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The Crazy Craft Lady

You are here: Home / Home Decor / Home Office in a Closet – How to make the most of a little bit of space

January 3, 2015 · 85 Comments

Home Office in a Closet – How to make the most of a little bit of space

Home Decor· Organize· Room Reveals

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Great news!Β  My home office is complete!Β  These are words I never thought I would never be able to write.

Home office in a closet from The Crazy Craft Lady

This project has been a work-in-progress since the summer.Β  I finished the important stuff (installing and painting the desk and painting the back wall) pretty quickly, and then I spent months tinkering around with the details.Β  I am glad to say that after more trips to Ikea, the Container Store, Office Max, and Bed Bath & Beyond than I would like to admit, I am satisfied… for now.Β  Knowing me, I will be tinkering with this space for quite a while!

This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

home office in a closet tour - the crazy craft lady

Related: Take your craft supplies on-the-go with this DIY custom craft tote bag and supply pouches.

The Process

It all began with two closets in my bedroom.Β  In an effort to minimize, I decided that I only wanted to use one closet for clothing.Β  This left my second closet free… for an office.Β  We don’t have a spare room for me to have a designated home office, so I need to make use of every inch of space available.Β  This means that with some creativity, an extra closet can become a home office.

My home office in a closet - the very beginning

I started with an all white closet.Β  The nice people at The Home Depot cut a board for me to use as a desk.Β  I measured it to fit just inside the closet, and take up the whole space.Β  I chose this option, instead of using an actual desk, because I wanted to maximize my workspace.

Home office in a closet - install a board at bar-height for a larger workspace

I also lucked out, because there was already a shelf at bar-height in the closet.Β  I removed the shelf, and used the shelf supports already in place to support my new desk.

Home office in a closet - the desk installation

A friend rounded off the front edge of the board. I then applied wood filler and sanded to make a smooth, rounded edge.

Home office in a closet - desk installation

I painted the desk with a high gloss white paint, the back wall above the desk with chalkboard paint (although I haven’t been able to bring myself to write on it yet!), and the wall under the desk with a nice light blue.

The Details – My Finished Home Office in a Closet

I don’t have any more in-progress pictures… Sorry!Β  But here are some close-ups of the details:

Β Floating Shelves

I boughtΒ  white floating shelves from Ikea – one long and one short.Β  They are a bit too narrow to serve as functional storage space.Β  I plan on using them mainly to display crafts and pictures that I enjoy.Β  I think I managed to find enough storage in other areas of the closet!

Floating shelves to display pictures above a work space

Under the shelves, I placed little storage boxes between elephant bookends that belonged to my grandparents.Β  I keep little everyday items in these boxes – extra flash drives and electronics accessories, post-it notes, tape, etc.

Little storage boxes set between bookends on a desktop for extra storage

Then painted wood slice with the words “I just want to make beautiful things…” is a project I did a few months ago.Β  Read all about it here.

Paint a favorite quote on a wood slice from the craft store to display above your desk

I have a ton of instagram photos that seem to stay trapped in the internet, and I’ve been trying to do a better job of printing and displaying them.Β  I decided to try and be extra crafty with a cork, and make a picture display.Β  I used a sharp knife to cut a small line into the top of a champagne cork.Β  The instagram picture sits in this indentation perfectly!

Turn a champagne cork into a picture stand

Side walls

One wall is functional and one I saved to be “pretty”.

On the left wall, I mounted a pegboard – cut to size for free at the hardware store.Β  This may seem like a simple task, but for me it was a major feat.Β  This was the first time I had ever used a power tool all by myself – unsupervised.Β  It was just about as thrilling as driving a car by myself for the first time!Β  So I used my new electric drill to mount the pegboard.Β  So far the thing seems level and hasn’t fallen off the wall.Β  Victory!

Pegboard storage for a home office in a closet

I bought a cheap set of pegboard hardware from The Home Depot – just a little baggie of basic hardware.Β  Little metal pails hold paintbrushes and pens.Β  The white metal basket holds paint, Mod Podge, and a jar of colored pencils.Β  I also attached a stack of post-its to a little piece from a burlap banner.

Pegboard storage in a closet - turned home office

Sources:

Pegboard and hardware – The Home Depot.

