The First "Closets"
If you
could step back a few centuries, you wouldn’t find the built-in closets we’re so used to today. Instead, people stored their belongings in wooden chests, trunks, and armoires. These were often heavy, handcrafted pieces that traveled with families when they moved.
A chest at the foot of the bed might hold linens or valuables, while a tall wardrobe stood in for what we now consider a closet. In fact, for many households, furniture like this was among the most prized possessions...passed down for generations.
The word closet originally meant something
quite different. In the 17th century, a closet wasn’t for storage at all, but rather a small private room tucked away in larger homes. These intimate spaces were often used for prayer, quiet study, or reading...a place of retreat.
In some circles, the
closet even symbolized wealth and refinement, because it meant you had enough space in your home to set aside a room purely for solitude.
It wasn’t until the early 20th century, with the rise of standardized homebuilding in the United States, that closets as we know them began appearing as a regular feature. Builders
realized that adding a small storage nook into each bedroom was not only practical but also a selling point for modern families.
By the mid-1900s, the closet was an expected part of every home design, gradually evolving into larger walk-ins and
even dressing rooms for those who had the space.
Today, closets are so commonplace that we rarely stop to think about them...until, of course, they’re overflowing. What began as a luxury has become an everyday necessity, reflecting not only our storage needs but also the way we live and organize our
homes.
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