9 Clever Closet Accessory Organizer Ideas Every Bedroom Needs

valet rod
Mornings never seem to give you enough time to get everything done before leaving for work.

There’s making and eating breakfast for yourself and others, catching up on the news, showering, choosing an outfit, putting on makeup, and getting the kids off to school.

The luxury of squeezing in a morning workout is a pipe dream for most working professionals. Streamlining your busy routine in a few imaginative ways can help save you a little time every morning.

Your bedroom closet is a great place to start in order to make some improvements.

Closet accessory organizer ideas to save you time

Consider these eye-opening statistics:

  • 57% of women believe they would find things quicker in an organized closet. (OnePoll survey)
  • 67% of people surveyed estimate they’d save up to 30 minutes a day if they were more organized. (Alpha Phi Quarterly study)
  • 47% of women struggle when it comes to deciding on which work outfit they should wear. (OnePoll survey)
  • 3 in 10 women say their mornings would be less stressful if they had an organized closet. (OnePoll survey)

As you can see, messy closets are a particularly notorious culprit for wasting time.

Let’s look at nine clever closet accessory organizer ideas to improve your bedroom closet’s functionality, which can help you reclaim some of that precious time that’s being wasted.

1. Pullout tie rack

closet accessory organizer tie rackA pullout tie rack is perfect for any man with a large tie collection who just can’t seem to keep them all organized. More than one tie rack can be added to a closet if a tie collection is particularly large.

This space-saving tie rack smoothly pulls out to allow you to see everything in your tie collection at once. That makes it easier to pick a tie that goes best with the suit you’ve chosen to wear that day.

Another benefit of a tie rack is that it gives all your ties a proper home. They won’t end up folded up on a shelf or drawer where they can get wrinkled.

2. Watch winder

closet accessory organizer watch winderIf you’re a collector and connoisseur of luxury watches, your expensive collection is sure to include a few automatic watches (also known as self-winding or mechanical watches).

Unless automatic watches are worn regularly, their self-winding process won’t activate. A watch winder is needed to keep the timepieces always running, thereby keeping their time and date accurate.

Using this handy closet accessory organizer will also keep your watches well-maintained. It will also make sure your watch collection stays organized and protected.

Ask an Organized Interiors design consultant about the high quality Orbita watch winders we carry. They can be incorporated into your closet’s custom cabinetry design in a drawer or showcased more prominently in a beautiful glass case.

3. Valet rod

closet accessory organizer valet rodA simple, yet incredibly useful closet accessory organizer solution are valet rods (also known as valet poles).

Why are valet rods so useful in a bedroom closet space? Think about how many times you’ve hung a clothes hanger holding an outfit you’re wearing the next day or in a few hours on a door knob or from the top of an open door. That’s certainly not ideal.

A retractable valet rod provides readily available hanging space so you can hang dry cleaning or the next day’s outfit properly, which can save you time in the morning.

You’ll find the rod is surprisingly strong and conveniently stays out of the way when it isn’t needed with its telescopic design. Valet rods can also be used in any closet in your home and make a very practical addition to your laundry room.

4. Pullout shoe rack

closet accessory organizer shoe rackIt goes without saying that keeping your footwear in disorganized piles in the closet is bad for a few reasons.

First of all, it will be a daily chore trying to find matching pairs of dress shoes, heels, or boots. Having to rummage through a disorganized collection of footwear every morning will add up to hours of wasted time each year.

Not taking care of your footwear also leads to them scuffing and scratching, which shortens your footwear’s life. Some delicate footwear and expensive designer shoes need especially careful care.

A pullout shoe rack is the perfect closet accessory organizer idea to address your shoe storage needs.

Have your closet or dressing room’s shoe rack built to any depth of shelf so that shoes (as well as purses) can be stored more than one row deep.

Using a pullout shoe rack allows you to see everything in your shoe collection at a glance and keeps all of your footwear well-organized and well-preserved..

5. Sliding belt rack

closet accessory organizer belt rackSimilar to the pullout tie rack is the handy sliding belt rack.

