Wardrobe Closets

While many of us dream of the type of custom closets that we see in celebrity magazines, the reality is that our budgets just will not make this dream come true. While we may not be able to push a button and watch our designer shoes circle by, the reality is that most of us simply need a good way to organize our everyday shoes and our couple of pairs of special occasion pumps.  The Internet provides a wonderful way to view closet accessories that are reasonably priced and can add a little touch of organizational glamour to our closets.

While lacking a little in the glamour department, an affordable choice in closet organizers is made by Rubbermaid, the folks who have brought great organizational items to the kitchen and pantry. Their closet accessories and organizers are called Rubbermaid Closet Configurations.  This wire based system has received an excellent rating from Consumer Reports, citing its durability and ease of installation.

Image by Twicepix. CC.

Rubbermaid Configurations come in two sizes, one that fits smaller closets in the three to six foot range, and a larger version for closets up to four feet by eight feet. What is really terrific about these systems is that there is no need for measuring or cutting shelf supports since the package provides rails and shelves that telescope.  There is even a choice in colors, basic white, titanium or nickel.

The installation process is just about as simple as it can be, a four step process, with an online video for those who are really apprehensive. Basically, all the closet owner needs to do is mount the rails for hanging items, no cutting involved as the telescoping feature makes it easy to simply overlay the shelves and adjust the width. The uprights are put in place over the hanging rail, shelves and brackets are attached and then the clothes rods are put in place.

Voila, the pieces are now in place to have a truly organized closet. The best thing is that these closet accessories can be purchased at very reasonable prices online, from $80 to $200, depending upon closet size. There are also a number of additional items that can be added to this system such as shoe racks and specific organizers for things like ties and belts.

When we generally think of armoires, a picture of traditional stained French style armoire will pop into our heads. Shockingly enough, not all bedroom sets have stained oak furniture or are antique hand-me-downs. Believe it or not, there are bedrooms sets that this traditional look would clash with and be totally unacceptable. For those with a more modern look, perhaps a white or black armoire would do nicely. Here is a quick look at a few white armoires to fill a variety of needs.

Cotton Candy Pure White Armoire, South Shore Furniture, $300
South Shore Furniture has several models available in this price range and color, but this one is recommended mostly because of the lower drawer space. If the wardrobe armoire is being used solely for clothing storage, this will more than do the job. It features an inside mirrored door with large shelving units that are ideal for sweater storage, a side hanging closet and 2 large pull-out drawers on the bottom of the cabinet. It is pretty tough to beat for right around $300.

Vista White Armoire, Sorelle, $770
This is obviously a much more expensive model, but it is quite stunning. Designed in traditional French Fashion, it can be used solely for clothing or in combination with a TV stored in the top compartment. The drawers are high and deep and the hanging space is perfect for a large television or to hold all of your finer garments. If shopping for children look elsewhere, as this is definitely an adult piece of furniture.

Children’s Products Shaker White Armoire, Delta, $200
White is a very popular color for children’s rooms and it would be unjust to leave them totally out. Delta has a simple, yet very cute white armoire that is perfect for the kids. It features three pull-out drawers on the bottom and actually sacrifices very little space in the top compartment to make this happen. The space that is available is perfect for small TV or to house some action figures or dolls.

Knowing full well that white will not go with all modern styled bedrooms, tomorrow will feature some of the best black armoires. This is something that you will not want to miss because these pieces are absolutely stunning.

When the name Rubbermaid is mentioned, the thought that immediately comes to mind is the old lady in the commercial that is putting food back into the fridge. For years, Rubbermaid and Tupperware were synonymous with food storage, but this is not your mother’s Rubbermaid anymore. Rubbermaid has a full line of wardrobe storage furniture that offers true value for the dollar.

If you have been reading this blog at all, you know it is quite easy to spend hundreds, if not thousands of dollars on storage closets. Even some of the portable ones that are out there can cost a small fortune. Rubbermaid storage devices are not only quality, but they also offer a lot of value to the consumer.

