Have you ever wished that you had more room in the closet near your front door? If you’re like most of us, that closet is cram full of coats, jackets, umbrellas, and all sorts of outerwear. It may be so packed that when guests arrive, there is nowhere to hang their coats without first removing your own. Even worse is the open floor plan home that forgot to include coat storage altogether. Luckily, there are things you can do to fix the problem. Learn how to maximize your entry coat closet with easy and efficient closet organizers that double your space.
Increase your entryway storage through effective coat closet design.
The entry coat closet is often small, or even non-existent in many homes. But we all need a place to put our jackets and other outerwear. We also need somewhere to hang our guest’s coats when they come to visit. As a result, our front foyer closet is often cramped and overflowing with garments. But it doesn’t have to be that way. A well-designed space that features thoughtful closet organizers can double your storage. It also eliminates the unsightly mess that plagues many an entry coat closet.
Organizers for Your Entry Coat Closet:
Double-hang is the quick & easy fix for entryway closets.
Entryway closets can be either near the front door or the back/garage entrance. Back door closets are often a little larger than those near the front, but one thing most have in common is that they aren’t very big. In fact, the standard coat closet is a small reach-in that measures only 24-inches D x 36-inches W. When you think about all your bulky winter coats, that isn’t a lot of space.


To make matters worse, the majority only include a single wire shelf and rod. Fortunately, most coat closets have room for improvement when it comes to overall space utilization. If you have a wire coat closet, switch over to laminate closet organizers. These offer the greatest flexibility when it comes to storage. Because the closet panels are adjustable, moving or adding a rod is simply a matter of inserting the rod into another set of pre-drilled holes. Simply move the existing rod down and add another above it to double your entryway closet space.
Using double-hang closet organizers is the quickest, easiest, and cheapest way to increase your entry coat closet storage.
Add closet shelves to further maximize storage.
Your entry closet probably came with a single shelf over a single rod. This is not enough entryway closet storage for most households. Whenever possible, add more closet shelves. No home can ever have enough shelves.


Replacing the single closet rod and shelf with custom closet organizers will increase the storage in any closet, including your entry coat closet. If you have a walk-in coat closet, you can add even more shelves.

Shelves are also are an important feature of the well-organized closet. Include as many of them as you can. If you are lucky enough to have a walk-in coat closet, you can add even more shelves. Use them for shoes, boots, hats, folded scarves, and more. A basket can be added to the shelves to corral all the small items like gloves and mittens. The end result is a well-organized space that can hold a lot of clothing.
Closet lighting adds the finishing touch.

If you want your entry closet to really stand out, install an LED closet lighting system. Closet lighting systems illuminate the closet in a way that simple overhead light fixtures cannot. Functionally, they are better because they put the light where you need it — right above the garment. They eliminate most of the dark corners and problems with finding the right clothes. Aesthetically, this is the element that will set your closet apart from all others. Lighting adds a bit of a WOW factor to the most mundane coat closet, especially when it automatically turns on and off when you open and close the door. Lighting maximizes your space in ways that other closet accessories cannot. The improvement is in the way you experience the space rather than extra square footage.
Ready to maximize your entry coat closet?
Overall, the front entry closet is an easy place to start if you’re thinking about home improvement. It’s small, relatively inexpensive, and easy to take on. Your friends and neighbors are also more likely to see this closet than one tucked away in the bedroom. Use double-hang closet organizers in conjunction with an LED closet lighting system to maximize your closet space. Once you’ve finished, you’ll want everyone to see it!
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- How to Hang a Closet Rod
- Corner Shelves for Closets
- Use Hooks for Closets & Get Organized!
- How to Build a Custom Closet
- Closet Size Standards