Definition and Types of Closets
– A closet is an enclosed space used for storage, particularly of clothes.
– Fitted closets are built into the walls of a house, utilizing unused space.
– A piece of furniture like a cabinet or chest of drawers serves the same purpose but is not a closet.
– A wardrobe can refer to a free-standing furniture piece or a large cupboard for storing clothes.
– Other types of closets include linen closets, broom closets, coat closets, custom closets, and pantry closets.
Other Uses of the Word ‘Closet’
– In Elizabethan and Middle English, ‘closet’ referred to a small private room used for prayer, reading, or study.
– The term ‘closet’ was also used to refer to a toilet in the past.
– In Indian English, the term ‘closet’ is still used to refer to a toilet.
– Related forms include ‘earth closet’ and ‘water closet’ (flush toilet).
– The term ‘privy’ meaning an outhouse derives from the Middle English use of ‘closet.’
Closet Tax Question in Colonial America
– Some sources claim that colonial American houses lacked closets due to a closet tax imposed by the British crown.
– Others argue that closets were absent in most houses because residents had few possessions.
Closet Organizers
– Closet organizers are integrated shelving systems used to maximize storage space.
– Wire shelving is cheap but has limited weight capacity.
– Wood shelving is sturdier but more expensive.
– Tube shelving is easy to install and requires no cutting or measuring.
– Different materials have advantages and disadvantages.
Related Concepts
– Cubby-hole is another name for the cupboard under the stairs.
– The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) provides definitions and explanations related to closets.
– Vocabulary.com defines an armoire as a free-standing piece of furniture used for storing clothes.
– Consumer Reports offers guidance on choosing the best closet system.
– Home Addition Plus provides a comparison between wire shelving and wood shelving. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closet
The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. (July 2007) |
A closet (especially in North American English usage) is an enclosed space, with a door, used for storage, particularly that of clothes. Fitted closets are built into the walls of the house so that they take up no apparent space in the room. Closets are often built under stairs, thereby using awkward space that would otherwise go unused.
A piece of furniture such as a cabinet or chest of drawers serves the same purpose of storage, but is not a closet, which is an architectural feature rather than a piece of furniture. A closet always has space for hanging, where a cupboard may consist only of shelves for folded garments. Wardrobe can refer to a free-standing piece of furniture (also known as an armoire), but according to the Oxford English Dictionary, a wardrobe can also be a "large cupboard or cabinet for storing clothes or other linen", including "built-in wardrobe, fitted wardrobe, walk-in wardrobe, etc."
