<p>It appeared at DOTL that the wardrobes provided in Watson/Webb won't allow even a short dress to hang without dragging on top of the dresser. (Who chose them for those beautiful new dorms anyway?!!). Other than folding over a hanger, has anyone found an add-on solution that will improve the closet situation?</p>
<p>A standalone closet solution may work. The IKEA ones are cheap and will hold up as long as they aren’t abused. Both girls could share one to save room as well. </p>
<p>The sweater hanger box things may work too, though I personally don’t fold any dresses unless it’s over a hanger (strapless ones)</p>
<p>My roommate (in Brown college) had a standalone closet and swore by it. She still used the closet in my (inside) room as well. I also used a “double hang closet rod” (still use it!) to hang my skirts (just an FYI for people with normal closets… doesn’t sound useful in your situation). I also use a rolling clothes rack for my laundry drying to this day. I use sweater boxes too! I clearly have way too much love for my closet. My shoes… I used one of those over-the-closet organizers for 2 years, and then when I moved into a corner room in Brown, I got a narrow stand alone plastic rack. I also use the vertical multi-hanger for purses, scarves, etc.</p>
<p>Be careful getting the stand alone closet. There is very little floor space in those rooms, not already taken by the current furniture, door and window. You can move the furniture around, jack up the bed to have under-bed storage options, but there is still not much room. My daughter used over-door hanger for coats and jackets, but we had to try a few hangers before we had one that did not interfere with the closing of the door. (Bed, Bath & Beyond in Charlottesville has several.) We found double sided cabinet hooks that were useful to have on the closet door- belts on the inside, towel on the outside. Don’t forget a door stop- all the doors are heavy and have automatic closing mechanisms on them.</p>
<p>Be careful about over-the-door hangars. I don’t know if they enforce this, but per the UVA Housing Fire regulations: </p>
<p>“It is a violation to block an exit for any purpose. No shoe racks, clothing racks, or other hanging devices may be placed on doors.”</p>
<p>[Fire</a> Safety and Decoration Policies, Housing & Residence Life, U.Va.](<a href=“http://www.virginia.edu/housing/safety.php]Fire”>http://www.virginia.edu/housing/safety.php)</p>
<p>Travelmama, did the double sided hooks fit over the wardrobe doors? That would help. I agree floor space will limit options – what I really want to do is replace the wardrobe altogether with a more useful piece of furniture! At least old dorms have real closets.</p>
<p>For the regular beds (no drawers underneath) this is what we did to create a lot of extra storage. Put the mattress on the highest setting leaving the most space underneath. Then get risers (cone shaped ones, not blocks). Then you want the three drawer bins to use as extra drawer space. You can pay a lot and get the stackable ones at BB&B, or the container store, but we found them online at Walmart for $20/. He used two. Behind those he had rubbermaid bins with stuff he didn’t need to get to often. It will not help you with hanging clothes unfortunately, but it makes the world of difference to use that space under the bed.</p>
<p>Here are the drawers.
[Find</a> the Sterilite 3-Drawer Wide Cart for less at Walmart.com. Save money. Live better.](<a href=“http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-3-Drawer-Wide-Cart-Black/16415880?findingMethod=rr]Find”>http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-3-Drawer-Wide-Cart-Black/16415880?findingMethod=rr)</p>
<p>Also, you will see reviews of people complaining about the risers. You have to have them completely balanced. Two years, never a single problem.</p>
<p>The beds in Balz-Dobie and Watson-Webb can be put at highest level. (Bring a hammer or jump on the springs- with the bed upside down, to get them to adjust.) You can then put some of the plastic drawers and a shoe rack too, under the bed. On the highest level, the bed is pretty high. I don’t think you would need the bed risers too. The hooks I mentioned earlier are cabinet hooks and fit over the wardrobe door with hooks on inside and outside. My D liked this for her bath towel, as there is no towel rod. You have to leave all of the furniture in the room, but it can be moved around. The rooms are small, but you can pack in a surprising amount of stuff.</p>
<p>Great information on the beds travelmama - I assume that’s what they mean by “junior lofts” in the housing description - that they can be adjusted to an elevated position (wondered what that meant). So, can we assume that means the drawers that blueiguana linked to would fit under one of those (when adjusted high) without needing the risers?</p>
<p>With the bed elevated to it’s highest position, you have to leap to get into it. My daughter used the 2 drawer chest that was in the room for her ‘step’ to climb into the bed. She also had at least 3 drawers stacked under the bed as well as a shoe rack stowed under there too.
She had large plastic bins stored behind the drawers with extra linens, etc.</p>
<p>Step stools are great investments with a elevated bed 
If you want to make them something other than boring white or (ugh) kitchen tool grey, buy a can of spray primer at HD or Lowes, spray a coat and let dry, spray another and let dry, then spray any color you’d like. Look for a primer that’s designed for plastic material and you should be good to go!</p>