Belts are another clothing accessory that often end up draped over a piece of furniture or door knob. Sometimes they’ll just get rolled up and stored on a shelf or the top of dresser.

You can maintain the appearance of your belts and get a longer life from them by storing these accessories on a low profile sliding belt rack.

These belt racks provide a dedicated home for your belt collection and make sure they maintain their shape. Another closet accessory organizer idea for your belts is to store them on a belt hook.

6. Four position hanger

closet accessory organizer hangerLike the valet rod, a four position hanger is a practical closet accessory organizer that creates extra closet hanging space.

This closet accessory may be tiny, but it’s stronger than it might look and very versatile.

The hanger has holes for hanging multiple items of clothing, allowing you to get your outfits easily coordinated.

The “four position” part of the name refers to the fact the hanger can be adjusted into four different positions, depending on your hanging needs.

Four position hangers are another accessory that can be used in other places besides bedroom closets. They’re useful in a mudroom, laundry room, or can even be attached to the side of a cabinet or dresser.

7. Jewellery drawer

closet accessory organizer jewellery drawerFine jewellery should be kept in a proper home like a jewellery box or, even better, a jewellery drawer.

One more jewellery drawers can be added to your bedroom closet’s cabinetry to keep all of your earrings, bracelets, necklaces, rings, and other precious jewellery items organized.

Keeping your jewellery collection hidden from view is also smart from a security perspective.

Our custom jewellery drawers feature velvet lining, which serves two purposes. First, it adds an elegant touch to where your valuables are kept. Secondly, the velvet lining (along with the drawer dividers) helps to keep your jewellery safe from scratches, scuffing, and tangling.

8. Pullout pant rack

closet accessory organizer pant rackThis closet accessory organizer idea adds more functionality to your closet and can also allow you to maximize your closet’s storage space.

A pullout pant rack accomplishes this by making better use of your bedroom closet’s underused lower storage space.

A pant rack can be shorter or longer, depending on your available space and how many pairs of pants you need to hang. The rack easily pulls out when you need to choose a pair of pants and stays out of the way the rest of the time.

Now you can keep all of your pants well-pressed, grouped together by colour, and more organized.

9. Hooks

closet accessory organizer multiple hooksNot every square inch of a closet interior needs to be filled with something being stored.

Every closet should still include a few hooks, however, as a supplementary closet accessory organizer for any of your hangable items.

Hanging hats, purses, scarves, or any number of additional hangable items can free up space in your other closet storage systems.

And because hooks are so small, they can be easily incorporated into your custom closet’s layout just about anywhere.

Visit our showroom to browse the hundreds of types of hooks and other decorative hardware items we have available.

Clever closet accessory organizer ideas (and much more)

These are just a few of the clever bedroom closet accessory organizer products available at Organized Interiors.

We also carry a wide variety of storage solutions for the entire home to save you time by helping your family to stay organized with less effort.

Learn more about how our closet accessory organizer ideas and other products can simplify your life by booking a free in-home design consultation.

See also:

9 Great Ideas to Revitalize Your Spare Room

sewing room, spare room
Having a spare room in a house is something that’s viewed by most homeowners as a luxury.

In reality, having an extra room in the home that lacks much purpose can end up becoming a hassle.

These rooms typically become catch-all storage spaces (also known as “dumping grounds”) for other items that can’t find a home elsewhere in your home.

Sure, that means your home’s other rooms might have less clutter. Spare rooms will get filled quickly, however, particularly because they’re such an available and convenient storage space.

After a few years, the room can turn into a disorganized mess that will become one big, long decluttering project you’ll need to eventually confront.

Find a higher purpose for your spare room

While we all need to store things in our home, a spare room could be used for a lot more than just storing boxes and junk. This little-used room can be revitalized to give it more purpose and functionality.

Why not create a useful space that can benefit the whole family?

Maybe you and your spouse are recent empty nesters. If so, that’s even more reason to treat yourself to a dedicated room that enhances your lifestyle and accommodates your interests.

Here are nine great spare room ideas to help you get the most out of this underused space.

1. Home entertainment room

Whether your family is big or small, a dedicated room for enjoying movies, TV shows, and video games in the most comfortable setting possible makes great use of a spare room.

