Think of all of our possessions, from clothes, shoes, groceries and kitchenware to games, jewelry, sporting goods and books that need to be stored somewhere. Furniture is where we can store these things in a visually pleasing way that also makes practical sense. As an aside, my kids often feel the best place to store many of these items is the nearest section of flooring, but I’m trying to teach them there are other options. They’re learning, but the process is slow.

If we expand our scope from woodworking and furniture projects to general home improvement projects, there are many storage solutions to be had. Closets are the starting point, as just about everyone is in the market for a better way to organize a closet. In my mind, there are essentially four building blocks to organizing a closet. The first one, shelving, is the simplest. The second building block, drawers, also come in very handy. Hanging rods are next on the list, as they make hanging tall items like pants and coats easy and also allow you to easily see your shirts and sweaters.

The final aspect to closet storage is a less common one and is mainly available only when working with a walk-in closet. Flat work surfaces allow you to store and display everything from neckties to jewelry to a nice box, which is itself just another storage device. Add a lamp and a chair and you’ve got yourself a very functional little workstation. These four building blocks can be mixed and matched to customize your closet area in a way that’s best suited for your storage needs.