Why the double doors for a closet? They take up extra wall space, or are you storing something extra large in there?

I would just recommend reviewing everything even if you are working with a designer. They miss things, too. I just finished a 4 room closet project with one of the leading closet companies. For the most part everything worked well, but a couple of things were missed by her and me: 1) my son's closet does not have a mirror that was requested, and 2) because the door swing was not illustrated in the closet design software, the door to my daughter's walk-in closet swings right into a bank of drawers. That means she has to enter the closet and shut the door behind her to access her drawers. I am hopeful we can remedy these 2 minor issues.

We love having pullout valet bars in the closet especially when packing for a trip. I'd question the double doors because walls are very handy for hanging odd bits (purses, belts, robes) but if you love them, you love them.

will absolutely need gown hanging space, lots of shoes, room for tall boots (ideas?), purse storage, etc.

Do you mean you have a lot of evening gowns that must be stored, or do you mean a hook to hang a night gown you're going to wear again? If you mean wear-again items, do you also need a place to hang worn-once workout clothes or jeans you're going to wear again before they're washed?

Regardless, I say start by cleaning out what you haven't worn in a while, then inventory just how many "long items" and just how many "short items" you have ... then you can make an intelligent decision (rather than a guess) about how much space you need for hanging items. Shoes are space hogs in the closet, and 8x10 may not stretch as far as you need with "lots" of shoes. Things to consider:

- You can get a shoe ottoman, which opens up and gives you a place to sit down and a place to store shoes inside.

- You might take some of the shoes out of the closet and put them into a shoe storage item at the foot of your bed.

- In so many online pictures, the homeowners use the back wall for shoes ... seems like a good idea.

- As for tall boots, I'd plan to keep them under dresses ... and buy a couple dollar-store pool noodles to make them "stand up" and keep their shape.

Why the double doors for a closet?

Depending upon how your room is laid out, you might want your doors to open "out" into your bedroom so nothing's covering up your clothes in the room. Personally, I'm going with NO doors on my closet.

Use height as much as you can.

Yes. If you have high ceilings, you might look into handicapped pull-down bars. If you have the height, they'll allow you to have a third row of clothes ... way up top:

For last minute touch ups my fold away ironing board could not live without it!

See, this is why you have to consider your personal needs. I gave my ironing board to the Salvation Army a decade ago and haven't been sorry yet!

We love having pullout valet bars in the closet especially when packing for a trip.

Oh, I want valet bars! I almost always lay out my clothes the night before, and I know I'd use them. A pretty hook would do. I have an over-the-door hanger for this purpose right now, and it's okay, but it isn't pretty.

Things I think you should consider:

Do you intend to include drawers or shelves for your folded items ... or will you have a dresser outside the closet?

Do you intend to keep a hamper in the closet?

Do you need to set aside space in the closet for linens? Do you want a mirror in the room? This could go on the doors.

The ceiling is a great place to bring in something decorative without wasting space.

Don't forget good lighting. You might consider an automatic light, which would come on automatically when you enter the closet. On that subject, consider lighted hanging rods:

What would you like to store in baskets? They're prefect for things that look messy even when they're folded neatly (like shorts, swim suits, or pajamas) ... whereas, things like jeans look neat when they're folded.

Do consider picking up a bunch of matching hangers, and -- once your closet is perfect -- make a "one in, one out" rule.

What accessories do you need to store? Do you wear lots of scarves, or do you want to store jewelry in the closet?

Do you need to allot space for coats, or do you have a coat closet elsewhere in the house?

If you're short, you might want to include a spot for a small stool.

Finally, here's a website with lots of closets I find attractive: https://thehappyhousie.porch.com/20-incredible-small-walk-in-closet-ideas-makeovers/

Thanks so much. This is very helpful!!!

I have a challenging closet space, it's under the eaves with slanted ceilings, and has very little vertical height. People thought I was crazy to bother having a closet designer trick it all out for me. It was worth every last penny. I love my closet! Things I love about it:

1. LIGHTING! It was a splurge but lighted closet rods and lighted shoe cubbies are worth every penny, especially if your closet has no window.

2. Valet rod: only wish I'd installed two. (Probably will add one). I use this for laying out the next day's outfit. For gathering items to pack. For unpacking and airing out unworn clothes. For airing out dry cleaning before putting it back on the rack.

3. Shoe shelves and boot cubbies. I don't like my shoes sitting on the floor under hanging garments as they can get lost. I also don't like them sitting on a shelf above clothes because dirt on the shoes can fall down on to the hanging items.

4. I skipped adding in an integrated laundry basket as I needed every inch of space for clothes storage, but this is a nice feature if you have the space. (I just use a laundry basket that sits out in the closet).

5. Clutch & handbag storage

6. Varied rod heights -- sections for short (blouses and blazers), long (dresses & pants), and longest clothes (maxi dresses).

7. Drawers. I don't like to stack my folded clothes on a shelf. Prefer them folded Konmari style and tucked away in a drawer.

8. Matching velvet slim hangers.

9. Space for a small trash can. To empty out your purse, to collect tags and dry cleaner plastic. You'd be surprised at how useful this is in a closet.

10. Dedicated space for luggage. Because I travel a lot.

11. Cloth garment bags to cover occasional/formal wear and keep it dust free.

If you have space in the middle, add a bench to sit on while putting on your shoes, or for use as a luggage rack. Make it a storage bench.

DO use the back of your closet door for hanging accessories like belts and scarves, and add a hook for clothes that usually land on a chair, as well as your robe.

DO audit your wardrobe and figure out how much space you need for shoes vs accessories vs hanging (short vs long) vs folded items. Your closet designer can help you with this. I needed a lot of space for shoes and tall boots and scarves and clutches and was willing to sacrifice less hanging space to accommodate, because my wardrobe is pretty simple but I use accessories and shoes to switch it up. Be realistic -- if you only own say 4 pairs of shoes, you are probably not going to start collecting them just because you have the space now.

Incidentally hubby and I have zero desire to ever share a closet! So we added a built in wardrobe in the master along one wall for his stuff. Some separation in marriage is a good thing. :-)