25 Clever Closet Offices That’ll Make You Want to Work From Home
If you need a small home office desk area, look at these closet offices! A small-space home office in a closet is perfect for working from home. How do I turn my closet into an office? These 25 closet offices show you how to fit a desk in a closet (and get organized, too!)
Read more in 10 Home Office Closet Ideas You’ll Love and our favorite Beautiful Office Storage Ideas.
25 Clever Closet Offices For Your Home
Every year, many of us resolve to clean out the clutter from our overflowing closets and get rid of the junk. (Seriously, where does it all come from?)
If you’ve succeeded in clearing out your closet and are looking for ideas of what to do with all of your newly uncovered space, you might have asked, “Can a closet be used as an office?”
Yes! and if your next question is “how do I turn my closet into an office?” — these awesome closet offices will show you how and give you lots of inspiration and ideas for your own setup.
These offices in closets make the most of a small space, and are certainly a lot more fun than a place to stash your coats and luggage.
Other closet ideas: turn that empty closet into a reading nook or make an entry closet into a mudroom.
Creative & Easy Ideas for Closet Offices
Small spaces like the closet offices are the perfect place to try out a dramatic look that feels too risky for your main living space. Many of these examples make great use of dramatic paint colors and graphic wallpaper.
Would you give up a closet to make a pint-sized office (or “cloffice” as some call it) in your home? I’m already looking at ways I could incorporate one in my home!
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More Closet Ideas:
How to Turn a Closet Into An Office
Below you’ll find 25+ ideas for DIY offices in closets. There are many styles and many options!
One of the biggest issues with closet offices is electrical access. Having power for a lamp, printer, computer or laptop, or other electronics is important to making the office functional. And most reach-in closets don’t have outlets.
The simplest method to add electricity to a closet: use a power strip surge protector with a long cord (and a flat plug) to bring power to the closet from a nearby electrical outlet. For extra easy access, grab one of these power strips that can mount to or recess in the desktop.
No nearby outlet? Use a light socket plug adapter. (Check your local codes for safety regulations.)
For a more permanent solution, add an electrical outlet to the closet, preferably at desk level like above. It’s typically pretty easy since there’s likely an outlet nearby. Call a local electrician if you’re not experienced and comfortable working with electricity.
Make Room for Storage
A reach-in closet with French doors provides SO much space for a closet office!
The Crazy Craft Lady’s closet office includes home office basics like a printer and file organizers, but also has room for craft supplies thanks to smart storage and using the walls of the closet!
This closet office also features a standing desk which gives extra space underneath for storage drawers and a bookshelf for the printer and extra storage. Read more here.
Replace The Door with a Curtain
When I Heart Organizing needed a home office space in her small home, she turned to one side of her double master closet. Clothes in one side, and a small closet office in the other.
Replacing swinging or bifold doors with inexpensive curtains saves the space of swinging doors and adds some color and style, too. See all these closet office details here.
Add a Rolling Barn Door
We love this kitchen closet office we saw at the Parade of Homes a few years ago! Hiding a desk in a nook is smart — and behind rolling barn doors is sleek and stylish. If you’re building a new home or remodeling, this is a great idea to add in your plans to modernize the traditional kitchen office desk area.
And a barn door doesn’t have to look like a barn — check out our favorite DIY barn doors and affordable hardware options for styles from rustic farmhouse to elegant and modern,
- Build a gorgeous modern wood herringbone door
- Simplest DIY barn door tutorial & plans
- Cheap & easy DIY barn door
- Make a barn door from a regular door
Save Room For Hanging Clothes
If you can’t clear out a full closet, clear out just the bottom. Move the hanging rod up, and install shelving and a desktop. This built-in desk could be built just like a custom closet organizer.
Put The Filing Cabinet(s) In the Closet
Placing a filing cabinet in a closet is a great space-saver. If you have a pair, you can easily turn it into a closet office DESK, too!
It’s often hard to find a desk to fit just right in the closet, so many closet offices use built-in desks.
But if you’re renting or don’t want a permanent closet desk, here’s the solution for you.
Place one filing cabinet on each side of the closet. Be sure to place them so that the drawers can open to clear the closet door frame.
TIP: A regular 2-drawer file cabinet is too short for a comfortable desk. Add furniture feet, or get a 3-drawer filing cabinet with either one slim top drawer or two regular box drawers — just the right height for a desk.
Then, make a closet desk top by cutting a plywood sheet (with edge banding) or deep melamine shelf to fit the width of the closet, and the depth you want for the desk. This will cover any gaps at the sides or back and give you a large closet desk that you can easily move later.
Paint a Chalkboard Wall
This closet office keeps it simple: a built-in desk, hanging supply organizer and floating shelves, and 2 lighting sconces for task lighting.
Painting the walls with chalkboard paint lets you take notes, leave messages, or make your own chalk mural. Add a layer of magnetic wall primer and it can be a magnet board, too!
Add a Corner Desk — and a Reading Nook
Closet offices can have more than just a desk! This small closet office works double duty — a corner desk AND a corner cushion for reading and relaxing. See this closet’s transformation here.
Put a Desk in the Closet
Yes, this is the gist of the easiest closet offices… just put a desk in the empty closet.
For extra style points like this office, paint the inside of the closet. Add some large art canvases and a couple of shelves.
Install Shelving
Never underestimate the power of shelving! This symmetrical closet office has one floating desk and three floating shelves for storage.
This is an easy DIY, like Jenny shows here in her hall closet. Just install a shelf support on 3 sides, then top with a sturdy shelf. Add an optional shelf face board for added strength — it’ll also make the shelf look thicker.
