How to Measure Your Closet Space

Accurate measurements are the first step toward creating a closet system that fits properly and works well.

Before using the Closets Warehouse design tools, measure the room carefully, record every obstruction, and take photos of the space. The measurements you enter into the tool will help determine which closet configurations fit on each wall.

Use the:

Reach-In Closet Design Tool for a closet installed along one main wall
Walk-In Closet Design Tool for a room with a back wall and optional left and right closet walls

Measure everything in inches.

What You Will Need

Before you begin, gather:

Tape measure
Pencil or pen
Paper for a simple room sketch
Level, if available
Phone or camera
A second person to help measure longer walls

Step 1: Choose the Correct Design Tool

Before measuring, determine which type of closet you are planning.

Reach-In Closet

Use the Reach-In Closet Design Tool when the closet system will be installed primarily along one wall behind an opening, sliding doors, bifold doors, or standard closet doors.

You will need to measure:

The usable back wall
The closet opening
The inside depth
Ceiling height
Door and trim clearances
Baseboards
Outlets, vents, and other obstructions

Walk-In Closet

Use the Walk-In Closet Design Tool when you are designing a closet room with up to three usable walls:

Back wall
Left wall
Right wall

Measure each wall separately. The tool allows you to create an individual closet configuration for each wall while reviewing how the complete room works together.

Do not combine the three wall measurements into one total measurement.

Step 2: Draw a Simple Room Sketch

Draw an overhead view of the closet or room. The sketch does not need to be perfectly to scale.

Include:

Every wall
Door openings
Direction each door opens
Windows
Angled walls
Inside and outside corners
Electrical outlets
Light switches
Air-conditioning vents and returns
Access panels
Baseboards
Columns
Soffits
Plumbing or other obstructions

For a walk-in closet, label the walls:

Back Wall
Left Wall
Right Wall

Use these same wall names when entering your measurements into the Walk-In Closet Design Tool.

For a reach-in closet, clearly mark the usable back wall and the closet opening before opening the Reach-In Closet Design Tool.

Step 3: Measure the Ceiling Height

Measure from the finished floor to the ceiling in several locations.

Check the height:

Near the left side of the wall
In the center
Near the right side
Under any soffit or lowered ceiling section

Record the smallest measurement.

Closets Warehouse systems are available in 7-foot and 8-foot heights. The design tool will help you select the appropriate system height, but you must also confirm there is enough clearance to bring the panels into the room and stand them upright during installation.

Do not assume the ceiling is perfectly level.

Step 4: Measure Each Usable Wall

Measure every wall that may receive a closet system.

For each wall, measure at three heights:

Near the floor
Around the middle of the wall
Near the ceiling

Use the smallest measurement.

For example, if a wall measures:

96 inches near the floor
95 3/4 inches in the middle
95 1/2 inches near the ceiling

Use no more than 95 1/2 inches as the available wall width.

Never round a measurement up.

When entering your measurements into the design tool, leave enough room for installation tolerance, uneven walls, trim, and other site conditions. Do not design the system more tightly than the actual space allows.

Step 5: Check Whether the Walls Are Straight and Parallel

Walls are not always perfectly straight, parallel, or square.

Measure the distance between opposite walls in several places:

Near the entrance
In the center of the room
Near the back wall

For a walk-in closet, this is especially important because closet systems installed on opposing walls must leave enough comfortable walking space.

You can also measure approximately 16 inches out from the wall at several points. This helps identify whether the wall angles inward or outward where the front of the closet system will sit.

Record the smallest usable dimension.

When entering multiple walls into the Walk-In Closet Design Tool, remember that the closet system, hangers, and clothing will reduce the open space between opposing walls.

Step 6: Measure Doors and Closet Openings

For every door or opening, record:

Opening width
Opening height
Distance from the opening to the nearest corner
Width of the door trim
Thickness of the trim
Direction the door opens
How far the door extends into the room

Make sure the closet system does not prevent the door from opening fully.

For sliding or bypass doors, measure the full opening and note which sections of the closet may be harder to reach when the doors are open.

For reach-in closets, confirm that:

The closet components can fit through the opening
Shelves and rods will remain accessible
Drawers can open without hitting the door frame
The system will not interfere with sliding or folding doors

The Reach-In Closet Design Tool helps you build the wall layout, but accessibility must still be checked against the actual closet opening.

Step 7: Mark Every Obstruction

Measure the exact position and size of anything that may interfere with the closet.

Include:

Electrical outlets
Light switches
Air-conditioning vents
Air returns
Windows
Access panels
Electrical panels
Alarm equipment
Plumbing
Sprinkler heads
Attic access
Door trim
Baseboards
Crown molding
Sloped ceilings
Columns
Soffits

For each obstruction, measure:

Distance from the nearest corner
Width
Height from the floor
Total height
Depth, when applicable

The design tools do not automatically know where these items are located. You must account for them when choosing and positioning the closet configurations.