A 4K home theatre projector with a projection screen and surround sound system will nicely simulate the experience of going to the movie theatre (without the crowds and high concession stand prices).

Or go with a big screen TV set within a custom entertainment centre that can also hold all of your media devices and other audio/video components.

Depending on where the entertainment room is located in the home and how loud it might get in there, installing acoustic panels to reduce noise might be wise.

Add a big sofa, some recliners, and maybe even a small bar to round out the room’s design. Your spare room can now be used as the ultimate space for hosting movie nights and sporting events for family, friends, and neighbours.

2. Mudroom

If your spare room is near an entryway in your home, creating a mudroom might just be the best use for it. Shoes, umbrellas, jackets, and other outwear can all have a proper home using hooks, shoe racks, and other organizing solutions.

This functional transitional space between your home’s inside and the outdoors has a lot of benefits:

  • you’ll keep your home’s entryway area more organized
  • keeps wet jackets and dirt and mud tracked in from outside in a contained, easy-to-maintain area
  • add custom cabinetry for extra functional home storage space

3. Dressing room/large walk-in closet

If you’re constantly struggling to manage your bedroom closet space, there’s no better solution to your closet woes than a bespoke dressing room (also known as a large walk-in closet).

A spare room is perfectly suited for this purpose and makes managing your wardrobe much easier. With a spacious dressing room, you’ll be able to find items of clothing effortlessly. This will result in less time spent searching for misplaced items (and possibly making duplicate purchases).

In addition to its storage benefits, a luxurious dressing room also gives you a private space that you can customize to your tastes. Here are a few ideas of what you could add:

  • a comfy chair or stylish bench with hidden storage space
  • full-length mirrors
  • a makeup table
  • an island with storage drawers
  • relaxing lighting
dressing room, spare room

An underused spare room can be turned into a spacious dressing room/large walk-in closet that’s stylish and functional.

4. Kids playroom

If you have youngsters in the house, you know how much of a challenge it can be trying to keep their toys and belongings organized.

That’s why turning a spare room into a kids playroom is a very practical idea. A kids playroom gives your children a dedicated space to play, which should help keep the rest of your home a little tidier.

Add a kids worktable for arts and crafts projects and paint the walls with a colour (such as a shade of red) that helps stimulate their creativity.

If your children have sleepovers frequently with their friends, a kids playroom could also incorporate a space-saving wall bed.

5. Home office

A spare room that you barely spend any time in and is only used to collect clutter is as far from being a productive area in your home as it gets.

You can change that by turning a spare room into a highly productive home office.

More and more companies are giving their employees the option to work from home on a full-time or part-time basis. A home office that’s professionally designed can help you get the most productivity out of the space.

A home office also has other valuable uses. It can be used as a quiet room to work on your taxes or catch up on your email replies or your kids can use it as a private study space.

6. Guest room

If you regularly have overnight guests staying in your home, turning your spare room into a guest room makes a lot of sense.

You can have a room that’s always ready to accommodate guests, without having to come up with makeshift sleeping arrangements that aren’t always comfortable for visitors.

The centrepiece of your guest room makeover can be a pulldown murphy bed that’s every bit as comfortable as a traditional bed. A murphy bed’s biggest benefit is that it stays hidden until it’s needed, which frees up space in your guest room.

A guest room could also be combined with a small home office space to give you a room with dual functionality.

7. Fitness room

If driving several times a week to the gym to work out is getting old, turn your spare room into a fitness room.

The convenience of having a fitness room at home can help keep you motivated to stay fit, which is a great way to relieve stress.

You can also tailor a home fitness room to your workout needs, whether it’s yoga, strength training, cardio, or hitting a punching bag that’s your exercise method of choice. Add the exercise equipment you need and a small TV screen or sound system to accompany your workouts.

A fitness room at home can pay for itself in a few years with the money you’ll save on annual gym membership fees (which can cost more than you might think).

8. Wine room

If you’re a wine connoisseur, is your growing wine collection in need of more storage space? Perhaps your wine collection has never had a proper home and is being stored on wine racks in your basement or living room.

