ᐅ How can Ikea PAX wardrobes be optimally used in the storage room?

Hello everyone,

I am planning to install an Ikea Pax system in our rather small storage closet to make the most of the available space. Due to the limited area and relatively low ceiling height, efficient interior organization is especially important. My questions to the community are: Which combinations of cabinet components (e.g., hanging rods, shelves, drawers, inserts) are best suited to maintain a clear overview at all times while also allowing flexible storage of various items such as cleaning supplies, seasonal clothing, and tools? Are there practical tips for making good use of the back and inner sides of the doors? Experiences with dimensions, for example regarding the width or depth of the Pax elements, would also be very helpful. Thanks in advance for your recommendations!

Hello JANKAU50,

I am happy to give you a structured overview of how to make the best use of your PAX system in the storage room:

- First, measure the available space carefully and take the ceiling height into account. For low ceilings, shorter but wider cabinets are more suitable.

- For interior organization, I recommend a mix of shelves and pull-out drawers. Drawers make it easier to access small items and help keep things tidy.

- Clothes rails are only useful if you want to store hanging items like jackets or coats. In small storage rooms, these often take up unnecessary space.

- You can equip the inside of doors with hook rails or multifunctional storage organizers. These are great for storing small tools, cleaning cloths, or bottles.

- Make sure to choose cabinets with sufficient depth (at least 60 cm (24 inches)) so that standardized storage boxes fit easily.

- Use transparent boxes or label containers to improve organization.

- If possible, include a pull-out element to better utilize hard-to-reach areas.

I hope these tips help you.

LAURE-TA schrieb:
Clothes rails are only useful if you want to store hanging items like jackets or coats. In small storage rooms, they often take up unnecessary space.

I generally agree with this but would like to point out that it depends on individual usage habits. For example, if you want to store seasonal coats or rarely used suits, a clothes rail can actually make sense. Using it only as shelving often wastes space.

However, I see a problem when people try to implement "standard solutions" without considering the actual items and their sizes. PAX is flexible, but detailed planning is often missing. Do you have specific types or sizes of items you want to store? This might help to design the optimal interior layout more precisely.

Additionally, I would critically question whether PAX is the best solution for the small storage room. Sometimes smaller, custom-made cabinets or modular systems are better suited, especially if the space has irregular shapes.

Natan schrieb:
Do you have specific types or sizes of items you want to store? That might help to design the optimal interior layout more precisely.

Thanks for the suggestion, Natan. Specifically, I want to accommodate the following items:

- Various household appliances (vacuum cleaner, smaller cleaning devices) that are rather bulky
- Cleaning products in bottles of different sizes
- Seasonal clothing, especially winter jackets and some individual textiles
- Toolbox, tools, electrical accessories
- Smaller storage boxes with various utensils

The storage room is approximately 210 cm (83 inches) high, 120 cm (47 inches) wide, and 90 cm (35 inches) deep. Therefore, I want to make use not only of the available volume but also ensure easy accessibility. Thanks for any further specific suggestions.

JANKAU50 schrieb:
The storage closet has a height of about 210 cm (83 inches), a width of 120 cm (47 inches), and a depth of 90 cm (35 inches).

Based on your dimensions and requirements, here is a precise proposal for your PAX system:

- Choose two PAX units side by side, each 50–60 cm (20–24 inches) wide, to fully utilize the available width.
- Use a minimum depth of 60 cm (24 inches) per unit to accommodate larger items such as vacuum cleaners.
- Interior layout:
- In the left cabinet, combine several adjustable shelves in the lower section for devices and boxes.
- In the upper section of the same cabinet, install a clothes rail at about 160 cm to 190 cm (63 to 75 inches) for seasonal clothing.
- Right cabinet: drawer modules in the lower half (e.g., 3–4 drawers), ideal for tools and small materials.
- Fixed shelves above for cleaning supplies in bottles; ideally, include a back panel with rails to attach small hooks.

- Doors can be equipped with door organizer systems to hold bottles or cleaning products, maximizing storage space.

- When installing, make sure to use shelves with metal supports capable of bearing heavier equipment.

- Recommended: a pull-out laundry basket or bins to facilitate access to smaller items.

This concept combines volume storage with practical accessibility. Given the room depth, PAX units with 60 cm (24 inches) depth are the most suitable.