8 Amazing Before-and-After Closet Makeovers

Before: Cluttered Storage

New York City resident Christine had a storage closet that had become a dumping ground for clutter. The space needed a transformation. And what Christine really wanted was a stylish makeup area with a vanity, storage, and good lighting.

After: Charming Vanity Area

With the help of a handyman, Christine built out the storage closet into an area with drawers and shelves for storing clothing, makeup, and accessories. She added a custom-fit vanity, along with exposed-bulb Hollywood-style lights. Her vanity is now a bright, welcoming space for her to get ready.

Real Closet Makeover from The Spruce

Before: Tiny and Cluttered

Liz Marie's linen closet embarrassed her. She had disorganized piles of linens and other items cluttering the space. The shelves were dull brown and dirty-looking. And she did not like the closet's miniature size.

After: Functional Storage

She couldn't change the size of her linen closet. However, Liz Marie maximized every possible square inch with functional storage baskets that perfectly fit the space. Painting the shelves and the walls brightened up the space, too. The best touch: tiny chalkboard tags that identify the contents of each basket. This closet makeover took only one hour.

Linen Closet Organization from Liz Marie Blog

Before: Walk-in Closet Mess

A big, walk-in closet can be just as problematic as a small closet when it comes to clutter and disorganization. The most significant difference: the mess can take longer to reach a tipping point, and it usually takes more time to clean up. Over the years, home bloggers Kevin and Amanda amassed a lot of stuff in their primary bedroom's walk-in closet. It was time for a closet makeover.

After: Organized Walk-in Closet

This primary closet makeover from Kevin and Amanda stripped out some of the flimsy wire shelves. And it replaced them with solid cabinets and shelves. Shoes that had once cluttered the floor were tucked away in melamine cabinets with closed doors.

Before: Undersized Closet Woes

Home blogger Jordan Reid's closet was not a chaotic mess; she kept it neat. Her biggest issue was the size of her closet. Her space was way too small for her needs. But that would not stop Jordan, who had a brilliant idea when she evaluated the totality of her living area.

After: Double-the-Size Closet Makeover

Jordan Reid assessed her home and realized that her 3-year-old daughter's bedroom closet backed up against her closet. So she removed the non-load-bearing wall from the back of her closet. Getting rid of the wall instantly doubled the size of her closet. This home edit gave her enough room for storing clothing and even additional space to add a pouf.

I Stole My Three-Year-Old's Closet from Ramshackle Glam

Before: Linen Closet With Poor Access

"Embarrassing, bad, and highly inconvenient" were terms that Crystal, from the home blog The Weathered Fox. used to characterize her pre-makeover linen closet. Worst of all, whenever she needed to go into the attic access door, she had to disassemble much of her linen closet.

After: Tidy and Clean Linen Closet

Linen closets can get pretty dinged up. So much of this makeover fixed drywall gouges with spackle. Crystal also organized everything into storage bins. The bins made it easier to reach the attic access door because she could easily lift them off the shelves.

Organized Linen Closet Makeover from The Weathered Fox via Remodelaholic

Before: Plain and Awkward Closet

Lifestyle blogger Erin Spain realized she had it good with her big closet. However, drawbacks included its awkward L-shape and dull walls. Plus, she had to share it with her husband. She wanted a closet she could be proud of.

After: Closet Aspiration

Erin's plain, uninspired closet became a place of beauty. She added wallpaper, a new light fixture, loads of hooks, and other places to put items. To transform the space into a fun hangout, Erin put in a transparent chair and a brass accent table.

Closet Makeover from Erin Spain

Before: Dark, Small Walk-in Closet

Home blogger Marie described her primary bedroom walk-in closet as "odd, small, and wasted space." The triangle-shaped closet only had one clothes rod. And it was quite dark inside. Rather than getting rid of clothes, the better option with this walk-in closet was to adapt the closet to the type and amount of clothing.

After: Bright and Cheery Closet

Marie at Blooming Homestead transformed her primary walk-in closet to include new shelves to hold clothing, shoes, bags, and accessories. She doubled up the clothing rods, so the closet could hold twice as many hanging clothes. And to make the space bright and cheery, she gave it a coat of bright paint.

Before: A Flue Runs Through It

Few closets have a ventilation flue inside them. Home blogger Christy from Confessions of a Serial Do-It-Yourselfer said the duct was just one of her many worries about her closet. The closet also had almost no shelves or rods for hanging items. As small as the flue is in diameter, it's still in the way. It blocks attempts to build true wraparound walk-in closet shelving. And moving the flue is rarely an option.

After: Organized Around the Flue

Christy left the flue in place, but she extensively built in closet organization. She added top-to-bottom shelves, strong rods for her clothes, and custom-designed slots for wicker baskets. Depending on local code and on the type of flue, it might be able to be boxed in and disguised.

How a Girl Built Her Closet from Confessions of a Serial Do-It-Yourselfer