I think your right and there are lots of ideas online to help you out.

All those doors just waste space and wardrobes are much more space efficient than closets I think. Lived with them for years and they make everythig so easy to reach and not all junked up together.

Maybe a curtain suspended across the front of the washing area could cover things up when the laundry backs up without taking much room. Or a freestanding wall of IKEA PAX cabinets with storage on both sides.

I think opening the space up is a great idea! What if you eliminated the closet and put a pocket door between the room and the kitchen?

Good luck!

Do you have cabinets over the washer/dryer/sink area? If not, I'd add them for storage there.

I don't have cabinets at the moment. There is an open shelf above the washer/dryer.

I just took a look at the Ikea Pax system. I love that it gives a built in look but can be moved if needed. The closest Ikea's are 3.5 hours away.:-(

Dytexture - I have thought about that idea too. When we built the house we had a door framed into that wall in case we wanted to someday open that out to another room.

IKEA has a very large market area because so much of its stuff is unque.

I live that far away too, and if you want them, make a nice day trip out of it. Get a friend with a pickup or hatchback, drop the kids off in the IKEA playroom, shop, and have lunch in their cafeteria. Buy a few specialty items (the ginger cookies and blueberry tart are wonderful) and pick up a few kitchen items, wrapping paper and bins and kiddie toys while you are there. Get a catalogue and plan your trip. I love their shopping bags for the beach, short trips and laundry too (about $3 each and huge).

I lived in Europe and wardrobes are a way of life there. I don't understand why Americans are so slow to adopt them, or think about using them rather than building, especially in older homes with small closets. Those closet walls take up about 4-6 inches versus the less than one for a wardrobe and you can't move them. I once used a triple unit with mirrors as a wall divider for an apartment without storage space and I couldnt'believe how much stuff fit into them, and I backed them with shelves for even more storage.

They deliver too, but you have to pay for shipping, and a lot of the little stuff isn't available online. They are flat packed, but I'm sure they are quite heavy.

How about including some some built-in cubbies with bench and hooks and shelves to maintain market value and practicality? Bet it would help a whole lot with the wet shoes and stuff pile up.

Here is my current line of thought on this one... I think I would like to rip out the closet entirely (including the door into the current laundry space. I want to move the door out to the garage over to the left of where it is now and expand the current pantry into the space where the door is currently. Maybe a nicer sink and cabinets for the laundry, and some sort of built- in with a bench and cubbies for the entry. What do you think?

While I am opening walls, I want to add an exterior vent for the stove.