How Big is the Average Walk-In Closet Size?

Walk-in closets are vital storage solutions. Even though they have gain popularity recently, they are perceptibly luxurious and remain highly desirable. However, like other major elements which go into designing a house, walk-in closets heavily rely on the design’s accuracy. When well-designed, walk-in closets are highly useful. They offer abundant storage and adequate private space. Designing walk-in closets are not easy. It is essential to place the layout and interiors. In the opinion of Closeandbeyond.com, the design of a walk-in closet depends on these factors:

The space available
Your budget
Your storage requirements

Before you step into a project, know what you want and need. This will help you in determining the final product you will end up with. For instance, if you have minimum or low storage requirements, walk-in closets can be overkill. Also, if you lack space, it is not ideal to cram a walk-in closet in your bedroom because it can significantly distort your home’s layout. Before starting, consider what purpose it will serve and work from there. In the opinion of Ugradedhome.com, a typical full-size walk-in closet for two individuals should measure about seven by ten feet. Preferably, it should have an area of a hundred square feet because this allows homeowners to have storage units on all 3 walls, even if there is a sitting area in the center. Small walk-ins can be built in as low as twenty-five square feet if you wish to have a smaller one. Some standard measurements for different kinds of walk-ins include:

Single-sided – These are the smallest closest and are a little more than hybrid compared with a walk-in and reach-in closet. On average, the closet is about 4 to 5 feet deep, and it occupies around twenty-four inches of the entire depth, leaving about thirty-six inches of clearance.
Double-sided – The depth of a double-sided walk-in can be flexible, ranging from 4 to 6 feet. This closet is wider than a single-sided closet and incorporates twenty-four inches of storage space on opposite walls. It has clearance in the center. The total width is about six to seven feet.
Island walk-in – If there is an island in the middle of your closet, there is a chance that you are not worried about space. However, if you are attempting to install an island into the design, ensure there is a 3 feet clearance on every side of the clearance.
Wrap around walk-in closet – The design maximizes the storage space available with storage units found all over the 3 walls. They are medium to large in size. These designs are based on how the storage units are placed. When talking about size, it is possible to broadly break down walk-in closets into 3 categories, which include large, narrow, and long, and small and square. After figuring out your space constraints, storage needs, and the functionality you need to extract from a walk-in closet, you can match and mix the styles to create the perfect closet. For instance, if you have adequate storage but minimal storage needs, you can place a dresser in the walk-in closet to take care of makeup and hair. The left-over space can be used for an island or an ironing board. Let’s look at some features of walk-in closets.

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Walkway clearances

A walk-in closet should be large enough to offer twenty-four inches of clear walkway space between rods, shelves, or other obstructions bearing in mind that hanging clothes take up about 2 inches of the horizontal space. For this reason, the closet should be six feet wide to allow for hanging areas on both walls. A narrower closet should not have two feet of clear space between the 2 hanging sections. The two-inch minimum also applies to the clear walkway space on every side of the island. If there is inadequate room for the two-foot walkway beside the island, it is not feasible.

Hanging placement and storage

You can position hanging rods so that 2 rods occupy one wall, one above the other, in a configuration known as double hang. This configuration is ideal for jackets, shirts, and other short garments. The standard height for double-hang rods is forty point five inches high for the low road and eighty-two inches for the high rod. Medium-hang rods are mounted fifty-four inches above the floor, and they are ideal for longer garments and pants in addition to sixty-six inch high long-hang rods work for dresses, long garments, and coats. Shelves along the rods should be fourteen to sixteen inches to accommodate larger items.

Americans with Disabilities (ADA) requirements

To meet the standards for the accessible design of the ADA, a walk-in closet should have adequate space for maneuvering so that people who use wheelchairs can access the interior of the closet easily. The act specifies a minimum clear space of thirty inches wide by forty-eight inches deep. Therefore, the standard recommended walkway width of twenty-four inches is not wide enough to satisfy the ADA. This act also requires that the reach ranges within the closet between fifteen inches and forty-eight inches from the floor. All the shelving, hanging rods, and hooks in the closet need to fall within the range.

Walkways and seating

A large walk-in closet with widths larger than ten feet can accommodate seating in the closet, a peninsula, or a storage island. The structures always need to have 24 or more inches of clear walkway space on every side.

Hanging heights

Hanging rods can be placed in the closet to enhance the use of space, giving the kinds of clothes hung on them. A short hang rod is ideal for hanging blouses or shirts, and it is usually positioned forty-two inches above the closet floor. In double hang configurations, one rod is placed at the height of forty-two inches above the closet floor. In double hang configurations, one rod is positioned at the height of forty-two inches while another one is positioned above it at eighty-four inches above the flooring. The configuration offers 2 short-hang spaces, one above the other one.

Shelves

According to Crddesignbuild.com, the upper shelf in a closet is usually set at 84 inches above the flooring, the same height as the upper rod inside a double hang configuration. The shelf needs to be 16 or more inches deep to give way for the storage of large items.