    And can you come organize my closet, please? 🙂

    Reply
  38. Brooke says

    April 9, 2011 at 11:41 am

    I want a Queen Room!!!!

    Reply
  39. Natalia - a side of simple says

    April 9, 2011 at 12:05 pm

    I really like the idea of having an “open” closet. It’s a great way to showcase your clothes and outfits and it’s harder to “forget” about certain pieces you have!

    Reply
  40. Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says

    April 9, 2011 at 12:21 pm

    Innovative closet solution. Thanks for sharing 🙂

    Reply
  41. Abby says

    April 9, 2011 at 12:32 pm

    Wow–how awesome! 🙂 I love it!

    Reply
  42. Kristina says

    April 9, 2011 at 12:50 pm

    I bought a couple of closet organization items from Target last year, too and they were totally POS’s! They fall apart constantly! Normally I love Target but in this case, totally not impressed. Good call on building your own!

    Reply
  43. Tina says

    April 9, 2011 at 1:27 pm

    I am so jealous that you have a whole room to dedicate to clothes and all that. I’m far exceeding my current space for clothes/makeup/etc.

    I LOVE the shelf with all the baskets! Great way to organize!!

    Reply
  44. Annette @ EnjoyYourHealthyLife says

    April 9, 2011 at 1:40 pm

    awesome. so awesome! love it

    Reply
  45. J3nn (Jenn's Menu and Lifestyle Blog) says

    April 9, 2011 at 2:40 pm

    We use our spare bedroom as a closest, too!

    I like the plumbing pipes. Very creative. 🙂

    Reply
  46. Angel7 says

    April 9, 2011 at 4:43 pm

    Great idea for the new closet rack! It is great to have a Mr. Fix-It around the house 🙂 It is all about being neat and tidy!

    http://faithfulsolutions.blogspot.com/

    Reply
  47. erica says

    April 9, 2011 at 7:36 pm

    that is brilliant! go matt!

    Reply
  48. Amy says

    April 9, 2011 at 8:16 pm

    Thanks for this post. I have a closet that has the worst shelving unit in the world: 1) I can’t reach 2 of the three shelves, 2) it has no storage use at all. I have been looking for different ideas… and this helped. Thanks! Now, can Matt build me a closet rack?!?!?! lol

    Reply
  49. Alaina says

    April 9, 2011 at 11:24 pm

    My aunt has that same thing where the closet is another bedroom. I may have to convince my husband to do that when we get a house. 😉

    Reply
  50. Ashley @ Feeding Ashley says

    April 10, 2011 at 12:07 am

    I’m so jealous of your queen room. I think it’s the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. 🙂
    I’ve seen ballet bars built out of plumbing pipe once, but never a mini closet.

    Reply
  51. Melissa @ Journey to Marvelous says

    April 12, 2011 at 2:02 pm

    Matt is a pretty handy guy! The new clothing rack looks great!

    Reply
  52. Jayson says

    May 8, 2012 at 10:19 am

    I want to do this for my girlfriend. How high it the top pipe? And how long are the sections of pipes on the sides? Wondering if someone that’s 5*2 could reach the top one?

    Reply
  53. Jessica says

    January 15, 2013 at 10:57 pm

    Thank you so much for this post, and more importantly the comments from the hubbie. I just tried to build one without plans and got stuck at the middle part and how to get it stabilized. Good to know that half-screwing will work!! You just saved me (another) trip to Lowe’s!! Thanks!!!

    Reply
  54. Christina says

    January 2, 2017 at 11:57 pm

    Could you give the dimensions of this?? I’m wanting to put one together this next weekend and would love some help on how long the bottom/support pieces need to be, etc. Thank you!

    Reply
    • KathEats says

      January 3, 2017 at 7:36 am

      Unfortunately it’s been so long and I no longer have it, that I don’t know them

      Reply

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