Bumping in hopes of getting some responses. Thanks!

If you put shallow shelves along one long side, I don't think you would have enough room to put brooms, etc., on the other wall.

I think shelves along the back is a better idea. You might be able to also put shelves on the door like in Herbflavor's first picture.

For the space b/w the door and ceiling, I would probably leave it "empty" -- you won't be able to reach anything in that space without a ladder and I wouldn't want something hanging over the doorway anyway.

My cleaning/utility closet below. I had an outlet installed in the closet for my Dyson - but there really wasn’t enough room.

taliaferro, that looks very neat and organized and bigger than what I have. What do you do with your Dyson?

Also, @taliaferro, may I ask how wide your closet/cabinet is?

42” wide.

Interior useable spaceis 19” per side.

I keep my Dyson in my walk-in pantry - on the Dyson stand. The problem is I have the Dyson outsize which is quite bulky.

I ”invented” a closet out of an awkward corner behind my front door.

A wonderful woman here consolidated my photos and wrote an entertaining story of the process.

It is long post; but it was a huge process. perhaps since of my solutions will help you.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/3537075/_trid=Y2Fyb2xpbmU5NDUzNTtDYXJvbGluZTk0NTM1QHlhaG9vLmNvbQ/talley-sue-nyc-inspired-my-coat-boom-etc-closet

If you read the article you will ”see” there’s another full-width wooden shelf above the one shown here.

Caroline94535, thank you! I loved reading about your process and the narration was great! This was very helpful. If you get a chance, how much space do you have between the edge of the shelves and the wall on the left side? Is it easy to get the broom, etc, out?

From the far left edge of the shelves to the left upright wall is about 8 inches.

From the far left edge of the shelves to the actual edge of the brooms is about 5 and 1/2 inches.

My phone will only let me post one photo at a time.

I took everything off this shelf so you can see the gap for the brooms. They are easy to get out and put away.

There was a small learning curve, but even DH has no problem with them.

There have been some changes since the first configuration.

My health has taken a downhill tumble in the past couple of years.

Behind the vacuum you will see an oxygen tank. It’s for emergency use but is very easy to get out. I can pull the vac straight out and to the right. Then wheel out the tank, put the vac back in place, and go on my way.

I somehow designed just the right spot for it five years bfore I needed it.

I have started feeding a few feral cats since the no-kill shelters quit accepting them when COVID hit.

The shop vac had to go back downstairs to make room for the pet food bin. It holds 20-25 lbs. of cat food. To the right of it is seven smaller oxygen bottles and a holster to ”wear” them.

I added nails on the back wall to hang Swiffer dusters, fly swatters, and other dusters from.

The second shelf up has a 3-gallon bucket of sunflower seeds for the birds.

DH does 95% of the wild bird feeding now. When the tray feeder on the porch gets low, I can refill it from here without having to go across the house, out the mudroom, down the steeper steps, across the patio, and into the garage.

My purse lives on this shelf too. My wallet and all ID/Medical cards, sunglasses, keys, phone charger, checkbook, clean masks, a couple days worth of all medications, etc., are always in my purse - a preparedness lesson I learned long ago while in the Air Force.

I can ”grab and go.”

I just used the food processor and did have return it to the plastic bag. its wearing my gardening hat. I need to make it a ”tea cozy” type cover.

Can you tell my DH has a Swiffer addiction? Personally, I think a broom and a slightly damp mop is just as good, but since he does most of the floor cleaning, he gets to pick his tools.

The rolled up paper looking out of place on the first solid shelf is the blueprints for our planned covered porch. We are waiting for the contractor to get us on his schedule.

Oh my gosh, thank you so much for all of this helpful info and the pictures. You are so kind! Thank you, thank you

You are very welcome. I hope you share your finished storage space, too!

I like using the back of the door. Either hang your broom and mop there, freeing up the whole closet for shelves, or hang a rack or shoe organizer for small items that might get lost on the shelves.

use the space at the top for lightweight, bulky things like toilet paper and paper towels, or a small suitcase you don't use very often, or a giant stock or canning pot. Hang a step stool on the back of the door, if you don't have one nearby.