5 Brilliant Closet Makeovers—Turned into Mini Home Offices, Reading Nooks, and More

Many homes have one: that spare hall closet that's a catchall for junk no one has used in years. A collection of sports gear, stray gloves, and outgrown winter coats, most of it can either be tossed out, donated, or relocated to another area of the house. And once the clutter is cleared away, the closet becomes a big blank slate of possibilities. It can become a tiny home office, a cozy reading nook, or a spot for your kids to do their homework. Have an extra closet you've never considered could be destined for more that stashing outgrown winter gear? Get inspired by these five brilliant closet makeovers spotted on Instagram.

If you have a closet off of your living room, it's the ideal nook for a small in-home office where you can run your side hustle or do your taxes. Erin Conway of Kismet House turned what was intended to be a wet bar into an office nook, and now the space gets used much more often. To visually separate the space, she installed floral patterned wallpaper and a small area rug. Wall art and the lighting fixture overhead make this alcove feel like another room in the house.

Krista Aasen of The Happy Housie decided to turn her sons' underused bedroom closet into a cute spot for them to do their homework. After adding a DIY countertop, some adorable patterned wallpaper, and a chair, the boys now have a dedicated spot to work on assignments. Remove the doors from the closet to open up the space or keep them on if you'd like to be able to close off the nook when it's not in use.

Have a coat closet that doesn't get much use? Take a tip from Emily at Queen B Home and turn it into a welcoming entryway area. Now, you'll have a cozy spot to take off your shoes when you get home, and the storage space below the bench corrals all of the gloves, scarves, and dog leashes that were once stored in the closet.

To transform the closet in their baby's nursery, Kim and Scott of Yellow Brick Home first painted it a pale shade of pink, and then added a changing station to the top of the dresser. Now the closet does double duty as a space to store baby's clothes, and the perfect spot for diaper changes.

You know that extra closet your kids never use? Brittany Bailey from Pretty Handy Girl got the genius idea to turn it into a comfy reading nook for her little ones. By adding a cushioned bench and swapping out the doors for casual curtains, the space now looks warm and inviting. If you're lucky enough to have a spare closet in your own bedroom, consider transforming it into a grown-up reading nook (and wine-drinking corner).