Metal pails – Joann Fabrics.

White metal basket – The Container Store.

Jar and post-its – Target dollar section.

Pegboard storage for craft supplies

In front of the pegboard is a small brown paper bag from Pakhuis Oost at the Container Store.Β  I use it as a little trash can for paper scraps and thread while working on projects.

A little brown paper bag serves as a trash can on a desktop or work space for small paper scraps

On the other wall, I mounted four clipboards from the dollar section at Target.

Mount four clipboards on the wall next to your desk and display free printables or pictures - you can rotate out your display as often as you want

The two printables are free from other blogs.Β  Here are the links:

Happiness is a Warm Glue Gun from Man Made DIY

Free Feather Printables from Oh So Lovely the Blog

The white branches in the jar are from Ikea (cut down by about a foot – the extra went in another jar on the top shelf in the closet).Β  I collected the stones off the beach while on a trip to Alaska.

Mount four clipboards on the wall next to your desk to display artwork pictures or fun quotes

And how cute is this fabric-covered notebook?!?Β  My sister made it for me.Β  I haven’t graduated past sewing in a straight line and getting my corners to line up, so I leave the more complicated sewing projects to her!

DIY fabric-covered notebook with an inside pocket

The doors

When you’re working in a small space, you have to utilize every inch – not just horizontal, but vertical too.Β  This means taking advantage of space on the inside of my closet doors.

I bought two magnetic panels from Ikea, and lucky me – they were the perfect size to fit inside the moulding on the door!Β  I didn’t want to drill into the door, so I mounted the panels with 3M adhesives.

Magnetic panels mounted on the back of a closet door

Right now, I mainly use the magnetic panels to display pictures, magazine articles that inspire me, or notes to myself.Β  I bought a set of magnets from Ikea as well, but I also made some wooden ones.Β  I just bought a packet of birch discs at the craft store and hot glued magnets to the back of them.Β  Too simple!

DIY wooden magnets

Under desk storage

On the left-hand side, I placed a set of clear storage drawers that I already owned.Β  The two different sized drawers are perfect for craft supplies – paint, glue, stickers, and everything else.Β  I haven’t gotten around to truly organizing these drawers, so I’m not going to share pictures of my messy craft supplies.

This is also where my next tip comes in handy: Tape scrapbook paper to the inside of clear plastic storage drawers.Β  You get a great custom look, and the paper hides the disorganized chaos inside the drawers!

tape scrapbook paper to the inside of clear plastic storage drawers for a custom look

On the right-hand side, I used a shelf from Ikea.Β  In an alternate universe, handy Aimee would have build a custom shelf that was flush with the bottom of the desk.Β  But in this universe, a lesser-handy version of Aimee just bough a shelf.Β  I don’t think anyone will judge me for taking a shortcut!

A home office and craft space inside of a spare closet

All of the storage boxes on the shelves are from Ikea as well.Β  The larger boxes store my camera equipment and binders, while the smaller boxes store notebooks and office supplies.Β  The plastic white baskets on the top of the shelf are from Office Max.Β  I use them to keep my desk clear.Β  Any paper that I would be inclined to toss on my desk, I throw in one of those two baskets.Β  At least once a week, I go through the baskets and take care of any “action items”.

A booksheld under a bar-height desk creates plenty of storage

Top shelf storage & lighting

And last, but not least, don’t forget to look up for extra storage space.Β  Since I’m a bit of a taller gal, I can easily reach anything on this shelf without needing a step stool.

Extra storage space in a home office closet

Ikea storage boxes for home office

I used more storage boxes from Ikea for craft supplies, extra paper, and cards.Β  The basket on the right has fabric for sewing projects.Β  And my favorite part is this little decorative tin – bought at holiday time – that stores my Sharpie markers.

Use decorative tins to store office supplies

I also added some lighting.Β  I found these little puck lights from Bed Bath & Beyond that come with a remote control.Β  They were beyond easy to install and run on batteries – so no wiring to worry about!

remote controlled puck lights above a work space

Whoo!Β  That’s it!Β  Thanks for sticking around to the end of this post – it was a long one.Β  I hope you enjoyed touring this space as much as I have enjoyed creating and using it!