The perfect solution is to turn your spare room into a dedicated wine room or a walk-in closet wine cellar.

Have your dream wine storage system customized to your spare room and wine storage needs. If space allows, a dedicated wine storage room can also incorporate design features that allow you to use the room as a space for entertaining guests.

You could also complement your custom wine cabinetry with stylish bar cabinetry to house the rest of your libations and spirits.

wine cellar with chairs and table, spare room

If you’re a wine collector, convert your spare room into a wine cellar that also functions as a wine tasting room.

9. Craft room

If you’re the creative type, one of the best uses for a spare room would be to turn it into a space that can bring out the best in your creativity.

This could be in the form of a craft room, sewing room, music room, or art studio that allows you to enjoy such hobbies as:

  • sewing and knitting
  • scrapbooking
  • playing an instrument
  • painting and drawing
  • ceramics
  • model building
  • horticulture
  • gift wrapping

A room meant solely for your creative interests gives you privacy and lets you conveniently resume working on a project whenever you have free time. Studies also show that creative activities improve your mood and help to clear your mind.

Transform your spare room into something beautiful

Organized Interiors has lots of experience when it comes to transforming underused spare rooms into beautiful and functional spaces.

Book a free in-home design consultation with us to discuss how your spare room can serve your family in a much more meaningful and productive manner.

See also:

7 Amazing Gift Ideas for Dads to Suit Any Budget

gift ideas for dads, man in closet
Coming up with a unique gift idea for Father’s Day requires a little imagination. And leaving dad’s gift shopping until the last minute rarely results in a gift that’s memorable.

Allow yourself enough time to really consider dad’s interests and passions when making a decision. Your gift will be much more likely to leave a lasting impression.

Another way to go is to consider gift ideas for dads that can help simplify their life.

Is dad always disorganized? Maybe the best gift you could give him is a way to stay organized better. It could be just the helping hand a messy dad needs.

7 unique gift ideas for dads

For budgets both big and small, here’s a list of seven special gift ideas for dads that are sure to be a hit at any time of the year.

1. A day driving an exotic or classic car

Has dad always dreamed of getting behind the wheel of a Ferrari F430, Porsche 911 Turbo, or Lamborghini Countach? Perhaps his dream car tastes lean more towards the classics, such as a vintage Mustang or a 1963 Corvette Stingray.

If these exotic and classic cars are a little out of dad’s price range or he just hasn’t wanted to commit to the ongoing care these amazing vehicles require, get him the next best thing.

Treat dad to a day (or two) behind the wheel of one of these majestic rides. Many companies rent out exotic and classic cars at reasonable rates.

Another option is to give dad the gift of a day at a racing school. With the assistance of an instructor, dad can scratch that itch for high speed driving without needing to worry about getting a speeding ticket.

2. A closet makeover

Does dad waste time every day trying to find things in his messy closet? Has it been a long time since his closet has had any attention paid to its interior layout?

It sounds like dad could benefit from a closet makeover.

A closet that’s always disorganized either has too many clothes in it, storage space not being maximized, or a combination of both.

The design consultants at Organized Interiors can come up with a creative closet design tailored exactly to how dad needs to use it. Every inch of a closet can be put to better use by utilizing its vertical space better.

Incorporating some of the following closet accessories will also enhance its usability for dad:

  • pullout shoe racks
  • pullout tie racks
  • retractable valet rods
  • pullout pant racks
  • pullout belt racks

A custom closet makeover will completely reinvent his closet space to help him get a lot more functionality out of it.

gift ideas for dads, clothes in closet

A closet makeover for dad makes it much easier for him to stay organized.

3. A different premium wine every month

When it comes to gift ideas for dads who love their wine, get the gift that keeps on giving every month. Sign up dad for a membership to one of the many wine of the month clubs you can find online.

But we’re not talking cheap wines in the $10 per bottle range. Look for a club that offers premium reds and whites that will really be a treat for dad. The wines chosen for these clubs are carefully selected and typically award-winning.

