7 High-Impact DIY Closet Hacks

Easy ways to amp up the organization in your bedroom closets or turn the space into something else entirely (like a miniature laundry or mudroom). Let us show you what we mean. RELATED: Read This Before Your Redo Your Bedroom Closets

1. Line your closet with cedar

While the smell of mothballs may conjure fond memories of your grandfather's overcoat, it's not really the most attractive scent to wear out in public. Fortunately, there's a more fragrant way to keep moths and insects from making a snack of your best cashmere. The nature aroma of cedar has kept garments hole-free and smelling fresh for centuries. And not only does it repel pests like moths and roaches, it also resists mildew that can ruin fabrics. Here's how to line your closet with cedar in 6 steps.

2. Make the most of every square inch

You can get more hanging space out of your closet if you hang high. Use a specialty hinged pull-down fitting (find them at rev-a-shelf.com and hafele.com) for easy access to the stuff you hang up above. Just grab the rod with the included hook to pull items within arm's reach.

3. Put furniture into the closet

If you've got the space, repurpose a chest! Drawer systems can be short on charm. Instead, see if you can slide in a small dresser or lingerie chest for socks, ties, and underwear. Top it with a dish to catch pocket change, a jewelry organizer, and a snapshot from your last vacation; as you dress for work, you can always dream. RELATED: How to Gain More Closet Space Without Renovating

4. Organize small items

A magnetic spice rack with windowed portholes can organize bits like cuff links and collar stays. Mount it on a wall or the back of a door. This one is about $15 at The Container Store.

5. Turn a closet into a hideaway for laundry appliances

Fitted with a water line for the washer and ductwork for the dryer, this hall closet was transformed into an ultra-efficient home for a laundry room. RELATED: 27 Laundry-Room Hacks

6. Or turn a little-used entry closet into a wet bar

Have 'em at hello by tucking a bar into a seldom-used coat closet. If it backs onto a kitchen or bath, you may be able to tap into plumbing for a sink or an ice maker. Here, base cabinets with an aged patina and a beadboard backsplash tie the bar into its surroundings. Open shelves up top keep the look light. RELATED: From Walk-In Closet to Laundry Room

7. Ok, ok. Maybe turning an entry closet into a mini-mudroom is more realistic

Over one week, these seasoned DIYers removed the door and 2 ½ feet of wall next to it to create an open alcove in this closet's existing footprint. They installed a medium-density-fiberboard (MDF) bench hung on a cleat of 2×4s and trimmed with molding—perfect for pulling on shoes. Learn more so you can do the same.