A home office and craft space inside of a spare closet

 

Do you love the “Cloffice” trend as much as I do?

Then check out even more closet office inspiration here:

Closet Offices - inspiration and organization

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Book Page Botanical Prints
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Storage and Organizing Finds on Amazon

With a few supplies, you can easily upcycle cardboard boxes and make beautiful custom storage and organizing boxes for your home.
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Sources for Affordable Temporary Wallpaper

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Comments

  1. Dee says

    January 4, 2015 at 12:50 am

    I just love this! I’m working on my own office, so this is the perfect inspiration for me. If you get a chance, please stop by and link up with Snickerdoodle Sunday! πŸ™‚

    Reply
    • aimee says

      January 4, 2015 at 3:21 pm

      Thanks Dee! Will do πŸ™‚

      Reply
  2. Lynn says

    January 4, 2015 at 10:09 am

    All of your posts are great, but I think this is your best post/project yet!! I’m walking away with some ideas now for my desk (the cute small paper bag for trash items, the corks for picture holders, etc. etc.)
    Thanks so much for sharing!
    Lynn

    Reply
  3. Amanda @ Dwelling in Happiness says

    January 4, 2015 at 11:59 am

    This. Is. Amazing!!!!! I love every little aspect, and it totally inspires me to do something like this!! We don’t have a lot of space in our house either; and unfortunately, limited closet space. But you’ve shown you can do SO much in a small space! Love it, totally pinned. πŸ™‚

    Reply
    • aimee says

      January 4, 2015 at 3:23 pm

      Thanks for sharing Amanda!

      Reply
  4. Vicky says

    January 4, 2015 at 3:10 pm

    Nicely done, Aimee! Love it! And, it’s given me an idea for the use of puck lights in my home.
    Thank you!

    Reply
  5. Kate says

    January 4, 2015 at 4:18 pm

    This is awesome! I would love to have an office like this. and I really love the colors you chose! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
    • aimee says

      January 4, 2015 at 6:33 pm

      Thanks Kate. This closet/office is right next to my bed, so I tried to pick colors that would be soothing and bring “good energy.”

      Reply
  6. Deb @ Frugal Little Bungalow says

    January 4, 2015 at 4:33 pm

    This is absolutely amazing! πŸ™‚

    Reply
  7. Jamie @ All That Srocks says

    January 4, 2015 at 8:06 pm

    Gorgeous! You absolutely rocked this project! Can I ask how long it took you?

    Reply
    • aimee says

      January 4, 2015 at 8:10 pm

      Thanks Jamie! The painting and desk install took the better part of a Saturday, but I spent months tinkering with different arrangement options and storage solutions… sometimes the creative juices flow a little slower!

      Reply
  8. Sharon - Her Organized Chaos says

    January 5, 2015 at 8:51 am

    This is fantastic! I have been wanting to do this but my closet isn’t nearly as big as this. I think this is so perfect! I am going to show my husband so he can see what I am talking about. It just makes sense for us because we don’t own a large house and we have young children so it would make it easy to just have a small spot that can be closed to them. I’m going to share and pin. Thanks for sharing! It would be so great if you could link this up on my blog on Crafty Chao Tuesdays!

    Stay warm if you’re in the frigid cold like me.

    Reply
    • aimee says

      January 5, 2015 at 9:26 am

      Thanks for the kind words Sharon! I’ll be sure to stop by on Tuesday πŸ™‚

      Reply
  9. Darla at HeartWork Organizing says

    January 6, 2015 at 8:48 pm

    Super cute! I love the cork idea. A picture will eventually curl, but that would be a great place to store an index card with daily priorities. I hope you make lots of pretty things there!

    Reply
  10. Jennie @ Little Girl Designs says

    January 6, 2015 at 9:14 pm

    So beautiful! You’re going to have so much fun creating in this space. πŸ™‚

    Reply
  11. Gentle Joy says

    January 6, 2015 at 10:51 pm

    What a wonderful office!!!! Looks great…. and inviting to do some work… πŸ™‚

    Reply
  12. The DIY Homegirl says

    January 7, 2015 at 12:18 am

    Great job! So organized and still decorative! Love closet offices.

