Organizing the closet space under the stairs in a stairwell or beneath or over the steps of your home can be quite the challenge for many people. For many people, this often involves an area that may be below a set of steps that is far too low to walk under or even really utilize properly.
If you’re stuck with one of these spaces in your home, have no fear! We’ve got the perfect plan for you.
What makes working with this type of space so difficult is not the lack of room but the odd shape of the room – which makes it much more difficult to decide on what is the most efficient and truly the best way to actually utilize all of the room available.
Contents
Stairwell Closet Shape
While most standard closets are rectangular or square in shape, the stairwell closet is typically triangular in shape, as pictured in the image we’ve included below. (We know, you are madly impressed with our public domain triangle – unfortunately we’re having image uploading issues at the time, so this is the best we can come up with right now).
As you can see, toward the edge of the triangle, where the steps traditionally begin, there is very little actual little space.
There are two typical types of closets we see in this space, and it depends greatly on where the door will go. If the space is used where the door is directly parallel under the top step, what you get is a long and narrow space. If you have the door so that it is perpendicular to the stairs, you have something that is a lot easier to use. However, this isn’t always an option because a lot of people will have other walls or rooms adjacent to this space.
Here are some examples of things you can do to help make this space more functional:
Stairwell Closet Organization Tips
1. Close Off Unused Parts
If the parts underneath the bottom few steps are closed off, you will not have to worry about things getting stacked up back there, lost, forgotten, or misplaced. You can do something completely simple with cardboard and some tape or nails, or you can get more involved and even use drywall to make the walls match the interior of the closet.
2. Use Shelving
Shelving can greatly help you use the space to a better capacity. Consider putting shelves that are deep and maybe even making them into little boxes so you can organize things like games, shoes, food, etc. – whatever items you plan on using the space for storage are.
3. Install Hanging Rods Perpendicular
If you put the hanging walls perpendicular against the stair well, this will give you more space as you’ll be able to better access the items you have hanging. A closet should make it so things are easily accessible – otherwise you’re bound to forget you have them or not use them if they can’t be easily reached
4. Consider Alternative Uses
While many people have these spaces for storage, it is possible to use them in other ways. for example, if you have kids, everybody knows that little kids love a good hiding spot. You could transform the space into a small play room area for them. Other possible uses include a small office space or even a small powder room.