Walk-In Closet Planning Checklist
A closet designer can only be as good as the brief. These are the twelve questions we ask every Miami client before the first drawing.
Inventory before geometry
Count what you actually own: long hangs, short hangs, folded stacks, shoes, handbags, watches, and off-season storage. The layout follows the inventory — not the other way around.
A useful shortcut: measure the total linear feet of hanging clothes you have today and multiply by 1.3 for growth. That's the minimum hanging capacity your new closet should hold.
The twelve questions
1. How many long hangs (dresses, coats) do you need? 2. How many short hangs (shirts, folded pants)? 3. Do you want double-hang zones? 4. How many folded stacks — and do they want drawers, open shelves, or both? 5. How many shoes, and are heels stored separately? 6. Handbag storage — cubbies, glass shelves, or drawers?
7. Watch and jewelry — inserts, valet drawers, or a safe? 8. Do you want an island? 9. Full-length mirror inside the closet or on a door? 10. Seating — bench, ottoman, or none? 11. Laundry hamper built in or freestanding? 12. Lighting scenes — bright for dressing, warm for evening.
Frequently asked
- Only if the closet is at least 8 feet wide and you have a real use for drawer storage in the middle of the room. Otherwise the walking space is more valuable than the extra drawers.
- A common baseline is 8 linear feet of hanging per adult, split between long and short hangs. Serious wardrobes need 15–25 feet.
Do I need a closet island?
How much hanging space per person?
Free in-home measure across Miami-Dade and Broward.
More reading
- The Guide to White Oak Cabinets in Modern Kitchen Design
White oak has become the default warm wood in modern Miami kitchens. Here's what actually matters when you specify it — from cut and grain to finish and long-term behavior in coastal humidity.
- Custom vs. Semi-Custom vs. Stock Cabinets in Miami
The three cabinet categories look similar in a showroom but behave very differently once they hit a Miami condo wall. Here's how to tell them apart.
- How Miami Humidity Affects Cabinets — And What to Specify
Every cabinet in Miami is living in a wet, salty, seasonally shifting climate. The specification decisions that matter most aren't the ones showrooms lead with.