A gift of premium wines delivered right to your door 12 times a year always gives dad a little something extra to look forward to. He’ll also get introduced to many fine wines he otherwise wouldn’t have had the opportunity to try.

4. New headphones

Does your father or husband love music? If so, a high quality pair of headphones is a must.

Nowadays, a lot of us listen to our music on speakers that don’t provide as immersive a listening experience as a good pair of headphones will. And heaven forbid that dad is regularly listening to his tunes through his smartphone’s tinny-sounding speaker.

The headphone market offers more choices and as good a quality of products as there’s ever been. Bose, Sennheiser, Skullcandy, Beats, and many other high quality brands provide some great options.

Wireless headphones are all the rage and will cost a little more. If dad isn’t planning on using his headphones while exercising or working in the yard, go with wired headphones (dad will also have one less thing to charge).

For just $100 or less, you can pick up a pair of wired AKG K240 professional studio quality headphones that dad will love. These headphones have been around for decades for a reason. If they’re good enough for Bruce Springsteen (who’s used them when recording albums), they’re good enough for dear ol’ dad!

5. A virtual personal assistant

gift ideas for dads, Amazon EchoTechnology plays more of a role in our lives than ever before. One of the primary functions of technology is to make our lives easier and a virtual personal assistant does just that.

These handy devices are known by other names, such as smart speakers and voice assistants. The most popular choices available are the Amazon Echo, Apple HomePod, Google Home, and the Sonos One.

Dad can use these devices to get the weather or traffic report, sports scores, important reminders, listen to podcasts, help him with a recipe, order a pizza, or about a million other things.

The gift of a virtual personal assistant makes this one of the more convenience-minded gift ideas for dads you can choose.

6. A stylish watch

A fine timepiece never goes out of style. A stylish watch makes a great gift idea for dad, especially if he really appreciates the craftsmanship that goes into a higher quality timepiece.

You can’t go wrong with luxury brands like Rolex, Victorinox, Hamilton, Oris, or Eterna. For smaller scale budgets, MVMT watches are very trendy right now and deliver great quality at an affordable price.

If you have a bigger budget to work with and know dad is more partial to classic watches, explore the wide variety of vintage watches available. Going this route can get expensive in a hurry, though. This 1984 vintage Rolex, for example, will run you a whopping $9,200 (U.S.).

If dad’s luxury watch collection is already big enough and he needs to keep it organized and maintained, watch winders are a practical gift.  Ask us about our selection of Orbita watch winders.

7. The garage of dad’s dreams

The last of our gift ideas for dads involves a space that may very well be his favourite room in the house – the garage.

If dad loves spending time in the garage tinkering away, there’s plenty of incentive to make the space more comfortable and inviting.

A poorly lit, cluttered, drab garage space can be completely transformed into an area of your home that is truly an extension of your living space.

Adding upgrades like a fresh polyaspartic floor coating, garage cabinets, and slatwall storage will make any garage more aesthetically pleasing and a lot more functional (for dad and the entire family).

Talk to Garage Living, who specialize in designing dream garages and have completed thousands of successful makeovers throughout North America.

gift ideas for dads, blue car in garage

A garage makeover for dad creates a clean and organized home space for the entire family..

Gift ideas for dads that will put a smile on his face

You can’t go wrong with any of these seven gift ideas for dads, regardless of the time of year you’re buying for him.

For the gifts that need a little more planning (like getting a custom closet), remember to leave yourself enough time to get dad’s gift ready.

If getting dad’s closet organized sounds like a great gift idea, schedule a free in-home design consultation with us to plan his closet makeover. And if you’d prefer to keep dad’s gift a surprise, we can do the consultation in our showroom.

See also:

5 Great Reasons To Visit The Organized Interiors Showroom

Organized Interiors showroom hardware display, two people talking
Organized Interiors has been a leader in custom closet design and home organization and storage solutions for more than 40 years.

Our spacious showroom in Vaughan proudly represents where those many years of experience have brought us.

The 10,000 square foot showroom is filled with lots of inspiring ideas and the best products available for improving your home’s storage and organization functionality.

We think there are lots of great reasons for taking the time to visit the Organized Interiors showroom. Here are five of them.