    Reply
  13. Sydney @Tastefully Frugal says

    January 7, 2015 at 10:40 am

    I LOVE this! We are really limited on space here too and you have totally given me inspiration. Pinning!

    Reply
  14. Lisa J says

    January 7, 2015 at 10:49 am

    Love your ideas! I will be transforming a closet as well. Looks like a a great place.

    Reply
    • aimee says

      January 8, 2015 at 12:58 pm

      How exciting! Stop back and let me know how it goes!

      Reply
  15. Carissa Rasmussen says

    January 7, 2015 at 4:08 pm

    Oh wow– it turned out so so good! I’m so impressed! Especially love the color scheme and keeping it simply!
    You should join my link party, http://www.carissamiss.com/2015/01/outside-box-no-17.html
    I love your stuff!

    Reply
  16. Shelly -minettesmaze.blogspot.com/ says

    January 7, 2015 at 7:49 pm

    This is beautiful! Awesome job! I just love your idea!

    [email protected]

    Reply
  17. Vickie says

    January 8, 2015 at 4:53 am

    You did a beautiful job! Such inspiration for anyone!

    Reply
    • aimee says

      January 8, 2015 at 12:56 pm

      Thanks for the sweet compliment Vickie!

      Reply
  18. Deb says

    January 8, 2015 at 8:24 am

    This is so great! Everything about the paint color and the above lights…the storage…your trash can! Love it all!

    Deb
    @Seeking Lavender Lane

    Reply
  19. Jamie | anderson + grant says

    January 8, 2015 at 12:32 pm

    You are so organized! This office is every bit as pretty and functional as a whole room dedicated to being an office. I love the idea of turning the little storage boxes on their side and holding them with the book ends…..And I’m crazy about your garbage can!

    I’d love if you’d take moment and share this amazing space at my link party! Enjoy your day, Aimee!

    Reply
    • aimee says

      January 8, 2015 at 12:54 pm

      Thanks for the kinds words Jamie! The timing of you comment couldn’t be more perfect… I just posted a picture on Instagram about how disorganized I am! Linking up at your party right now.

      Reply
  20. Amy | Canary Street Crafts says

    January 8, 2015 at 3:00 pm

    I don’t have words for how fantastic I think this is!! Amazing use of space AND it’s gorgeous. I’m so glad you linked up with us, Aimee!! Looking forward to following you πŸ™‚

    Reply
  21. Lauren Shaver says

    January 8, 2015 at 8:17 pm

    Shut the front door! This is awesome! I’m dying to convert my tiny office closet jam packed with craft supplies into a space like this. You nailed it!

    Reply
    • aimee says

      January 9, 2015 at 1:07 pm

      Ah! Thanks so much for the compliment Lauren, and goo luck with your own office closet!

      Reply
  22. Sarah J says

    January 9, 2015 at 12:10 pm

    Popping over from Worthwhile Wednesday =) I love the cork picture holder! I will be doing that! Be sure to share your crafts & DIYs at Two Uses Tuesday over at Sarah Celebrates (Mon 11pm EST to Fri 11pm EST) if you don’t already!

    Reply
    • aimee says

      January 9, 2015 at 1:08 pm

      Thanks Sarah. Will do!

      Reply
  23. Mel {MamaBuzz} says

    January 9, 2015 at 3:36 pm

    This is beautiful! You did a wonderful job. I love all the little details, especially things like the cork photo holder; that is brilliant! It’s so pretty, uncluttered and very calming. Thank you for sharing at Inspire Me Wednesday. Featuring you in next week’s issue.

    Reply
  24. Dee says

    January 10, 2015 at 11:33 am

    Thanks for linking up at Snickerdoodle Sunday! You’re one of my features, and I so hope you’ll join us again when the party goes live tonight at 5pm EDT! πŸ™‚

    Reply
  25. Juliana @ Te Amo Too says

    January 10, 2015 at 3:37 pm

    Hi Aimee, I just visited you blog and love your closet office! I have a little craft armoire in my bedroom too. It’s the only space I could find! Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving me a comment. Hope to see you soon!

