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How to Create an Organized Double Closet using an Ikea Aurdal Wardrobe
- Sheri Walker
- Mar 30
- 5 min read
When we moved our master bedroom to the basement room this past fall we needed to do a big overhaul of the downstairs closet. The original room had a single small closet that would definitely not accommodate the wardrobe’s of two adults (in all seriousness it wouldn’t accommodate my shoes). So we ended up creating a large double closet in the room by re-framing the existing wall to create more space.
We were very happy with the space it provided but didn’t know quite what or how to organize it. I spent hours online on wayfair and ikea trying to think of the right configuration. It ended up feeling too difficult with all the other projects we had on the go. So I avoided dealing with it. As our reno came to completion, we moved our bed downstairs and both our dressers. My husband’s dresser was put in the closet, along with laundry hampers and just big piles of clothes. It was very disorganized and basically drove me crazy every time I Iooked at it. I ended up leaving all my clothes in our old bedroom upstairs. It was super annoying and inconvenient. By the time February came around I had had enough. It was time for me to make a decision. I decided to focus on Ikea options, mostly because Wayfair was overwhelming me a bit and Ikea’s click and collect option is very handy.
The tricky part about planning out a closet with your partner is trying to satisfy your requirements with your spouses. My priority was rod space for hanging clothes and a small amount of drawers. Matt’s priority was more drawers and a small amount of hanging space. He ended up regretting this choice but more on that later.
So, after a couple hours of searching online I found an Ikea option that worked well for us:
The Ikea Aurdal wardrobe combination with drawers
Here’s the link:
This combination allowed us to have drawers and shelves along with rods on either side. Since we were planning for a double closet and my husband required extra drawers, we ended up buying 3 wardrobe combinations to make it work. The upfront cost was $1500. This was comparable to similar units I saw on wayfair. Also, what turned out to be wonderful was we took back the pieces we didn’t use to Ikea and were refunded $230. So the closet organisation ended up being $1270. Not too bad all in all!
I chose the Aurdal units as it offered the ability to customize based on our needs. It was also not oversized which fit our needs as our space was not large. Our closet space measured at 70” deep, height- 7 ft 4”, Length- 9.58”
Below are some pictures of our closet after the reno was done and we were using it as an open storage are:
What we learned while installing the closet:
Measure twice then install
Don’t account for walls to be totally square even if they are brand new
Pack your patience- this project took my husband the better part of two days to complete
Our installation process:
We measured our closet and accounted for the width of the drawer & shelving units of the Aurdal
Our measurements: double closet, 3 each with 4ft opening, total length- 9.58 Inches
Here is the breakdown of how we decided to install our units:
His side: 2 Aurdal storage towers (2ft width)= 7 drawers + 1 shelf + double hanging rods
Her side: 2ft unit= 5 drawers + single 2 ft hanging rod
Her space: 2 Ft connected double rods between towers
The Aurdal Unit’s come with adjustable rods
Her side Extra storage: 1 ft extra from storage unit to wall. We used a 1' 5/8 whole saw to drill the hole to accomodate the rod too extend through to the wall
His side Extra hanging space- 9” extra from unit to wall (Enough space for a couple suits)
Prepping the closet:
We had just recently renovated it so the walls were free of rods & nail holes
BUT if it was a closet we were using I would have emptied it, removed existing rods, filled nail holes and painted if need be.
Tips for installing the Aurdal Units:
When we installed the first tower we hung the rod too high so it wasn't possible to lift a hanger on and off, we fixed it and adjusted for it
The rods extended nicely but make sure to use provided elastics to secure the rod at your selected size
After you have the first section built it moves along quickly
5. Customizing for shared hanging space:
We connected rods between the shared towers
We used a stud finder to secure the towers properly into the stalls
We cut down the ikea provided rods to make the small space between our towers and the wall fit and provide hanging space for my dresses and his suits
Final touches and organization:
I used some small bins to store some of my smaller items like workout shirts to keep my drawers from being over crowded
My husband always had a pile of “sort of clean clothes” that he would leave in a laundry hamper. That pile now sits on the top shelf of his unit.I have plans to find a more stylish storage option.
We are happy with the final product and find the organization works well
Lessons Learned and tips for others:
Return extra unopened boxes to Ikea for return
My husband now says he might have wanted more rod space but it overall happy with the storage space
Our next problem to solve is doors. Our original plan was to use bifold doors but we now determined they will take too much space. So now our dilemma is possibly curtains or sliding barn doors. Stay tuned :)
Cost break down: Cost of 3 units: $1510- $230 for returned items= $1270
We would recommend the system to anyone looking for a cost effective, efficient organization system
Conclusion:
Choosing the Aurdal has made our day to day living in our room easy and feels much more organized
We learned that sometimes you just need to make a decision and go with it! Agonizing for hours online looking at closet systems got me no where
Accept that it won’t be perfect but that’s okay and you find you’ll be happy with the result
Please feel free to ask me any questions or share your experiences with me about your closet set ups!
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