1. Get inspired in the Organized Interiors showroom

Some visitors to the Organized Interiors showroom have a specific product (or several) in mind they want to learn more about. They’ve probably initially viewed the product(s) on our website.

Many of our clients, however, visit our showroom with a specific purpose in mind and end up discovering other great solutions for improving their home they hadn’t considered.

A visit to learn more about our world-class custom closets, for example, might result in someone falling in love with what we can do with home office spaces or a laundry room.

Inspiring your creativity with a visit to our showroom can lead you down any number of unexpected paths.

The Organized Interiors showroom also shares display space with our neighbours, Garage Living. Who knows, you may even leave with a few ideas for transforming your garage!

Organized Interiors showroom interior

Experience organized interiors that are free of clutter in our spacious showroom.

2. Ask us anything

Our helpful design consultants are a fountain of knowledge when it comes to smart ideas for making your home look and function better.

Take advantage of their expertise and creative minds by asking them anything about which home storage and organization products and systems might best suit your needs.

The design consultants can provide guidance in a wide variety of areas. Maybe you’re wondering what type of finish or decorative hardware will work most effectively with the custom cabinetry you have in mind for a project.

Perhaps you’re curious as to whether that spare room you have is the right size to accommodate a dressing room/large walk-in closet. Ask away.

At Organized Interiors, we like to get to know our customers. Starting a dialogue with our design consultants during your Organized Interiors showroom visit helps to get that relationship started.

3. Try our products

The very best of our products for every room in your home are on display in the Organized Interiors showroom. You’ll find lots of carefully created and realistic home room settings throughout the space.

Great photography and detailed product descriptions are certainly helpful when it comes to understanding what a product offers. But there’s no substitute for experiencing the real thing.

Viewing our products in person and getting a hands-on experience with them will give you the best sense for which products best align with your home’s functional and aesthetic requirements.

We especially encourage anyone visiting to try out all of our high quality products for yourself. Doing so will really allow you to appreciate the careful attention to detail that goes into everything we sell.

Organized Interiors designs and manufactures our products on-site. It’s our feeling that the high standards we have for each and every product we manufacture will be evident to any visitor sampling Organized Interiors’ diverse array of products.

4. Discover how much you can customize

Organized Interiors’ great products and exceptional customer service are a big reason reason the majority of our business comes from referrals.

Our many satisfied customers also recommend us to friends, families, neighbours, and co-workers for another reason – the wealth of custom options we provide.

Our bespoke cabinetry for all areas of your home can be tailored to your specific design preferences. Visit the Design Studio in the showroom to get an idea of the hundreds of types of laminates, melamines, solid surfaces, and granites you can choose from.

The Organized Interiors showroom also features our Artware Gallery, which has the Greater Toronto Area’s largest selection of Richelieu Hardware. Browse through hundreds of samples of the highest quality decorative hardware of all styles, created by world-renowned designers.

The more customization options available when having your bespoke cabinetry designed, the more you’ll be assured of ending up with a finished product you’re 100% satisfied with. You’re also able to add more of a personal touch to the design.

You’ll find that’s one of the biggest advantages over buying cabinetry or closet organizers at a big box store, which limits you to far fewer options.

Organized Interiors showroom decorative hardware display with ladder

Sample hundreds of types of decorative hardware in the Organized Interiors showroom.

5. Pick up an Idea Book. Take your time browsing.

While you’re at our showroom, be sure to pick up a complimentary copy of our new Idea Book. It can also be downloaded here.

The Idea Book is loaded with vivid images and detailed descriptions of all our products and services. Many photos featured in it are from projects we’ve worked on in our customers’ homes.

The Idea Book and showroom nicely encapsulate exactly everything Organized Interiors offers.

Take your time browsing through the showroom, without feeling any pressure to make a buying decision until you’re completely ready.

The Organized Interiors showroom is worth the visit

The Organized Interiors showroom is conveniently located at 201 Chrislea Road in Vaughan, right at Highway 400 and Highway 7.

We encourage you to visit and view and our wide selection of premium products that make space for living more comfortably. You’ll be glad you did.

