In a small dorm room, every inch of space counts. Unfortunately, dorm room closets are often arranged inefficiently, providing only a clothes rod and perhaps one overhead shelf. If your dorm room closet doesn’t provide the storage options you need, give it a makeover. You might be surprised how much additional storage space you’ll gain by just making a few simple changes.

Assess Your Storage Needs
Understanding your personal storage needs is often the secret to designing an efficient closet. What works well for one person won’t necessarily work well for another. For example, if you have a lot of clothing to store, an extra clothes rod might work well. However, if your wardrobe takes up less space, then you’ll want to use the closet area for other storage needs. Before giving your closet a makeover, take inventory of the items you’d like to store. Then, find ways to maximize the closet space to accommodate these items.

Add a Second Clothes Rod
If your expansive wardrobe is causing your small dorm room closet to burst at the seams, consider adding a second clothes rod. Start by removing the overhead shelf, if your closet has one. Then, install a second clothes rod, positioning it high enough in the closet to provide hanging storage space for shirts and skirts. By using this technique, you’ll be able to double the amount of clothes rod storage in any dorm closet.

Invest in a Closet Organization System
Although it might seem to be a pricier option, a closet organization system can be one of the best ways of maximizing your closet space. However, you’ll probably be able to use the same closet system during future semesters, if you plan on staying in the dorm throughout your years in college. Closet organization systems are usually modular, so you can choose the storage features that best suit your needs. Clothes rods, shelves, drawers, hooks, and other storage features are usually available as part of these systems. If you can’t afford a manufactured closet system, consider making your own out of simple items such as plastic milk crates, wooden or wire shelves, peg racks, and wall hooks.

Using Furniture in the Closet
You might find it more efficient to store your clothing in drawers instead of hanging them on a rod. If so, consider placing a small chest of drawers in the closet instead of taking up floor space in your dorm room. A short bookcase can also work well in a closet. If you raise the level of the clothes rod, you can hang clothes on the rod while still having enough space for a chest of drawers or bookcase underneath. This can be a great way of maximizing your closet storage space. Using furniture items in the closet is also a great solution if you are not allowed to screw shelving units into the closet walls.

Maximize Every Inch of Storage Space
Don’t forget the back of the door when planning your closet storage space. An organizer designed to hang over the door can be a great addition to your dorm room closet. A shoe organizer works great for shoes, but can also be used to store gloves, sports equipment, wardrobe accessories, craft materials, books, and other items. Hooks and peg racks can also be used to organize small items such as jewelry, scarves and belts.

Author Bio: Jessica Ackerman, author and staff designer at WallDecorandHomeAccents.com, specializes in southwestern wall decor for wall art for home.

Category: Home Management
Keywords: dorm room,dorm room closet,room closet,storage space,storage needs,,closet organization