We are rearranging our closets, for who gets which one. Except for one walk in closet, all the others are relatively shallow, one hanger deep, and have bi-fold doors. Now I will be getting one of the ones with bi-fold doors. I’ve always disliked them: they are awkward to open and close, you have to push hard to overcome the spring, then they bang when you do close them; and I dislike seeing closet doors open.

When folded open they also take up a good 6” of space either side, too.

But what are the alternatives? I like the look of sliding doors, but then half the area is always covered anyway. If you don’t know what you want, then having to slide them back and forth would be a pain.

A pair of conventional swing out doors would then need a frame on the sides, to attach the hinges; plus a top frame to support whatever pin is used to secure one door. The entrance to my bedroom has a pair of doors like that, plus a pair of French doors elsewhere in the house.

There may well be a solution that I don’t know about.

These closets also have a large, ~ 2 feet long, “dead zone” at one end, where you have to reach far and awkwardly in past everything else that is hanging to drag something out. Without going so far as to remove a section of wall (more trouble than I want to tackle), is there a solution for that?

FWIW, the closets have Rubbermaid closet rods with integrated shelf running end to end.

Thanks for your suggestions.