Last week, I walked you through all of my best tips for installing an IKEA PAX system in your home. 

I left you with a closet that was almost done, yet completely empty and ready for some stuff! I’m so happy to share that the closet is done, organized, and looking oh-so-good!

Our New Organized Home Office Closet

Here’s a look at our new organized home office closet all filled up. Before we dive into each shelf and drawer, let’s take a look at the before and after…

This deep closet was full of potential, yet it sat unused, except for a bunch of random crap, for almost two years. Now, it’s super functional and I reach for something in this space every single day.

The Extras

If you’re building an IKEA closet, there are a few extra items you can buy to make the end product look a bit more finished. First, I recommend buying these little shelf hole covers. These just pop into the holes that are on the sides of each PAX frame. You’ll want to wait until the very end of your project when every drawer and shelf is in the correct spot before inserting them because they can be buggers to get out! And be sure to buy tons!! There are so many dang holes and we always fail to buy enough. So buy lots!

We also bought some drawer liner from IKEA to keep the items in the drawers from shifting all over the place. We use this all around the house, like in our charging drawer in the kitchen, and it’s easy to cut to size.

Oh, and don’t forget these little white stickers to cover any larger screwheads or holes in the PAX frame. It’s those little extras that just make things look more finished.

Adding Bins

I ended up adding lots of bins to the closet to hold all sorts of goodies.

The bins are mostly from IKEA, which I ordered when we ordered all of the closet parts. The large bins up top have lids and we use them for files, receipts, and paperwork that we don’t need to access very often. Everything is organized and tucked away.

The two gray bins below are great. They are soft and big! We actually ended up buying more of these to store Rory’s toys in the family room TV console. In this closet, one holds gift wrap and the other holds small frames and extra framing mats.

I already had these smaller bins. The fabric ones (similar) were in Rory’s closet and we weren’t using them and the small file box is the perfect spot for extra photos.

Creating DIY Labels

I created quick and easy storage labels for all of my bins. I just used Microsoft Word and my favorite font (Merriweather Bold) and printed them on card stock. I then use self-laminating sheets to make them a bit more durable. For the labels on the fabric bins, I used a small piece of this sticky tack to attach them and so far the labels haven’t budged.

On the other baskets, I used small clothespins to clip the labels right on there. So handy!

Extra Home Decor

Underneath those bins, you’ll find a shelf with extra home decor, including vases, faux greenery, and extra pillow cases. I don’t change things out too often, but it’s nice to have everything in one spot and easy to access. These items were scattered all around the house before and I’m so happy to consolidate them.

The File Cabinet Area

I was a little unsure how it would look with the file cabinet tucked into this closet, but I think it actually works really well. Plus, the black photo file cabinet fits on top beautifully. That was a happy accident! To the left, I have some photography lights and it’s where I keep my tripod, when I’m not using it to take photos. On top, I have more photo equipment and another tripod that I use for my phone.

So far, the system is working well and I love having a spot for everything.

Organized Electronics

Before, this closet had a dresser that was stuffed to the brim with random electronics. You know how when you buy a new electronic device, it comes with all kinds of cords and stuff that you probably already have? Well, we just accumulated so much over the last few years and we never took the time to pare down and figure out what we actually need.

Finn took a night and went through all of the wires and electronics and purged what we don’t actually need. He then used these cord organizers to wrangle the wires. Now, the bottom two drawers are neatly organized with our electronics.

Gifting Supplies & Ribbon

We used to have all of the gift wrap shoved in a closet in the basement. It was always a pain to go downstairs to wrap anything. Not to mention, the ribbon was a big tangled mess. Now, I have two drawers for ribbon, gift tags, and cards. I even have scissors and tape in here, so it’s one stop-shopping.

Pull-Out Tray

Above the five drawers, we added a pull-out shelf with a drawer liner and this divider. This is where I place some of my photography equipment, like chargers, microphones, and extra batteries. It’s nice to have it all so easily accessible and everything has a home now instead of being buried in my camera bag.

Tall Compartment

I wanted to leave a tall area for bigger items and my gift wrap. Our wrapping paper used to be in a basement closet and it would tumble out anytime I opened the door. Yeesh. I ended up buying this gift wrap container and it’s amazing. Why didn’t I buy this thing years ago?

To the right of the gift wrap, I have some extra picture frames and even our framed diplomas, because we don’t want to hang them, but you can’t just throw them out..right?

Organized Home Office Closet – Sources

Paint Color: Valspar “Chimney Smoke” // Closet System Information // Leather Handles // File Cabinet // Black Cabinet (thrifted) // Drawer Liner // Gray Bins // Small Photo Box // Large File Storage // Fabric Bins (similar)

Office…Done?

With the closet complete, I think this means my home office is officially done…for now. I never like to call a room finished, because I find that I’m constantly tweaking things here and there. But I don’t have any other projects on the horizon in here. Instead, I’m just going to put my feet up and enjoy this room a bit.

Casey

Catch Up on the Closet Project

• Designing the Office Closet
• Installing the Office Closet
• Organizing the Office Closet