How to Build a Walk-In Closet Out of Your Old Closet

Plan Your New Closet

• Plan your closet for simplicity's sake: It is easier to build the closet using the existing space and layout, rather than knock down walls to make room for the closet. If you do not know how much space you need, measure your existing closet space and then evaluate how much more you need based on that -- 50 percent more space, twice as much space or even more. Also, plan for what you want to store in the new closet, such as a shoe rack or a space for trying on clothes in front of a mirror.

Contractor vs. DIY

• You can build the new closet yourself, though you might want to consider hiring a contractor for at least part of the work. For example, if you need to knock out walls to build the new closet, you should have an inspector verify that it is safe to knock out the walls in case they are part of the house's foundation or structure. Also, you should consider a contractor to help you with electrical work or other specialized utility work. Doing it yourself with no training can be dangerous and can also lead to costly mistakes.

Spare Room

• A spare room is an easy alternative to building a new walk-in closet. The extra room is likely bigger than the closet would be anyway, and since it is already built, very little construction work is needed. Instead, you can just decorate the room as you want, with mirrors and shelves, and store all your clothes, shoes and accessories in the extra room. You can purchase rolling clothes racks to keep in the room or install hanging racks and shelves along the walls.

Use Old Closet to Your Advantage

• The main advantage of building a new walk-in closet out of your existing closet is that you are not starting from scratch. Use the existing layout and functionality of the existing closet to your advantage. For example, one simple way to accomplish this remodel is to take the existing closet and simply build a mirror image of it, so you essentially double the space of the existing closet. That way, you do not have to do much to the existing closet; you just add onto it.