TikTok Turns A Basic Closet Into A Stunning Dual Office And Workout Space

What can you do when a baby's on the way, and you need to turn your office/workout room into the baby's room? A clever couple of TikTokers decided to reconfigure a closet from top to bottom and back to front into a stunning dual office and workout space. This project entailed building custom shelving to organize exercise equipment on one side while providing office space on the opposite, then sliding a cute chair under the built-in desk.

The first thing to go were the bifold doors; this is a great place in the home for a barn door, providing complete access from one side to the other without taking up too much space. The homeowners spruced up the walls (this could be a good spot for corkboard or chalkboard paint like one from Krylon for $17 at Lowe's), and added built-in shelves to the size of their belongings. If electrical outlets are limited for lighting, try battery-operated lighting, like these wall sconces from Dexnump. They're USB rechargeable and come with a remote control to set multiple modes and brightness levels.

When reconfiguring a part of your home into a new use, you sometimes have to be a little creative. Such was the case for TikTokers @themartinezcasita when they needed to relocate both their office space and their workout gear to a spare closet, and for them, it meant a completely custom-build. Not an inch was wasted as the pair wielded saws, levels, drills, sanders, and paint brushes. Removing the doors for access and sprucing up the walls was a good way to get the project off the ground, but the transformation began to really take shape as they brought in lumber. They cut everything to their own specifications, which is how anyone tackling the project themselves might want to do it. 

If you use kettlebells in your workout, for example, size the gym equipment cubbies to store the ones you have. If you don't have anything that big and clunky, a basket might work better, but you'll still want to size the closet's storage space for the height and width you need. And just like the TikTok pair, be sure to sand the wood for a smooth finish. For the office side of the closet, you can build your own using any of the many DIY ideas for desks that anyone can build. 

The ideas for a dual use closet don't have to stop with office/workout space. You might pair a gift-wrapping station with storage for formal clothes or a kids homework station with space for bulky jackets or dance costumes. Turning your spare closet into an alternative useful two-fold space has many advantages, and you can still make this hack work by sourcing items that fit your needs rather than sawing, drilling, and sanding them yourself. 

Many people either aren't comfortable with their skills or might not own the equipment needed to do the closet renovation the way the TikTokers did. If you're in that group, source items (desks, shelves, cubbies) sized as closely to your needs as possible. Depending on the size of the closet you have, you might find that the Vecelo 42-inch-high storage cabinet from Amazon could work in most closets. It comes in a stylish gray (and several other shades), plus there are other sizes if you want to mix and match. For the desk, it's hard to beat the Yaheetech 2-Tier mobile computer desk with printer shelf from Amazon. At less than 32 inches wide, this Amazon find is about $70 and even has casters so you can easily roll it out of the closet if you need to.