    Reply
  26. Lorene @Remodelaholic says

    January 12, 2015 at 11:31 pm

    Hello Aimee! This closet is amazing. This makes me want to kick all of my canned goods out of our guest room closet and make it into an office! πŸ™‚ Also, we’d love to feature you on Remodelaholic. I just sent you an email but sometimes my messages get caught in spam filters, so I wanted to leave you a comment, too, to make sure you got my email (and to tell you how much I LOVE this, of course πŸ™‚

    Thanks!
    Lorene @Remodelaholic

    Reply
  27. Allie says

    January 13, 2015 at 1:47 pm

    Aimee, You’ve got to stop creating such great posts. I mean all of my readers are going to think I’m playing favorites!
    I’ve featured your closet home office on Worthwhile Wednesdays tonight.
    ~Allie http://www.craftyallieblog.com

    Reply
    • aimee says

      January 29, 2015 at 7:48 am

      Hahaha! Thanks Allie!

      Reply
  28. Rebecca Lopez says

    January 14, 2015 at 10:02 pm

    I love everything about this! It turned out so fantastic, it’s organized perfectly! And I adore those boxes and metal label plates. Thank you so much for linking this up to The Creative Collection Link Party.

    Reply
    • aimee says

      January 29, 2015 at 7:51 am

      Thanks for the kind words, Rebecca!

      Reply
  29. Michelle from Weekend Craft says

    January 15, 2015 at 6:38 am

    Wow this looks incredible! You did such an amazing job! Thanks so much for stopping by Creative Spark Link Party. Hope you stop by again today! http://bit.ly/1ybfEwi

    Reply
  30. susan says

    January 15, 2015 at 6:54 am

    I love everything about your closet office! The grey colors are gorgeous and love the boxes that you filed vertically. Congrats, you’re featured at Inspire Us Thursday on Organized 31.

    Reply
    • aimee says

      January 29, 2015 at 7:53 am

      Thanks for the feature Susan! I love your parties!

      Reply
  31. Cindy @ Upcycled Design Lab says

    January 15, 2015 at 11:03 am

    Really love what you were able to do with your space. Very inspiring. I am itching to use my space better now.

    Cindy

    Reply
    • aimee says

      January 29, 2015 at 7:53 am

      I’m glad to hear! Let me know how it goes!

      Reply
  32. heather j says

    January 16, 2015 at 12:35 pm

    Genius! I love this idea:)

    Reply
  33. Nikki says

    September 5, 2015 at 8:36 pm

    Love your craft closet! My endeavors were once confined to a closet- and that didn’t last long… My challenge is hiding my crafts in plain sight in an office/guest room combo. You’ve given me some great ideas in this post- thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • aimee says

      September 7, 2015 at 3:49 pm

      Thanks for the kind words, Nikki! So glad you found a bit of inspiration πŸ™‚

      Reply
  34. Jacob says

    November 17, 2016 at 4:02 am

    Hii
    Great post!
    Your creativity is really fantastic.Closest office looking is amazing.All tips are very helpful that you have mentioned.

    Thanks,for sharing this valuable information with us.

    Reply
  35. Kaitlyn says

    November 18, 2016 at 10:56 am

    Wow! You took advantage of every inch of space. I love offices in a closet. Yours turned out great! I like the tip about adding paper to the clear bins. I’ll have to this with some of mine.

    Reply
  36. Christina says

    December 14, 2016 at 11:20 am

    You certainly do make a good point about creativity. Turning a closet into an office does require some of it, as you share.

    Reply
  37. Amphasis says

    May 20, 2018 at 12:33 pm

    Lovely space management, I love that side wall with that pegboard.

    Reply
  38. Chantay says

    June 23, 2018 at 5:22 am

    Omg. This is awesome. I wonder if this space is considered a tax write off for a home based business.

    Reply
    • aimee says

      July 17, 2018 at 4:13 pm

      πŸ™‚

      Reply

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About Me

I’m Aimee, The Crazy Craft Lady. I strive to make my home a more stylish, organized, and creative place, while keeping things uncomplicated and budget-friendly. Here you will find DIY projects, seasonal decor and crafts, recipes, and organizing tricks. I hope you stay awhile and leave inspired.

Let’s “make everyday creative” together!

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