Rubbermaid has two wardrobe storage closets that are available on Amazon.com that are both available for less than $50. As a matter of fact, you can get both of them for about $60 if you have a lot of clothing to store. The Rubbermaid 3B2803BLTN 60-inch Wardrobe Closet and the Rubbermaid 3B2703BLTN 36-inch are $36.97 and $24.97 respectively. Compare those prices to other items that are available and we know exactly what line you are going to get in.

The value does not stop with their storage closets either. Rubbermaid has a complete line of storage furniture and closets for wardrobe items that is second to none. The Rubbermaid 3H94 Configurations is ideal for shoe storage and the Rubbermaid 85710 Fast Track Free Slide will serve the same purpose as the closet organizers that are selling for close to $1,000. Talk about value!

No, they are not going to look as pretty as some of the other furniture that is out there for storage purposes, but who cares about that when the items are in a room for storage or buried in a closet. Hey, money is tight these days and while there may be a need to organize a closet or store some clothing, there is no need to go broke in the process. Check out what the Rubbermaid closet storage line has to offer and it may just be the solution that you have been looking for.

A good wardrobe closet is a good investment for a home. They make a fantastic looking piece of furniture while providing additional space in which to securly store your wardrobe, often providing protection against dust, dirt, and allergens in the environment.

Let’s take a look at the different features and benefits offered in various wardrobe closet designs.

They give you ample space to store and organize your wardrobe. First and foremost, the biggest benefit of a wardrobe closet is its sole purpose; to provide you with additional space to correctly organize and access your wardrobe. They can be used to compliment a room with an existing closet or used as a guest closet in a spare bedroom, in such a way that your guests need not to bother any items that might already have found their way into the guest closet.

They’re designed as a solid piece of furniture. This is what sets wardrobe closets a part from other closet-type furniture, such as a stand-alone closet organizer or a portable closet. A good wardrobe closet is a solid piece of furniture, weighing 100 or more pounds, sometimes considerably more than this, on there own without any clothes or items inside. They are made of solid materials and are designed to look good. This is not something you’d sheepishly hide in your room. They’re an impressive site for a means to store clothes and they will look great in any guest bed room that is short on

They offer a degree of protection from allergens in the environment. While not making any claims as medical advice, many wardrobe closets are designed to be breathable while at the same time offering protection for your wardrobe against dirt, grime, pet dander, and other allergen that are free-floating in the environment.

They can be expensive. A wardrobe closet is not a flimsy shelving unit or a simple closet organizer for hanging your clothes. Often designed for the long-term, with solid wood and lots of support for the hanging weight of your clothes, wardrobe closets often get into the many hundreds of dollars range. If this puts them out of your reach, there are alternatives which are less (often much less) expensive that also provide the same benefits, i.e. space for your closet items. See The Closet Organizers Guide for more information on re-doing an existing closet to make use of the space.

You would never guess the history behind the wardrobe closet. One might think it’s simply another piece of furniture mass produced and sold in big box retailers, invented in a board room or meeting. While some furniture sold as wardrobe closets is definitely mass produced, true wardrobe closets come from a much more interesting background.

First of all, let’s look at the terminology used for wardrobe closets. You might have also seen them referred to as an “armoire”. Armoire is a french term that loosely describes any type of wooden cabinet with shelves. This is a fairly apt description of both modern and antique wardrobe closets, as the most classic look is that of a solid wood wardrobe closet that has multiple shelves.

What’s far from different between then and now is what the wardrobe closet or armoire was used for. Interestingly, the armoire historically was used to house weaponry! Along with weapons, it often held food items. Somewhere along the lines, it delved more into holding clothing than weapons or other items, and now, it’s almost always used to hold clothes or some kind, with some exceptions for dish ware and other collectibles.

Traditionally, throughout history wardrobe closets were a hand crafted item. People worked with their hands, creating an armoire as an individual piece of art. Many antique wardrobe closets bear the markmanship of this art, as shown through elegant and abstract designs carved into the wood. This could create a signature mark for the artist, as well as signify the general cultural timepiece that the wardrobe closet comes from.

It’s really interesting to think of wardrobe closets (or wardrobe armoire furniture) being used to house weaponry, and it’s also fascinating to think of each one being hand made, and then seeing how they development as a whole in different areas such as France, England, China, and India.

Next time you look at your antique wardrobe closet, ponder it’s history and be proud to own such an item!