Creating A Functional Shared Closet With Wayfair

This shared closet makeover is sponsored by Wayfair. I was provided compensation for some of the products shown below, but all opinions and product selections are my own. I personally chose every product I used in my closet makeover and am confident you’ll love them as much as I do.

Our “New” 1970’s Closet

Picture this. You live in a brand new home that’s only two years old. Everything is new, everything is shiny, and everything is modern and up-to-date. Then you pack up your stuff, put it in a moving truck, and deliver those boxes to a house stuck in the 1970’s. Now picture what a closet from the 70’s might look like.

Are you imagining flimsy nailed-on shelves with a single wooden dowel for a hanging rod? And are you giggling at the thought of putting more than ten hangers on that rod before it bows and looks like it could snap at any second? Yes? Get outta my head!

This is the closet we now call ours. Come on, stop with the cringe-face! It’s not that bad. Okay, maybe it is. We lived with it this way for two short months before we couldn’t stand it anymore. That’s when my friends at Wayfair stepped in to help me turn this ugly duckling of a closet into the Cinderella of dressing rooms.

Today I’m sharing all the deets on exactly what I used to customize our primary bedroom closet, why I chose wire shelving over built-in units, and how much this closet makeover will really cost to recreate the look in your own home. I think you’ll be surprised just how budget-friendly it really is.

Out With The Old!

We started by ripping out the old shelving (which was gag-worthy-gross) and tossing it straight into a roll-off dumpster. There was no saving it for another project. Really, I’m not even sure it’s safe to send to the landfill…

Once we got the shelving and brackets out, we patched all the holes and gave the closet a fresh coat of white paint. We used washable kitchen and bath paint because we knew regular interior paint would get all scuffed up. That’s my secret trick for painting closets.

I Chose An Adjustable Closet System

Once the paint dried, we installed this Rubbermaid Configurations Closet System from Wayfair. I used two kits to cover the entire closet. Wayfair also has some great add-on accessories for this kit here, and I’ve used a lot of them in the past in previous homes and client projects. The wire drawers are especially great, but we didn’t need them for our closet since we both have dressers.

Why Wire Shelving?

I went back and forth on whether I wanted to do wire shelving like I’ve had in my last two homes or a built-in closet system like these Grid kits from Wayfair. I’ve worked with clients who had built-in wood shelving and I love the look of them. But the reality is, they really aren’t that functional.

With wood shelving systems, once they’re in, they’re in. You can adjust the shelf heights, but the dividers, drawers, and hanging rods are pretty much stationary. This is a big Con for me, because I am a woman who changes her mind often, and my wardrobe changes quite a bit between the cold and hot seasons.

I love the versatility of the Rubbermaid Configurations kit because the only thing that stays in place is the vertical braces in the back. I can move around the shelves, the rods, and any accessories anytime I want. I’m never tied down to one specific layout, and I can adjust they system as my wardrobe evolves.

Plus it’s way lighter, easier to install, and the open wire system allows your clothes the space they need to breathe so they aren’t cramped in small stuffy boxes.

This system is especially great for a shared closet because maybe one partner needs change their side but the other partner doesn’t want their side altered. You can adjust just one area while the rest of the space remains untouched.

Budget-Friendly Space Savers

I’m a big believer in buying good quality storage solutions, especially when they’re holding clothes, but I also won’t break the bank on super expensive containers. For our shared closet, I chose bins that were made well enough to last, but not completely blow my budget.

I used fabric bins for storing my husband’s sweaters and sweatshirts, file-folded for easy access. This is much better than stacking them on a shelf because the bulky stack always awkwardly falls over. Also, wire shelving can leave indentions on sweaters when they’ve been sitting for a long time.

Dresser Alternative

My husband has a dresser for his folded clothes in our bedroom, but it’s not big enough for us to share, so I opted for a fabric bin shelving unit to store mine. I used more fabric bins throughout the closet for other items like winter accessories, bathing suits, lingerie, hats, and miscellaneous items.

Slim Non-Slip Hangers

And these slim hangers allow us to fit more clothes on the hanging rods because they take up so much less space than chunky plastic or wood hangers. I love them because they have a fuzzy material that keeps clothing from sliding off, even when our kitties decide to try to pull them down.

Making Mornings Easier

Aside from the nice organizers and adjustable shelving, what really made me fall in love with our shared closet was the little things I added to make the space more functional for our daily lives. We both get up early and are usually getting ready at the same time. We also go to bed at the same time, so we are simultaneously doing our nighttime routines.

Divided Hamper

To streamline our shared closet, I chose this amazingly helpful hamper that has three separate laundry bags. Plus it has wheels so I can roll it straight to the laundry room, and a padded top so I can fold clothes right on it. We are currently using one bag for my clothes, one for my husband’s clothes, and one for towels.

Tray For Essentials

This might be my favorite addition to the closet. I took a turntable I wasn’t using from my pantry and put it on a shelf, and I filled it with our clothing care essentials.

It was so annoying to walk to the laundry room to get the anti-static spray, and having room freshener on hand keeps the closet from smelling like dirty socks. The change jar is great for emptying pockets, and I traded in my old iron for a fast and easy clothes steamer to make wrinkle removal a breeze in the morning.

Budget Breakdown

If you’ve got a shared closet in need of a makeover and mine has inspired you to get started, let me break down approximately how much this type of project would cost. Keep in mind that some of the products I used were gifted to me from Wayfair, and others I already owned, but I’ll estimate those prices as well so you can have a clear idea.

• Rubbermaid Configurations Closet Kit– $127 per 96″ kit (I used 2, so $254)
• Various Fabric Bins, Boxes, and Baskets– Approximately $140
• Fabric Drawer Dresser– $125
• 3 Section Laundry Hamper– $65
• Velvet Slim Hangers– $28 for 50 (I used 2 packs, so $56)
• Kitchen and Bath Paint from Hardware Store- $14

Grand Total: $654

That price is pretty incredible, especially when you consider how pricey a built-in custom closet would cost. Even one single wood closet tower is upwards of $400 on it’s own. If you had gone to a specialty store for organizing supplies, you’d easily be in the $1500 range.

Planning A Closet Makeover Using Wayfair

What I loved most about this shared closet project was shopping with Wayfair. I was able to find everything I needed, from the wire shelving systems to the furniture to the bins and even the hangers, all in one place. It was such a time-saver not to have to hop around from site to site and pay multiple shipping fees.

I could pop my entire list of needs into my cart, check out, and be done. Plus most of the items were on sale when I shopped, so I was really able to stretch my budget. I was even get extra items I wouldn’t have been able to afford if they weren’t discounted.

If you’re feeling inspired, don’t forget to save this post to your Closet Inspo board on Pinterest, and head over to Wayfair to start creating a wishlist for your new closet.