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Bump-out additions can add some space to a closet without requiring any significant structural work. This entails pushing back the existing rear or side of the closet, simply moving the wall into either an adjacent room or unused space. For ground-floor closets, this could even be extended to the exterior of the home, but that has its own complications. Bump-outs are a good discussion to have with your contractor if you’re just looking to increase the space a little—not renovate the entire closet space.

Walk-in closets are always the biggest and can easily be more than 100 square feet. Primary bedroom closets, even if not walk-ins, are the second largest category in most homes and sit between 30 and 80 square feet. Linen closets, utility closets, and built-in closets are smaller and, depending on their usage, tend to be between 10 and 50 square feet.

To prevent sagging, consider both the material and the span of the shelf. Using sturdy materials such as plywood or solid wood can provide better support than particleboard. Additionally, limiting the shelf span to 36 inches or less can reduce the risk of sagging. For longer shelves, incorporating center supports or brackets can offer additional reinforcement.

If you have a bathroom closet with movable shelves, you can place them at virtually any spacing that works for you. Useful measurements between shelves in the working, or middle, section can be 10 to 16 inches for towels or linens. Lower or higher shelving could be up to 24 inches between shelves to store lesser-used or bulky items or boxes.