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Wardrobe shelves: how far apart, and how many fit
Space shelves for the tallest pile you fold, and no more. Plain shelves suit folded clothes. Bag shelves sit further apart, so handbags stand upright. Cubbies keep small things apart. In our example wardrobe, shelves sit about 1 ft 2 in (350 mm) apart. One full-height section of our example takes 6 shelves.
- 6 shelves
- about 6 ft 11 in (2100 mm)
Three types of shelf
Drawn to the same scale. Clothes drawn to proportion, not to size.
Shelves
Good for folded shirts, jumpers and sarees.
- Spacing in our planner: about 1 ft 2 in (350 mm)
- 6 shelves fit in our example
Bag shelves
Good for handbags standing upright.
- Spacing in our planner: about 1 ft 4 in (400 mm)
- 5 fit in our example
Cubbies
Good for small things: belts, scarves, boxes.
- Rows in our planner: about 1 ft 2 in (350 mm)
- 4 rows fit in our example
Want more shelves?
Eight shelves do not fit our example
Our planner allows up to 8 shelves in one section. That many need about 9 ft 2 in (2800 mm), and our example section has about 7 ft 2 in (2175 mm). Even at our planner's tallest wardrobe, about 7 ft 10 in (2400 mm), one section takes 6 shelves. For more shelves, use a second section.
Full width and corners
Shelves can run across the full width. Cubbies stay inside one section.
Shelves, bag shelves and cubbies can all go in a corner cabinet.
Bag shelves need a wardrobe at least about 1 ft 4 in (400 mm) deep in our planner.
Rules and limits
| Type | Full width | In a corner | Most in one section |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shelves | Yes | Yes | 8 |
| Bag shelves | No | Yes | 5 |
| Cubbies | No | Yes | 4 |
What cannot go in a corner
Drawers and pull-outs: an open drawer runs into the next cabinet.
Plan the rest of your wardrobe
Know the shelves you want? Check how many doors and sections fit your wall.
Need the boards? Count the plywood
Sheets of each board type for your wall size.
For wardrobe makers
Building this for a client? Plan it with them and send a quote.
I make wardrobes
Tell us about your workshop.
For your carpenter: all numbers
Our example section is 1163 mm (about 3 ft 10 in) wide and 2175 mm (about 7 ft 2 in) tall inside, in our 8 ft example wardrobe.
| Type | Spacing | Fit in our example | Planner maximum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shelves | 350 mm (about 1 ft 2 in) | 6 | 8 |
| Bag shelves | 400 mm (about 1 ft 4 in) | 5 | 5 |
| Cubbies | 350 mm (about 1 ft 2 in) | 4 | 4 |
Related pages
- Interiors
Wardrobe hanging height: shirts to coats
How much hanging height shirts, jackets and long clothes need, from about 3 ft (920 mm) up, and what still fits below in one wardrobe section.
- Interiors
Wardrobe drawer height and size in mm
In our planner, drawer fronts are about 6 in (150 mm) to about 1 ft (300 mm) high. The top one stays under about 3 ft 7 in from the floor.
- Interiors
Wardrobe interior ideas: what goes inside
Choose what goes inside your wardrobe by what you own: five layouts full of clothes, drawn to one scale in our 8 ft example, and how to pick yours.