I’m 36 years old. Until now, my closet has consisted of plastic drawers- you know… those three-tiered clear bins with wheels on the bottom that always pop off. Yep, that’s been the home of my tops and pants for many moons… but not anymore.
When we moved into our house last year, we moved into a project- a remodel undertaking. As rational and reasonable as possible, we decided to tackle revamping portions of the house one-by-one, and we kicked things off with the bedrooms. Being somewhat of an admitted hoarder, I still have clothes from high school and shoes I simply cannot part with, like my cowboy boots I got at 15. This, alongside my husband who has kept every frat tee, a plethora of baseball caps, and an enormous tie collection surely exceeding my pile of purses. Jointly, we craved organization, functionality and order- in other words, a closet fit for adults.
Enter the esteemed PAX Closet System. Thanks to IKEA Tempe, Arizona, my closet wishes have become a reality.
Here’s everything you need to know about how it works and why it rocks.
1. Why go Pax
Ikea’s PAX wardrobe system is storage that really suits you because you decide it all – the size, color, style, features and interior facets. The virtual PAX planner is a simple journey to creating closet combinations that fulfills your needs; drawers, hanging space, shelves, shoe racks, accessory organizers and more. It’s the DIY approach to building a custom closet, and the result looks magazine-worthy for less expensive than mainstream closet companies.
2. Measure to Perfection
Remember, the PAX system is all about DIY. However, I’m all about “if you want something done well, do it yourself,” so this project was right up our alley. The first step is getting your measurements… and make sure you are precise. Take note of your closet door, space if it swings open, ceiling heights, lighting placements, etc- secure measurements to perfection, and then start designing.
3. Design to your Heart’s Desire
Using the virtual PAX designing tool, play around with placement keeping in mind your closet priorities. Have a checklist- for us, we wanted to maximize hanging space while making sure there were his-and-her soft-close drawer units.
PAX has a number of preset wardrobe combinations, making it easy for generic spaces. These include hanging space, shelving units, storage bins and shoe racks. There are also individual wardrobes ideal for corners. Everything is a la carte, and once installed, adjustable. But we’ll get to that later.
4. Place that Order
Before you finalize your design, print it on paper so you can make sure it’s exactly what you want. The virtual system blueprints are extremely detailed, showing all elements and measurements. Double check you have mirrored closet doors and wardrobe lighting if you so choose. There are so many features to add- make sure to scour your options so it’s exactly what you envision.
Then place your order.
5. Install, with Patience
Ok, so here’s the catch. All PAX wardrobe units arrive safety to your door… and then it’s up to you to install. There are plenty of directions, but truth be told- it takes plenty of patience. You can outsource a handyman, your contractor, or indulge in the do-it-yourself experience. Thanks to my hubby and his little assistants (our kids), he successfully installed our closet over an entire weekend. It was quite an undertaking, but well worth it.
Want to see the start to finish? Click here!
6. Unpack Slowly
We went with an all-white PAX equipped with soft-close drawer units, hanging space, upper storage shelves, and a mix of IKEA-infused features… shoe racks, an accessory drawer, mirrored closets and more. The best part about the system as a whole, is that it’s convertible; you can easily adjust shelves as you see fit. I had piles of clothes longing for a dedicated space; now low and behold, everything has a happy home… and same for my husband’s stuff. We each have our own closet side, which was jumbled before now, and I even have an organizational system- areas for my jackets, dresses, tanks, tees, purses, and even snow gear- which I stashed in an upper storage bin.
7. Add Finishing Touches and Enjoy
I used to dread opening my closet door… now I would sleep in there if I could. It’s clean, it’s organized, and looks fantastic. You don’t need to add much unless you want some special knobs or area décor. If you have enough space, you can put an ottoman in the middle or add a chandelier to the center ceiling. And did I mention PAX has a 10-year limited warranty to protect your investment?!
Speaking of the investment, the price tag for our completed walk-in dream closet retails around $3000, compared to other high-end companies which ranged $6000+.