If your busy life makes a trip to the Organized Interiors showroom less convenient for you, no problem. Just schedule a free in-home design consultation with us.

One of our design consultants will be happy to visit your home to discuss ways in which we can bring more order and functionality to any space in your house or condo.

See also:

The 7 Home Features Buyers Want the Most

home features buyers want house exterior
A home improvement project should upgrade your house with features that add convenience and extra functionality to your living space.

Too many homeowners, however, make the mistake of not adding home features buyers want the most when it comes time to sell their house.

It’s natural for anyone to look more to a home improvement project’s impact on their family’s life over the next 5, 10, or 15 years.

While you’ll get plenty of use out of the home upgrades over that period, casting an eye towards the future should also be a factor in your renovation decisions as well.

Choose home features buyers want and need

Certain renovation projects have a poor return on investment that can significantly affect the back-end value of your expenditure. Experts agree that for potential buyers, these renovations don’t add value to a home:

  • removing closets
  • converting the garage into a living space
  • adding a sunroom
  • turning a spare room into a home theatre
  • adding a pool

These remodeling projects are considered too niche or just not practical for the average homebuyer.

And the first two examples completely go against the second-most important factor that goes into a homebuyer’s decision – available storage space. Not surprisingly, a home’s location was the most important factor.

Do your research to find out which home improvement projects provide a good balance of fulfilling an everyday need and will also be desirable in the eyes of anyone home shopping years from now.

7 of the home features buyers want the most

Certain home features buyers want the most virtually never change.

At the top of that list is storage space. Garage parking space and updates to kitchens and bathrooms also consistently rank highly with buyers.

We’ve looked at numerous studies, surveys, polls, and expert opinions to come up with a list of seven of the home features buyers want the most when they’re searching for a house.

1. Walk-in closet

A recent extensive Canadian Home Builders Association study found that a walk-in closet was the most valued asset of the 3,000 homebuyers surveyed.

A Braun Research survey of 500 realtors found that 97% of them said their clients valued closet storage space more than attic and basement storage space. And a 2013 National Association of Realtors survey shows that a walk-in closet in the master bedroom was the second-most important feature to homebuyers.

For many buyers, a large walk-in closet (also known as a dressing room) is an absolute essential. The absence of one may very well prove to be a dealbreaker for them.

A spacious walk-in closet doesn’t just provide a lot more space to store your clothes (although that’s one of its best benefits). They also:

  • provide a private, relaxing space for getting prepared or unwinding after a long day
  • make it easier to manage your wardrobe and keep it organized (saving you time)
  • provide a stylish and elegant space to showcase your wardrobe and accessories
home features buyers want walk-in closet

A walk-in closet (also known as a dressing room) is considered one of the most essential features for homebuyers.

2. Energy efficiency

The 2017 Canadian Homebuyer Preference National Study shows that better energy efficiency is another of the top home features buyers want and will pay more for.

That Canadian Home Builders Association study also cited energy efficiency as one of the most desired home features for buyers.

This can include everything from a home having energy-efficient appliances, energy-efficient lighting, and modern windows and doors that will keep hydro bills lower. More energy-efficient heating and air conditioning systems are also valued by homebuyers.

Buyers also place a higher priority nowadays on how well insulated a home is. Are the attic, garage, and the rest of the home outfitted with high-efficiency insulation that’s actually been properly installed to deliver the best energy efficiency?

3. Master bathroom

Whether or not a home has a master bathroom is another important factor for many buyers. A master bathroom is defined as a bathroom with a sink, bathtub, and shower that is accessible from the largest bedroom (also known as a “master bedroom”).

The terminology for this room can vary. Some people may refer to it as an “ensuite master bathroom” or simply “ensuite”. It can also be written as “en-suite” (just to make things even more confusing).

When referring to bathrooms and bedrooms, you can expect to hear less usage of the word “master” in the coming years, however. Homebuilders and realtors are phasing it out due to the word’s negative gender and racial connotations.

Bathroom features buyers are looking for most are a custom bathroom vanity/makeup area, two sinks, and a separate shower enclosure. Forward-thinking buyers in their forties and fifties want the latter, in part because they’re considering its ease of use a couple of decades down the line.

