Simple closet upgrades make life a little easier

I was at my local home center recently purchasing hardware for a closet renovation, and I made a most pleasant discovery. I found a much better, sturdier version of the standard closet-shelf bracket.

The typical bracket is simply a L-shaped piece of metal with a diagonal brace and a hook for holding the closet rod. The improved bracket I found is similar in design, but it's superior in every way.

First, this newer bracket is made of heavy-gauge metal, so it's super sturdy and much stronger than standard closet-shelf brackets. And the L-shaped portion of the bracket and diagonal brace are formed from a single metal piece. On cheaper versions, the brace is a separate piece.

However, what I really love about this new bracket is that it has an extra-large closet-rod hook. Look closely at the photo above and you'll notice that the hook has a deep gullet that creates a wide space between the hook and the closet rod.

That space allows you to freely slide the hangers back and forth across the rod without bumping into the hook or bracket. It's a small thing, I know, but it's the kind of simple improvement that greatly enhances the use of the closet.   

Here are two other improvements I added to the closet: I replaced the wooden rod with a metal rod, which is much more rigid, so it resists bending even under heavy loads. Plus, I found that the hangers slide more easily on metal.

Also, I didn't bother using those round plastic sockets to hold up the ends of the closet rod. Instead, I simply drilled holes into the 1x4 cleats and recessed the rod ends into the holes (above).

This is a much stronger way support the rod, just remember to cut the rod to extend from wall to wall, not from cleat to cleat.