Closets For Less designs and installs custom closets in Philadelphia, built for the closets city homes actually have: small rowhome reach-ins, trinity bedrooms with no closet at all, and condo walk-ins lined with wire shelving. We are a locally owned company based in Warminster, just north of the city, in business since 2007, and every project starts with a free in-home design consultation.
Closets for Philadelphia rowhomes
Most of Philadelphia’s housing is rowhomes, and most rowhome closets were built small. A typical bedroom closet in South Philly, Fishtown, Kensington or Port Richmond holds one rod and one shelf, with the space above the shelf and below the hems left empty. In a home where the closets are already the only storage, that waste adds up.
A custom reach-in fixes it by planning every inch of the opening:
- Double hanging for shirts, pants and skirts, which roughly fills the height a single rod leaves empty.
- One long-hang section for coats and dresses.
- Adjustable shelves that run toward the ceiling for folded clothes and bins.
- A drawer stack, so a dresser can leave the bedroom and free up floor space.
See our reach-in closet designs for layouts that fit narrow openings.
Trinities and older homes with no closets
Trinities in Society Hill, Queen Village, Washington Square West and Fitler Square stack one room on each floor around a winding stair. Many were built with no closets, and the ones added later are often tiny. Older twins and rowhomes elsewhere in the city have the same issue in back bedrooms and third-floor rooms.
For these rooms, a wardrobe closet is usually the practical answer. It is designed to the width and height of the wall you have, with hanging space, shelves and drawers, and it gives a room without a closet real storage without framing one in. When you book, tell us about the stairs and the doorways, since a narrow winding stair affects how the project is planned.
Twins and stone homes in the Northeast and Northwest
Twins in Northeast Philadelphia, Roxborough and Manayunk tend to have more closets than a rowhome, but they are still sized for another era. Stone homes in Chestnut Hill and Mount Airy have larger rooms and plaster walls, and the primary closet is often a converted room or a dressing area added during a renovation. These homes have space for a real walk-in, with drawers, shoe storage and an island where the room allows.
Closet and storage solutions for Philadelphia condos
New construction and condo buildings in Center City, Northern Liberties, Fishtown and Graduate Hospital usually come with wire shelving in every closet. It works, but it wastes height, and shoes and folded clothes end up on the floor. Replacing it with a designed system holds far more in the same footprint.
Condo and small-home owners also ask about rooms that have to do two jobs. A Murphy bed lets a spare room work as a home office or den and still sleep guests. Home office built-ins, entertainment centers and shelving walls make a small living area hold more without adding furniture.
Before installation day, check with your building about elevator reservations, work hours and any paperwork they require, and let us know so the day goes smoothly.
Basement and entry storage in city homes
In a rowhome, the basement is often the only storage that is not a bedroom closet. Holiday decorations, tools, luggage and the laundry all share it. Cabinets and shelving along one wall, plus a folding counter near the washer and dryer, keep it usable instead of a pile.
Many city homes also open straight from the sidewalk into the living room, with no coat closet. A small built-in by the door with hooks, a bench and shoe storage keeps coats and boots in one spot, which matters in a house where the front room is also the living room.
Closet types by Philadelphia home
| Home type | Common storage problem | What tends to fit |
|---|---|---|
| Rowhome | One small closet per bedroom | Reach-in with double hang, shelves and drawers |
| Trinity | Rooms with no closet | Wardrobe closet built to the wall |
| Twin | Closets sized for another era | Reach-in rebuild, linen closet, entry closet |
| Stone home, Chestnut Hill or Mount Airy | Converted room used as a closet | Walk-in with drawers and shoe storage |
| Condo or new townhome | Wire shelving everywhere | Full system with adjustable shelves and drawers |
| Small home with a spare room | Room has to do two jobs | Murphy bed or home office built-ins |
Beyond the bedroom closet
City homes run short on storage everywhere, not only in bedrooms. We also design:
- Pantries with adjustable shelving for kitchens that lost their original pantry.
- Laundry areas in basements and second-floor closets.
- Entry and coat closets for homes that open straight into the living room.
- Garage storage with cabinets, slatwall and workbenches for homes that have a garage.
Before your consultation
A few things make the in-home visit more useful:
- Pull everything out of one closet you want to fix, or at least look at what is in it, so you know what it needs to hold.
- Count shoes and long items, such as coats and dresses, since they decide how much long hanging space you need.
- Note if the closet has a light, an outlet or an access panel inside it.
- If you live in a condo, ask your building about contractor rules and parking for the installation day.
We measure the space, talk through how you use it and send you a design you can revise.
What goes into a Closets For Less system
Every system is custom designed for the space and installed by our own team. We build with 3/4” furniture-grade boards, with options including adjustable shelving and soft-close drawers, and you can choose from many finishes and hardware options. The design comes to you for review, and you can ask for changes before anything is built.
What custom closets cost in Philadelphia
The price comes down to the size of the closet, the number of drawers, the finish and the accessories. A rowhome reach-in is a smaller project than a condo walk-in, which is smaller than a dressing room with an island. You get a detailed estimate with your design after the consultation, and our custom closet cost guide explains each factor.
A local alternative to the national closet brands
Searching for custom closets in Philadelphia brings up national franchises first. Closets For Less is a locally owned company based in Warminster, in Bucks County, and we have served Philadelphia and its suburbs since 2007. Customers rate us 4.8 stars on Google.
We also work just over the city line in Bala Cynwyd and across the Main Line, and throughout Montgomery County. Book a free in-home consultation and we will measure your closets, talk through what you store and send you a design to review.
