Bedroom
Closet and wardrobe dimensions
A closet one inch too shallow does not store 95 per cent of your clothes. It stores none of them on a hanger.
On this page (7 sections)
Short answer
A closet needs 24 in (61 cm) of clear interior depth to hang clothes on a rod, because a shirt on a hanger measures 22 to 24 in (56 to 61 cm) across the shoulders. Twenty-two inches is the absolute minimum and forces the doors to rub. Set a single rod at 66 to 72 in (168 to 183 cm), a double hang at 42 in and 84 in (107 and 213 cm), and allow 5 to 6 linear ft (1.5 to 1.8 m) of hanging per adult.
The numbers, at a glance
- Interior depth, hanging
- 24 in (61 cm)22 in absolute minimum
- Reach-in closet
- 24 to 30 in deep x 48 to 96 in wide (61 to 76 x 122 to 244 cm)
- Single rod height
- 66 to 72 in (168 to 183 cm)
- Double hang rods
- 42 in and 84 in (107 and 213 cm)
- Shelf above rod
- 84 in (213 cm)
- Hanging per adult
- 5 to 6 linear ft (1.5 to 1.8 m)
- Walk-in, one side
- 5 x 7 ft (1.52 x 2.13 m)
- Walk-in, two sides
- 7 x 10 ft (2.13 x 3.05 m)36 in aisle between
Depth is the number that cannot be negotiated#
A garment on a hanger sets the depth of every closet ever built. A shirt hanger is 17 to 18 in (43 to 46 cm) wide, but the garment on it spreads to 22 to 24 in (56 to 61 cm) across the shoulders, and a padded jacket hanger goes further.
- 24 in (61 cm) clear interior depth: correct. Garments hang free, doors close without contact.
- 22 in (56 cm): the absolute minimum. Coats and structured jackets will brush the back and the doors.
- Under 22 in: hang the rod front to back, in short returns, or use pull-out valet rods. A parallel rod will not work.
Measure from the finished back wall to the inside face of the closed door. Plasterboard, door thickness and a rod on brackets lose about 3 in of nominal depth before a shirt goes in.
| Closet type | Depth | Width | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reach-in, standard | 24 to 30 in (61 to 76 cm) | 48 to 96 in (122 to 244 cm) | The default in US housing |
| Reach-in, minimum | 22 in (56 cm) | 36 in (91 cm) | One person, one rod |
| Shallow / front-to-back hanging | 14 to 18 in (36 to 46 cm) | any | Rod runs perpendicular to the wall |
| Freestanding wardrobe | 22 to 26 in (56 to 66 cm) | 36 to 72 in (91 to 183 cm) | External depth, so subtract the carcass |
| Walk-in, one side | 60 in (152 cm) | 84 in (213 cm) min length | 24 in storage + 36 in passage |
| Walk-in, two sides | 84 in (213 cm) | 120 in (305 cm) | 24 + 36 + 24 |
| Walk-in, accessible | 84 in (213 cm) | 84 in (213 cm) | 60 in turning circle clear |
Rod heights#
| Section | Rod height | Metric | Holds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single hang | 66 to 72 in | 168 to 183 cm | Everything, at the cost of dead space below |
| Double hang, lower | 40 to 42 in | 102 to 107 cm | Shirts, folded trousers, jackets |
| Double hang, upper | 80 to 84 in | 203 to 213 cm | Shirts, jackets |
| Long hang | 68 to 72 in | 173 to 183 cm | Dresses, full-length coats |
| Shelf above rod | 84 in | 213 cm | Boxes, luggage, out-of-season |
| Accessible rod | 48 in max | 122 cm | ADA reach range |
Leave 2 in (5 cm) between the rod centre and the wall behind, and 10 to 12 in (25 to 30 cm) between the rod and the shelf above it so hangers can be lifted off.
Hanging lengths#
Rod height is set by the longest thing under it, plus 3 in (8 cm) of floor clearance.
| Garment | Hanging length | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| Shirts, blouses, folded trousers | 38 in | 97 cm |
| Suit jackets, skirts | 40 in | 102 cm |
| Trousers hung full length | 46 to 48 in | 117 to 122 cm |
| Coats | 52 to 55 in | 132 to 140 cm |
| Dresses | 60 to 70 in | 152 to 178 cm |
| Full-length gowns, long coats | 70 in | 178 cm |
Add 3 in (8 cm) below the longest garment. A 38 in shirt therefore needs its rod at 41 in minimum, which is exactly why the double-hang lower rod sits at 40 to 42 in.
How much hanging you need#
5 to 6 linear ft (1.5 to 1.8 m) per adult is the working figure for everyday clothes plus outerwear. A rod carries about 12 shirts per linear foot packed tight and 6 to 8 with room to slide a hanger, so 6 ft is 40 to 50 hanging garments plus whatever is folded in drawers.
Walk-in closets#
Walk-ins are simple arithmetic: hanging depth plus passage.
- One side of hanging: 24 in + 36 in passage = 60 in (152 cm) wide, minimum length 7 ft (2.13 m) to be worth the door. This is the 5 x 7 ft walk-in.
- Two sides: 24 + 36 + 24 = 84 in (213 cm) wide. With 10 ft (3.05 m) of length you get 20 linear ft of hanging, enough for two adults.
- Three sides (U shape): 84 in wide minimum, and the end wall run costs you the turning room at the back, so allow 96 in (244 cm) of length beyond the door.
- Wheelchair access: a 60 in (152 cm) turning circle clear of any open drawer, with rods at 48 in (122 cm) maximum. The full set of figures is in accessible clearances.
