How to Turn a Closet into a Mini-Room

Find a whole new room lurking behind closed doors! With a little ingenuity, you can give a closet a whole new function.

Instructions

• Step 1: Add furnishings scaled to the mini-room that suit its new function, such as a desk, table, or other work surface and seating.
• TIP: Consult an electrician if you need to add lighting or wiring for electronics.
• Step 2: Accessorize your new space with personal items and move in. Now, whenever you pursue your interest, it's only a matter of flinging open the doors to find everything you need at your fingertips.
• FACT: The Abraham Lincoln Bedroom in the White House is known for ghost sightings, including Lincoln's ghost.
• Step 3: Screw sheets of pegboard or cork-board to the door backs to expand storage capacity. This will maximize the space in your mini-room and help avoid clutter.
• TIP: Stretch your renovation budget by using baskets or buckets for storage.
• TIP: Donate or discard unwanted items removed from the closet. Unwanted items can pile up if they're just moved from one storage area to another.
• Step 4: Strip the closet of shelving, rods, and other hardware before measuring the space. Record the mini-room's measurements so you can get an idea of what will fit.
• Step 5: Paint the mini-room walls or hang wallpaper. Don't be shy about using bright colors to turn the space into a pleasant place to be when it serves its new function.
• Step 6: Purchase and install shelving and storage equipment suited to the mini-room's new function using the measurements recorded earlier.
• Step 7: Remove the contents of the closet. Step back and evaluate the most efficient use of the space, depending on whether you are converting it to for office work, doing crafts, or something else.