Do not cover electrical panels, air returns, access panels, vents, or required safety equipment.

Step 8: Measure the Baseboards

Decide whether the baseboards will remain in place or be removed before installation.

If the baseboards will remain, measure:

Baseboard height
Baseboard thickness
Decorative molding or cap
Distance the baseboard projects from the wall

Closets Warehouse panels may include a rear baseboard notch, but the actual baseboard dimensions must still be confirmed.

If the baseboard is larger than the available notch, it may need to be removed, trimmed, or modified before installation.

Account for the baseboards when determining the usable wall width entered into the design tool.

Step 9: Allow for Hangers and Clothing

Closets Warehouse systems are approximately 14 inches deep.

Standard hangers and hanging clothing will normally extend approximately 10 to 12 inches beyond the front of the closet system. This is expected and allows the system to provide practical storage without taking up unnecessary floor space.

When planning your layout, allow approximately 24 to 26 inches of total space from the wall for:

The 14-inch closet system
Hangers extending beyond the shelves and panels
Sleeves and clothing
Normal movement around the stored items

For walk-in closets, account for the hanging clothes on both sides of the room when checking the walkway between opposing systems.

A system may fit on both walls according to the wall measurements but still leave an uncomfortable walkway once the clothing is hanging.

Also confirm there is enough clearance for:

Drawers to open fully
Doors to swing open
Clothing to hang without interfering with an entrance
Comfortable movement through the room

Step 10: Decide What You Need to Store

Before selecting configurations in the design tool, estimate how much storage you need for:

Double hanging
Long hanging
Folded clothing
Shoes
Drawers
Handbags
Hats
Luggage
Accessories
Laundry hampers
Seasonal storage

Double Hanging

Double hanging provides the most hanging capacity for:

Shirts
Jackets
Folded pants
Skirts
Shorter garments

Long Hanging

Long hanging is needed for:

Dresses
Coats
Robes
Longer garments

Measure your actual clothing when possible. Do not rely only on general estimates.

Use the Reach-In Closet Design Tool or Walk-In Closet Design Tool to compare different hanging, shelving, and drawer configurations before making your final selection.

Step 11: Plan Walk-In Closet Corners Carefully

Corners can reduce usable storage when they are overfilled.

In many walk-in closets, hanging sections work better near corners because the clothing can overlap slightly without making the space difficult to use.

Avoid placing drawers close to a corner unless there is enough clearance for them to open completely.

Corner shelving may increase cost while making items harder to access. A simpler layout with hanging sections near the corners is often more practical.

When using the Walk-In Closet Design Tool, review how the left, back, and right wall configurations meet at each corner.

Do not design each wall independently without reviewing the complete room layout.

Step 12: Build Your Layout in the Design Tool

After completing your measurements:

Open the Reach-In Closet Design Tool or Walk-In Closet Design Tool.
Enter the available wall width.
Select the appropriate 7-foot or 8-foot system height.
Add and arrange the closet configurations.
Compare the total system width with the actual usable wall width.
Review hanging, shelving, and drawer locations.
Confirm the design does not interfere with doors or obstructions.
Confirm that hanging clothes extending beyond the 14-inch system will not block the walkway.
Save or submit the completed design.

For a walk-in closet, repeat the process for the back, left, and right walls.

The design tool helps validate the selected configurations and dimensions, but it cannot detect an incorrect room measurement or an obstruction that was not included in your planning.

Final Check Before Submitting Your Design

Before submitting or ordering, confirm that:

Every wall was measured at least twice
Each wall was measured near the floor, middle, and ceiling
The smallest measurements were used
The ceiling height was checked in several places
The correct design tool was selected
Each walk-in closet wall was measured separately
Doors can open fully
Drawers can extend fully
Hanging clothing will not block doors or walkways
The 10-to-12-inch hanger and clothing extension was considered
Outlets, switches, vents, and access panels remain usable
Baseboard dimensions were included
Angled or uneven walls were identified
There is enough space to bring the panels into the room
There is enough clearance to stand the panels upright
The complete layout has been reviewed, including corners
The system can be securely anchored to the wall

Important Measurement Tips

Measure the finished room as it exists today.
Do not rely on construction plans or previous measurements.
Do not assume two walls are the same length.
Do not assume corners are exactly 90 degrees.
Do not round measurements up.
Use the smallest measurement when dimensions vary.
Take wide photos of every wall.
Take close-up photos of each obstruction.
Keep at least one photo showing the complete room from the entrance.
Confirm all measurements before submitting the design.

Need Help With Your Layout?

For unusual spaces, angled walls, oversized baseboards, soffits, limited clearances, or questions about the best configuration, schedule a free consultation through the Closets Warehouse website.

Bring your measurements, room sketch, and photos so we can help review your layout before you order.

Accurate measurements and the final layout selection are the customer’s responsibility. Closet systems are prepared based on the measurements and configurations submitted through the design tool.