Making Sense Of Your Closet: Wardrobe Analysis
Wardrobe analysis is a closet design industry term, and it’s not as simple as it sounds. In fact, the idea of a wardrobe analysis is actually made up of a few different concepts. While on the most basic level a wardrobe analysis is an overview of the number of items you have in the closet and the space you have to work with, there’s a lot more to it than that!
The Technical Side Of Wardrobe Analysis
The first step in a wardrobe analysis is really up to the designer. The closet designer needs to know what spaces are ideally suited for which items and how to utilize that space effectively.
For example, a shirt rack uses 12” of space; creating a shelf that is 24” wide will allow two items to sit side by side. A 30” shelf would hold the same amount of clothing but would waste the additional shelf length.
In this way, the designer needs to think carefully about how to best make the space fit your clothing! Each item has a footprint and the closet systems need to have the flexibility to change as your wardrobe changes.
How Your Lifestyle Affects Your Closet
It’s not just the technicalities that affect the design of your closet. In many cases, the technicalities are enough to optimize a space, but in some cases they are not.
Let’s say you have 100 pairs of shoes but only enough room for 30 pairs. Unfortunately, physics is not on our side. You and your designer might have to get a bit creative to find ways to use the space.
One option is to move some items to another part of the house. Or to look at places in your bedroom where we could add shelving or storage areas. However you and your designer choose to handle it, you need to keep the real goal for your closet and your space in mind.
Combine Practicality And Possibility
Sometimes, having more space and more items in your closet isn’t the goal. In those cases, it might be better to create space for your favorite items with a system to keep them organized.
That way, you shift the thinking and focus of the process altogether!
Some options for how to make this work include:
- Transforming your reach-in space into a walk-in space
- Adding storage in other parts of your home
- Skipping unnecessary storage accessories
Think about which option makes sense for you and how you can get the most out of your space without taking away from your goals.
What Happens After A Wardrobe Analysis
What happens after a wardrobe analysis is really where installing a closet system can be transformational. Dividing your closet into sections with a specific purpose for each will give you the visual clues you need to stay organized.
If you’d like to learn more about the technical parts of wardrobe analysis, you can download our free analysis worksheet and take stock of the must-have items in your wardrobe.
Or, schedule a consultation with 180 Closet Design to help you with your process!
