Organization
Maximize Space and Style with an IKEA Pax Closet
Tired of a cluttered entryway and not knowing where to hang coats, backpacks, and other everyday stuff? I was too, until this IKEA Pax closet in our entryway. I loved our first little house, but the smaller footprint started to feel smaller as our little family grew. Come winter, realized that we were missing a real coat closet. We didn’t have a lot of storage space in our entry, but this custom storage solution was a great fit for us. In this blog post, I’ll be sharing my experience with our IKEA Pax closet, from the initial planning stages to the final installation. I’ll discuss the pros and cons of this closet, including why they are a great custom solution. I’ll also share some tips and tricks to help you create the wardrobe system for your own home.
Maximize Space and Style with an IKEA Pax Closet
If you’re in need of more closet space or wardrobe cabinets at an affordable price, it’s time to go to IKEA for the perfect storage solutions. Built-in wardrobes are a great option and much more affordable than something custom. You can make them look custom, and save on cost. I was so impressed by the wide range of PAX options, which was what we chose for our entryway. We also have one of these in a guest room that functions more as a piece of furniture or closet.
They have lots of clothing storage options that are great walk-in closets, coat closets, and even home office storage, too. You can add adjustable shelves, bottom drawers space, pull-out trays, or a clothes rail for coats to your Pax wardrobe system. Plus, the focus on sustainable materials like FSC-certified wood felt good from an environmental standpoint. These wardrobe closets are great for jackets, shoes, sunglasses, and everything else we need to stash away day-to-day. This post is not sponsored by IKEA. I just really liked our entry closet and any time I posted, got a few questions about it. And it’s so affordable, so I wanted to share this small space storage solution with you.
Our Closet Design
IKEA wardrobe systems are a great way to add whatever you need to create the storage system that’s right for you. And they have the best deals for something you can customize. We went with a 2 door system, in white wood, and have a hanging rod behind each door, which is where we hang shorter coats and jackets. Long coats and bags go on hooks at the top of the basement stairs. The interior organizers and interior fittings make the wardrobe solution system completely customizable, and you can use the IKEA planner to design your own PAX wardrobe. We actually had two similar PAX closets in our basement playroom, and they were great for toy storage.
This system is 13″ deepso coats only fit on a pull-out clothing rod. This is not the most ideal (less storage and hard to see what’s hanging) but it works. But we had zero hanging storage and were working with a small space. The built-in shelves to the left of the wardrobe are great for storage or decorative accessories. There’s actually a shoe shelf option which would also be great, but I really liked having drawer space that can be used to store clothing or accessories. I kept shoes in the bottom drawer, and then used IKEA bins to hold everything else.
Can you customize your IKEA wardrobe?
Yes. All IKEA wardrobes are fully customizable, and the entire process is really easy. Browse IKEA’s inspiration closets and wardrobes to customize one of their designs, or start from scratch. The frames line up well – we had two wardrobes connected in our basement and they fit next to each other quite well. You can customize everything to your style preference – add your own hardware to dress up (and further customize) your entire closet wardrobe.
Things to consider
I want to share a little bit about our wardrobe, and recommend doing your research before purchasing. The back of the closet is actually a thin particle board, so it’s sort of flimsy. Once your closet is full, you won’t really notice, and it didn’t matter to us.
IKEA will not install your closet (and really, no one can install it) unless your baseboards have been removed. You cannot install this closet with baseboards, as they need to be removed to be flush against your wall. We are not DIY people, so we’d hire someone, and if that isn’t an issue for you, great. But this is something to consider.
Why IKEA?
Custom closets are expensive, so that’s one of the (very) good reasons to consider IKEA. IKEA considers the needs of people, and continues to make a positive significant impact on our planet. But the IKEA Pax closet system is customizable and are the best solution for small spaces when you’re on a budget. We use these IKEA bins in two of the drawers to hold everything – masks, sunglasses, sunscreen, cords, packing tape etc. The bottom drawer is reserved for shoes. If I were designing this from scratch, I’d use the IKEA Komplement shoe shelves. They’re not fancy, but are good quality and do the job. The mesh basket drawers aren’t as deep as I wanted them to be for (adult) shoes, but are great for kids).
Shop Our IKEA Pax Entry & Coat Closet
These PAX systems are completely customizable. You could easily set yours up for long-hanging, or add some more shelving or drawers. Here are the pieces in our entry cabinet. You can see our basement playroom system here. IKEA furniture isn’t the highest quality money can buy, but it’s good quality and is made of sawmill leftovers and scrap wood.
IKEA and sustainability
This is a lot more sustainable – IKEA cares about forest ecosystems and makes a positive impact on our planet. By 2030, all of IKEA’s materials will be recycled, and responsibly sourced. And I love that IKEA thinks about a more holistic approach. Responsible wood sourcing is so important, and I love that that’s something that IKEA cares about.
The IKEA Pax unit can be used in any room – even a walk-in closet.
