DIY Small Closet Makeover on a Budget! (REVEAL)

Plus a full cost breakdown and all the detail links!

My DIY Closet Makeover is finally done and I’m so happy to get my closet back! Scroll to the end of this post for a breakdown of the total cost and links to all the details!

Check out all the videos from this project on my Instagram:

Closet Part 1 Highlight, Closet Part 2 Highlight.

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The original primary closet in our house left a lot to be desired. Space-wise, it was small and there was no good organization system, so naturally it was a total mess. At less than 5 ft wide on the right side and 3 ft on the other, the corners quickly became out of reach once we started to hang our clothes up. We lived like this for 3 years.

The goal of this DIY closet makeover was to create a more functional, organized and beautiful closet. It’s so corny but I honestly feel so much more inspired to get dressed and start the day now that the space is beautiful. Also, it helps that I can actually see all of my clothes now.

I had so much fun building this entire closet and seeing my design come to life! I’m always surprised with the finished look of my projects even though I think through (and question) my designs for hours and hours before I ever start. Check out Part 1 and Part 2 of the closet build for more detailed information on how I landed on my design and the steps I took to build it out. Here’s a quick summary:

Part 1: Hanging Clothes Built-ins & Shoe Shelves

I started by creating two sections for hanging clothing on the far ends of the room. Mark uses the 3′ wide side and I took the larger side (duh). I designed for two tiers of hanging clothes so I divided his wall right in half for two equal sections. On my side, I created a smaller bottom shelf so that I had some full length room for longer dresses. I actually have another foot of hanging space than is shown in the pictures, it’s hidden by the sidewall of the shoe storage.

This hidden space is one of my favorite things about the closet. I hide my steamer in the corner of the top shelf and stuff all my big bulky sweatshirts on the bottom to keep them out of the way.

Part 2: Built-in IKEA Dresser & Shelving

For Part 2 of the closet makeover, I focused on adding drawer storage- something we didn’t have in the closet before. I love being able to store all my clothes in the closet and eliminate the need for a dresser I used in our bedroom. The closet is really narrow so I needed a narrow dresser but I still needed a lot of storage. After researching a ton and even planning out how to build a dresser from scratch, I decided to buy a 6 drawer Tarva dresser from IKEA.

I would save over $100 purchasing the dresser vs. buying the raw wood- the cost of wood is that high right now. Plus, I wouldn’t have to build drawers from scratch. The only issue is that this dresser was constantly out of stock at my local IKEA so I’d have to wait until it was available- about 2 months. Luckily, the 2 months fell over the end of the year and I was so busy with Thanksgiving and Christmas that it wasn’t too unbearable.

I ended up floating the dresser on the back wall, adding some shelving above and below and it was perfect! The dresser stores all my leggings, underwear, socks and PJ’s and I even had a few drawers left for Mark to use. Below the dresser, I stored Mark’s sneakers and above it, all our jeans and some purses. I’ve since ordered some baskets from Target for the top shelves so we can store belts, tights and other miscellaneous items.

Although this DIY closet makeover was a ton of work, seeing the closet come together was so exciting and fulfilling. Not to be dramatic, but building this with my own two hands is the biggest accomplishments of my life!

The Finishing Touches

I love the warm, simple look of white and gold so I focused on using a few humble gold finishes. I got a little bit fancy with the light because, why not, but everything else was super simple. Below are all the finishing details and links to where I got them. I love my closet but I didn’t want to spend a fortune on the finishes so I looked for budget options.

Gold Flush Mount Light

Before I redid this closet, the only source of light was an off-centered fluorescent bulb that took 5+ seconds to turn on after you flipped the switch (or sometimes didn’t turn on at all). If you needed to find a pair of shoes that were in a bottom corner, you were basically flying blind.

I’m the type of person who leaves all the lights on in the house (sorry Mark) so I knew I wanted a very bright light in the closet. Also, since my husband is 6′ 3″ and the closet is only 8 ft tall, it needed to be pretty flush to the ceiling. I knew pretty much immediately when I saw this light that it was the one. It’s comes down 13″ from the ceiling and has 12- 200 lumen, LED lights. It’s bright in there.

PS. this light comes with all the light bulbs and is on sale for $117 right now!!

Tip: I first saw this light for sale online for around $180. I googled the brand and style name of the light and found it for $135 on Amazon. Always google things you’re buying before you buy them! I’m constantly finding the exact same items from places like Wayfair on Amazon or Walmart.com for up to half the price!

Drawer Hardware

I love the idea of elevating IKEA furniture with upgraded hardware. The knobs that came with this dresser were wood, which would have looked totally fine if I just painted them the same white as the dresser but I knew I wanted a simple, gold POP! I turned to Amazon and found these mushroom knobs for $2 a piece. They are super heavy and come with multiple length bolts to fit on different thicknesses of drawer fronts. I used the smallest length bolt and had all 12 installed in less than 10 minutes!

Jewelry Tree

This Brass Jewelry Tree is the perfect detail for the closet. The brushed metal is gold-tone but it’s a muted tone so it’s not obnoxiously clashing with your jewelry. It has 3 length levels for necklaces and bracelets and the lowest level has perforations for hanging earrings, which I love. I use the bottom tray to hold my everyday rings and some stud earrings for easy access. It’s under $20 and does require you to screw the tiers into the bottom base, but it’s super simple- you just need a screwdriver.

Brass Hooks

Mark loves to hang his jeans so I wanted to get some sort of hook system for him- but I still wanted it to be cute. These Brass Hooks on Amazon are super sturdy and come in 4 different lengths that have between 3 and 6 hooks. Since jeans are heavy, I made sure at least one side was screwed directly into a stud and the other used a drywall anchor. He’s been using these hooks for just over 6 months and they’re still holding strong (pun intended). Scroll back up to the before picture and tell me this isn’t a major upgrade?

Hampers

I ordered these hampers from Amazon. I needed something narrow and tall, to fit on the ends of the dresser. They are delayed so I can’t review them yet but I’ll let you know if I like them when they come in!!

DIY Closet Cost Breakdown:

Details Cost & Links:

If you have any additional questions or want an update on how my DIY closet makeover is holding up! Leave me a comment below! I’ll try to do an updated blog after a year for any FAQ’s, how the closet has held up and what (if anything) I would do differently.

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