Or, for a different look, grab some cheap shelf brackets and regular 2x boards and make office shelves above the desk like we did in our home office a few years ago
Add Lighting to the Closet Office
This walk-in closet office packs so much style and storage in a small space!
Nothing says “closet” like “zero natural lighting” so be sure to add a light fixture like a pendant, sconce, or lamp to your closet office so you’re not straining your eyes to see the computer screen.
Replace the ceiling light fixture with a stylish statement pendant light, or add a swing arm lamp for task lighting. Desk lamps are, of course, a great option for a closet office desk as well.
Battery operated sconces like these make it easy to add lights, no electrical work required!
- Make Your Own Cordless Battery Wall Sconces
- Get Creative and Hang String Lights
Give The Closet Office Some Style
Bonus of small closet offices: a small space is a fun place to try a bold patterned stencil or wallpaper!
Keep It Simple
If all you need is a place to pay bills and work on your laptop occasionally, all you need in your closet office nook is a small inexpensive writing desk, a bulletin board, and a wall mount wall file.
Hide Your Stuff
Closet offices should have a workspace and plenty of storage and organizing space. Document boxes, photo boxes, and magazine holders are versatile and inexpensive ways to organize and hide office supplies in plain sight.
Add Shelving
Have we mentioned yet that shelving is important in an office?! And it’s so easy to build custom to fit your space and needs!
- Build a Wall Cubby Shelf or Desk Organizer
- Easy DIY Rustic Wall Bins
- Simple Wood Pocket Shelves (great for notebooks and binders)
- Make A Custom Wall Cubby Shelf
Decorate the Closet Doors
This closet office has a lot going on, but the detail that catches my eye is the doors!
It’s easy to update basic flat closet doors or bifold doors with a bit of molding, paint, or even a sharpie! Check out 40 Ways To Update Flat or Bifold Doors.
Use the Inside of the Closet Office Doors
If your closet has swinging doors like this, adding storage to the backs of the doors is SMART for a closet office (or a regular closet)!
- DIY Back of Door Storage Bin Organizers
- Build an Organized Back of Door Shelf
- Shop Back of Door Organizers
Hang a calendar or to-do list, add wall mount pegboard, or like below, a large magnet board with magnetic pen organizers.
This closet office takes it one step further by turning the entire backside of both doors into a large memo board with ribbons to tuck photos, documents, or notes into.
Make a Closet Office Craft Room
If you’ve got room for a computer, you’ve got room for a sewing machine! Closet offices make a great small craft room space, ideal for a guest room or shared family space like a living room or kitchen.
Make Room for the Printer
Even in a modern office with mostly paperless billing, a printer is a must-have! Thankfully, modern printers are more compact so you can easily fit a printer in a small closet office.
For easy printing, choose a printer with wireless printing capability and place a shelf above the desk, like here, or below with a power strip for easy cord management.
Remember the Garbage
It’s not glamorous, but every office of every size needs a spot for garbage! For small closet offices, leave room under the desk for a small trash can, and if you’ll be doing a lot of paperwork, grab a small paper shredder, too.
Kids Closet Office
Closet offices area great for adults — and also great for a kids homework station! I Heart Organizing included shelving and a desk, plus drawers beneath the desk and pegboard and a paper roll for plenty of organizing and creativity. See all the details here.
- 10 Creative Homework Station Ideas
- 5 Tips to Create the Perfect Kids Desk & Homework Station
- 32 Ways to Organize a Homework Station
Closet Office Vanity
A small closet office can work double-duty as a vanity — just add a mirror and storage or drawers for makeup and hair supplies.
This colorful and bold office also kept the hanging rod for a quick transition back to a clothes closet when needed — but wrapped the rod with wallpaper as camouflage.
Hide Plenty of Storage with a Desk Curtain
Adding a simple curtain under the desk adds even more hidden storage to a closet office! Hide the computer tower, cords, printer, paper storage… whatever is there, it’s hidden.
This closet office has both curtains to hide the desk *and* to hide clothes storage drawers that are under the desk.
And also, here’s your PSA to raise your computer monitor. A monitor stand can add storage space and also is better ergonomically so you’re not slouching at your computer. The monitor stand pictured here is just a shelf and some doorstops — easy as that!
Go Vertical for Storage
This sweet little office nook uses the entire wall for storage and organizing — part pinboard, part pegboard with storage bins, part magnet board, part decoration.
Create your own modular storage wall with square pegboard panels, whiteboard squares, and corkboard squares covered in fabric, or shop these modular wall organizers for a sleek style.
- How to Build a Giant Bulletin Board for Under $50
- How to Build a Beautiful Magnet Board
- How to Build a Pretty Dry Erase Board
Use Baskets for Storage
Baskets and boxes are the ultimate organizers, especially when space is at a premium. Keep things organized without looking cluttered!
This craft closet office also sports wrap-around pegboard on all 3 walls — smart!
- How to Make an Upcycled Rope Basket
- Life Hack: Where to Get Cheap Storage Baskets
- Easy DIY Rolling Storage Basket
More organized home office ideas::
- IKEA Hack: Double-Duty Shared Flip-Top Desk
- Get This Look: Modern Traditional Home Office
- DIY Folding Craft Table or Foldable Desk
- Build a 2-Person Computer Desk, Farmhouse Style
That was so cool! This gives me an idea of what to do with mine. Thank you for sharing!
I’m so excited to try this. I’m somewhat disabled but miss doing my crafts and this is something I can do that gives me my own space and I can go at my own pace and not be in the middle of the house trying to hurry so any company that comes up doesn’t see it. It will literally be my own little sanctuary hole in the wall behind my curtain <3