Storage & Organisation
Custom Closet Systems
The short answer
A custom closet system replaces the single rod and shelf that most Calgary homes were built with. Because a single rod wastes the entire volume below hanging clothes, adding a second hanging level, drawers and adjustable shelving typically increases usable capacity by 70–100% in exactly the same footprint. Most reach-in closets are measured, built and installed within two to four weeks.
Why the builder’s closet wastes most of the space
Nearly every closet in a production-built Calgary home was finished the same way: one rod at around 1700mm and one shelf above it. It is fast, it is cheap, and it throws away most of the volume.
Consider the arithmetic. A shirt hangs about 900mm. In a closet with a 2400mm ceiling, one rod at 1700mm leaves roughly 800mm of dead air beneath the clothes and another 500mm of hard-to-reach space above the shelf. Well over half the closet is doing nothing.
Double-hanging recovers the lower zone. Drawers convert dead floor space into organised storage. Adjustable shelving lets the top zone hold things you actually retrieve rather than things you have forgotten. None of this requires a bigger closet.
Hanging heights to design around
Standard clearances used when planning a closet. Measure your longest garments before finalising, particularly coats and dresses.
| Garment type | Clearance needed | Typical rod height |
|---|---|---|
| Shirts, blouses, folded trousers | 1000mm | Double-hang: 1050mm and 2050mm |
| Jackets and suits | 1150mm | 1200mm above the shelf below |
| Long dresses and coats | 1700mm | Single-hang zone, full height |
| Trousers hung full length | 1400mm | Dedicated single-hang section |
A well-planned closet mixes zones rather than using one height throughout — most wardrobes are predominantly short-hang with a small long-hang section.
Get a free quote for closet systems
We measure, draw and provide a fixed written price — no cost, no obligation.
Components and what each one is for
- Double hanging
- Two rods stacked in the same vertical space. The single highest-return change in any reach-in closet.
- Drawer banks
- Inside the closet rather than a dresser in the bedroom, which frees floor space in the room itself. Soft-close undermount slides; jewellery and accessory inserts where wanted.
- Adjustable shelving
- On a shelf-pin system so the layout can change as your wardrobe does. Fixed shelving locks in today’s assumptions permanently.
- Shoe storage
- Angled shelves or flat cubbies. Angled displays better and holds less; flat holds more per linear metre.
- Pull-out accessories
- Valet rods, belt and tie racks, hampers and pull-out trays. Useful in moderation — it is easy to over-specify accessories that never get used.
- Lighting
- LED strip or puck lighting on a door switch. Genuinely transformative in the windowless closets that are standard in Calgary homes.
Specific closet systems services
Detailed pages for the individual elements of this service.
Answers
Frequently asked questions
- How much storage will I actually gain?
- In a typical reach-in closet with a single rod, converting to double-hang with drawers and adjustable shelving usually increases usable capacity by roughly 70–100%. The gain is largest in closets with high ceilings and standard-length clothing, and smaller where you have many long garments that need full-height hanging.
- Should closet systems be floor-mounted or wall-hung?
- Wall-hung — where the whole system carries on a rail fixed to structure — leaves the floor clear for cleaning and looks lighter. Floor-mounted units sit on the floor and carry load directly, which suits heavy drawer banks and long spans. Many closets use both. Wall-hung requires reliable fixing into studs, which we confirm at the measure.
- Can you build closets for kids’ rooms?
- Yes, and it is worth designing them to change. Young children need low hanging they can reach and lots of shelf storage; the same closet a decade later needs adult hanging heights. An adjustable system handles that transition without a rebuild.
- What material are closet systems built from?
- Melamine-faced panel is the common choice — durable, wipe-clean, cost-effective and available in a wide range of finishes. Painted MDF or hardwood-faced plywood is used where the closet is open to the room or where the finish should match other millwork. We will recommend based on whether the closet is behind doors or on show.
- How long does a closet install take?
- Two to four weeks from measure to installation for a standard reach-in closet, with installation usually taking under a day. Whole-home packages covering several closets take longer to fabricate but are still installed quickly.
Related services & guides
Walk-in Closets
Primary suite dressing rooms.
Learn moreMudrooms
Entry storage for coats and boots.
Learn moreCustom Cabinets
Cabinetry for any room.
Learn moreCloset Design Guide
Zones, dimensions and planning.
Learn moreCloset Measurement Worksheet
Measure your closet properly.
Learn moreBlog: High-Impact Upgrades
Affordable changes that make a big difference.
Learn more
Why homeowners choose us
Careful work, honestly quoted.
We would rather talk you out of the wrong project than sell you one. Everything below is something you can hold us to.
Fixed written quotes
You get a drawing and a fixed price before anything is built — not an hourly estimate that moves.
Built for this climate
Material and joinery chosen for Calgary’s dry winters, so joints stay closed when the humidity drops.
Shop-built, site-scribed
Components made in a controlled shop, then scribed to your actual walls rather than trimmed to hide gaps.
One point of contact
The person who measures your space is the person accountable for the finished work.
Where we work
Calgary Carpentry serves Calgary and the surrounding communities.
Thinking about closet systems?
Send a few details and we will come and measure. Free, no obligation, and a fixed written price.