Hanging Closet
Posted by ReadyMade
Photography by Shawn Connell
Take advantage of wall space by hanging up your clothes with a simple rod and rope action.
Skill Level
Moderate
Active Time
Half a day
Cost
$$
- 7-foot-long wooden rod, approximately 1½ inches in diameter (the length can vary depending on where you’ll be hanging it)
- Pencil
- Nylon, cotton, or hemp rope, approximately ¼ inch in diameter or more (the length needs to be enough to span 5-6 times the distance from the top of the rod at hanging height to the ceiling)
- 2 large wire eyebolts with screw thread
- Mounting hardware, as needed
Materials
- Level
- Ladder
- Power drill
Tools
Lay the wooden rod on the floor and mark the “midpoint.” Then, measure 6 inches in from each end and mark the two “endpoints.” Finally, measure the distance between the midpoint and each endpoint and mark the middle; we’ll call these marks the “quarter points.”
Place the wooden rod where you want your closet to hang, and mark the corresponding quarter points on the ceiling. Be sure to allow at least 12 inches of clearance from the back wall to accommodate hangers.
Drill and install mounting hardware on the ceiling at the quarter points. Check with your hardware store on what kind of mount and what size bit you’ll need. For example, drywall anchors are needed if your ceiling is drywall. Screw in the eyebolts.
Prepare the wooden rod for hanging. Wrap the end of the rope around one of the marked endpoints of the rod several times and knot.
Hang the rod. Standing on a ladder, thread the free end of the rope through the first eyebolt. Bring the rod up to the height at which you’d like it to hang (standard closets place hanger bars 65-68 inches above the floor), and then loop the rope under the rod at the midpoint. Next, thread the rope through the second eyebolt, and make a loose knot at the other endpoint of the rod. (Keep the knot loose for the next step.) At this point you should have an M-shaped rope structure, with the two eyebolts at the peaks of the M and the closet rod suspended across the bottom.
Free the loosely tied end and, using a level, adjust the ropes until the wooden rod is level and at a satisfactory height. Secure in place by wrapping the remaining rope around the endpoints several times and knotting.
Since some of your clothes might be heavier than others, you may need to adjust the placement of one of the endpoints in order to even out the weight imbalance. This may take some trial and error. It’s all a balancing act.
