How to Install a Wall-Mounted Closet Organizing System

Karen and Fadi had a disastrous closet situation that simply wasn't working. They asked Ron to help them install a system that would use space more efficiently and help them to get and stay organized.

Ron suggested that they use the Internet to get started with some closet organization ideas. After a little searching, they settled on the ClosetMaid website. After a bit of exploration, they came across a design that they felt would solve their problems.

Click here for a list of what you will need in order to complete this project.

The system components they wanted included cabinets with doors, drawer units, open cubbies, wire racks and shelves.

They chose a design that would accommodate sweaters and other folded garments, socks, underwear and lingerie, plenty of shoes, shorter hanging items like shirts and sport coats, longer hang-ups such as evening dresses, and provide ample shelf space for other folded items and boxes.

1. Cabinet assembly
After a trip to the local home improvement store to purchase the system components you have selected, the first step is to assemble the cabinets.

The cabinet parts are held together with screws driven into predrilled holes. A cordless drill fitted with a driver bit is an indispensable tool to make this phase of the project easier. The cabinet units have doors that pivot on plastic pins, and the other cabinets are fitted with either drawers or dividers.

2. Clear out closet
After removing all of the items from the closet, the first step is to take down the old system. Remove all old shelving, anchors, screws and nails from the wall, and dismount the old closet doors.

Before installing the new closet system, you will probably need to do some refurbishing work on the walls. This involves filling the holes left by the anchors, nails and screws. Then freshen the closet interior by rolling on a new coat of paint.

3. Install hanger bar
The entire system is designed to hang from a metal hanger bar, which screws directly into the top plate -- a horizontal 2 x 4 at the top of every standard wall.

Install the hanger bar along the entire length of the closet.

The hanger bar system allows for total flexibility. You can move the shelves up and down, and left to right, any time you want to. The hanger bar supports all of the components of the system, which attach to the specially designed shelving standards that hook into the top rail.

4. Attach shelf standards
The standards can be placed anywhere along the rail and everything else in the system attaches to these standards.

Although the hang rail at the top carries the weight of the entire system, you will still need to attach the standards to the wall to prevent them from swinging from side to side.

Use a level to make sure the standard runs straight up and down. Drill through the hole in the standard and into the wall behind it. Tap a wall anchor into the hole and then install a single screw near the center of the standard.

5. Install cabinets and shelves
The cabinets have clips attached to the rear that hook directly into the slots on the standards.

Each shelf is supported by several brackets, which hook into the shelf standards. The shelves sit on top of the brackets and snap securely into place.

To install the hanging rods, special brackets fasten onto the shelves and the rods clip into these brackets.

Another bracket hooks into the standards to hold the shoe rack, which is simply a shelf installed upside down and at an angle.

One of the best features of this system is that it can fit your needs perfectly now, but as those needs change, it is easy to adapt to new needs.

You can add to it, replace bars with cabinets, replace cabinets with bars or whatever works best at the time.