Surprisingly, linen closets topped the list of the most desirable bathroom features for new home buyers surveyed in 2013 by the National Association of Home Builders.

4. Two-car garage

For both older homes and newly constructed homes, two-car garages are another feature buyers consider essential. 80% of buyers factor in the garage when making their decision, according to an Impulse Research survey.

And while that Braun Research survey found that 97% of buyers valued closet space more than attic and basement storage space, the garage ranked a close second. Realtors surveyed said that 96% of buyers valued the garage over the attic and basement as a home storage space.

Garages provide valuable storage space not just for tools and items there’s no room for elsewhere in your home, they also allow you to park vehicles indoors. That protects your sizeable investment in your vehicles.

There’s also the convenience of parking indoors. That’s why 55% of homeowners use the garage as their house’s main entryway, according to a Chamberlain Group study.

Garage makeovers are also a hot home improvement trend. As Garage Living’s Linda Fiore Ceolin explains it, “There is so much potential in every garage space, large or small. More homeowners have realized the importance of upgrading their garage to make it a beautiful, functional extension of their living space.”

home features buyers want 2 cars

96% of homebuyers view the garage as a more valuable storage space in a house than the attic and basement.

5. Hardwood floors

The National Association of Realtors survey shows that just over half of homebuyers are willing to pay more for wood floors. The main reasons are its contemporary look, durability, and how much easier wood floors are to clean than carpeting. 

Hardwood is most preferred, especially original hardwood flooring found in older houses, which can be a real home seller. Authentic hardwood flooring is easier to refinish compared to engineered wood flooring. It should also theoretically last a lifetime. 

Engineered wood flooring is less expensive and not as durable as original wood flooring. However, it does nicely replicate the look of hardwood with a hardwood veneer over layered fibreboard and structural plywood.

A higher percentage of homebuyers under the age of 54 looks for a house with wood floors than older buyers. This is attributed to the fact that older generations tend to find carpeting a little cozier and warmer than wood floors.

6. Laundry room

Look at a variety of studies and surveys on the home features buyers want most and a dedicated laundry room will assuredly rank highly on most of them.

In fact, last year’s report from the National Association of Home Builders on the home features buyers desire most had “a separate laundry room” at number one.

92% of buyers surveyed considered a laundry room essential. An increasing number of homebuilders agree and are incorporating laundry rooms into their building designs.  

Those in the aged 35 to 54 demographic placed a high priority on having a laundry room. Millennials especially favour owning a laundry room, preferably upstairs close to a bedroom or on the main floor, off the kitchen. Space-saving stacked washers and dryers are also popular with younger generations.

Laundry rooms are considered a must-have feature for many buyers because of the convenience and high functionality they add to homes. A dedicated space to take care of all of the ironing, sorting, folding and other tasks that go along with laundry duty helps to simplify and speed up the process.

Second floor laundry room.

7. Modern/open concept kitchen

Concluding our list of the home features buyers want most is the open concept kitchen. Once again, younger buyers favour open concept kitchen designs more than baby boomers.

The Canadian Home Builders Association reports that 85-90% of consumers in Ontario and the Toronto area prefer this more modern type of kitchen design.

An open concept kitchen that includes a kitchen island and inclusive eating area is also considered an attractive selling feature, particularly to buyers with kids. 

Realtors and designers widely agree that modern kitchen updates yield better returns come resale time than a bathroom remodel.

Additional modern kitchen upgrades that appeal to homebuyers include:

  • double kitchen sinks
  • high-quality stainless steel appliances
  • walk-in pantry
  • granite, marble, or quartz countertops
  • stylish cabinetry with modern hardware

Do you have the home features buyers want most?

Is your home keeping up with the modern design trends that can make your life more comfortable and pay off when you sell your home?

Organized Interiors specializes in bespoke home organization and storage solutions for the entire home. We can improve your living space with many of the home features buyers want and need the most.

Sit down with us to discuss your aspirations for improving your home’s interior by scheduling a free in-home design consultation.

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