Protect the 36 in (91 cm) aisle. At 30 in you cannot open a drawer and stand beside it; at 24 in you cannot see the far rail without pressing into the near one.
Doors, and the 24 in bifold problem#
The door decides how much of the closet you can actually reach.
- Hinged single door: full access to the width behind it, but needs its own leaf width of swing, typically 24 to 32 in (61 to 81 cm), and it blocks the adjacent corner while open. See doorway sizes for leaf and rough-opening dimensions.
- Bypass sliders: no swing at all, but only half the opening is ever open. Fine for a long shirt rail, poor where you need to see everything.
- Bifolds: the folded panels park against the jamb and consume roughly 5 in (13 cm) each side, plus track hardware.
Drawers, shelves and shoes#
| Element | Dimension | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| Drawer width | 18 to 30 in | 46 to 76 cm |
| Drawer depth (front to back) | 14 to 18 in | 36 to 46 cm |
| Drawer height, shirts and small items | 4 to 6 in | 10 to 15 cm |
| Drawer height, jumpers and denim | 8 to 12 in | 20 to 30 cm |
| Folded shelf spacing | 12 to 14 in | 30 to 36 cm |
| Shoe shelf depth | 12 in | 30 cm |
| Shoe shelf spacing, flat | 7 in | 18 cm |
| Shoe shelf spacing, boots upright | 16 to 18 in | 41 to 46 cm |
| Shoes per linear foot of shelf | 3 pairs | per 30 cm |
Drawers inside a closet must clear the door. A drawer bank set behind an inward-opening hinged door cannot open until the door does, and a 20 in drawer needs 36 to 40 in (91 to 102 cm) of clear floor in front of it, the same figure used throughout bedroom clearances.
How to size yours in ten minutes#
- Count your hanging garments and divide by 8. That is your linear feet of rod, comfortably packed.
- Sort them into short (under 40 in) and long. The short pile is your double-hang width; the long pile is your long-hang width.
- Measure the interior height. Under 88 in (224 cm), double hang will not fit and you plan single rod plus drawers instead.
- Check the depth to the inside face of the door. If it is under 22 in (56 cm), stop and redesign for front-to-back hanging or alternative storage dimensions.
- Draw the door open on the plan before you order anything. Half of all closet failures are a door and a drawer wanting the same 24 inches.
Frequently asked questions#
How deep does a closet need to be?
24 in (61 cm) of clear interior depth. A shirt or jacket on a standard hanger is 22 to 24 in (56 to 61 cm) across the shoulders, so anything shallower makes garments press against the back wall or the doors. Measure from the finished back wall to the inside face of the closed door, not to the framing, and remember a 1 in (25 mm) rod and its bracket eat into that figure.
How high should a closet rod be?
66 to 72 in (168 to 183 cm) for a single rod: high enough for coats and long dresses to clear the floor, low enough to reach. For a double hang, set the lower rod at 42 in (107 cm) and the upper at 84 in (213 cm). Long hang for dresses and full-length coats sits at 68 to 72 in (173 to 183 cm).
How much hanging space does one person need?
5 to 6 linear ft (1.5 to 1.8 m) as a working figure for a typical wardrobe of everyday clothes and a coat or two. A rod holds roughly 12 shirts per linear foot packed and about 6 to 8 with room to slide, so 6 ft gives 40 to 50 hanging garments. Double-hanging half of it turns 6 ft of rod into 9 linear ft of capacity.
What is the minimum size for a walk-in closet?
5 x 7 ft (1.52 x 2.13 m) with hanging on one long side: 24 in (61 cm) of storage plus a 36 in (91 cm) passage. For hanging on both sides you need 7 ft (2.13 m) of width, since two 24 in runs plus a 36 in aisle equals 84 in. Anything under 5 ft wide is a reach-in with a door you can stand inside, not a walk-in.
Why do bifold closet doors block the closet?
Folded panels stack against the jamb and take about 5 in (13 cm) of the opening on each side, plus the hardware. A single 24 in (61 cm) bifold gives under 20 in (51 cm) of clear access, and the last 6 in of rod at each end becomes unreachable. Bifolds only make sense on openings of 48 in (122 cm) or more.
How much space do you need in front of a wardrobe?
36 in (91 cm) of clear floor to stand, see the rail and pull a garment out. A hinged door adds its own leaf width, so a wardrobe with 21 in (53 cm) doors needs about 45 in (114 cm) in total before anything else can stand there. Sliding doors remove the swing but only expose half the opening at a time.
What are accessible closet dimensions?
The 2010 ADA Standards cap unobstructed reach at 48 in (122 cm) high and 15 in (38 cm) low, so an accessible rod sits at or below 48 in with shelving between 15 and 48 in. Provide a 60 in (152 cm) turning circle inside a walk-in, or a clear floor space of 30 x 48 in (76 x 122 cm) in front of a reach-in.
Sources and standards referenced#
- 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design US Department of JusticeSection 308 reach ranges, section 304 turning space
- ICC A117.1, Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities International Code CouncilReach ranges and clear floor space
- Architectural Graphic Standards American Institute of Architects and WileyCloset and casework dimensions
- Architects' Data Ernst Neufert, Wiley-BlackwellWardrobe depths and hanging heights
- Human Dimension and Interior Space Panero and Zelnik, Whitney Library of DesignReach envelopes for standing storage access
- Metric Handbook: Planning and Design Data RoutledgeStorage provision per person in dwellings
We cite published codes, industry planning guidelines and manufacturer specifications. Where a figure is our own recommendation rather than a published standard, the text says so. See how we measure.