A wardrobe, also known as an armoire from the French, is a standing closet used for storing clothes. The earliest wardrobe was a chest, and it was not until some degree of luxury was attained in regal palaces and the castles of powerful nobles that separate accommodation was provided for the apparel of the great. The name of wardrobe was then given to a room in which the wall-space was filled with cupboards and lockers, the drawer being a comparatively modern invention. From these cupboards and lockers the modern wardrobe, with its hanging spaces, sliding shelves and drawers, evolved slowly. Throughout the chronological changes in the form of the enclosure, it more or less retained its preset function as a place to retain a king’s robe. The word has gained coinage over successive generations as an independent store for among others, preserving precious items for a ruler like gold, well highlighted in King Edward I's times. It is also a simple patio where clothes are hung from metal bars or tucked inside utility racks running from up to down. The modern wardrobe differs in one respect from the historical one for its triple partitioning: there are two linear compartments on either side with shelves as well as a middle space made up of hanging pegs and drawers, the latter being a latter-day addition, besides a clothes’ press in the higher central space on level with a person’s chest.[1]

Wardrobe size
A common feature was to base future size on the eight small men method. A considered good size double wardrobe would thus be able to hold within its capacity, eight small men.

A modern fitted wardrobe In the nineteenth century the wardrobe began to develop into its modern form, with a hanging cupboard at each side, a press in the upper part of the central portion and drawers below. As a rule it was often of mahogany, but as satinwood and other hitherto scarce finely grained foreign woods began to be obtainable in considerable quantities, many elaborately and even magnificently inlaid wardrobes were made. Where Chippendale and his school had carved, Sheraton, Hepplewhite and their contemporaries achieved their effects by the artistic employment of deftly contrasted and highly polished woods. The penultimate step in the evolution of the wardrobe was taken when the central doors, which had previously enclosed merely the upper part, were carried to the floor, covering the drawers as well as the sliding shelves, and were often fitted with mirrors. In the United Kingdom, a more affluent option is custom fitted wardrobes, which are build around the size and shape of the

Basic Closet Organizing Tips
Have matching hangers. Whatever kind you can afford, just make sure they match. Not only does it make a difference aesthetically, but good hangers protect your clothes from damage. Changing hanger styles to one uniform style is generally done over time. The easiest way to do this is to choose a type of hanger in your price range and then, either weekly or monthly, replace the (assorted) old hangers in your closet with the new style. If you are choosing a style that is on sale, make sure it isn’t on sale because it is being discontinued. Otherwise, you may not be able to replace your hangers over time before they sell out. Good hangers are a worthwhile investment because you can truly own them for a lifetime. Group items in your closet by category: Shoes, Blouses, T-shirts, Cardigans, Sweaters, pants, shorts, skirts etc. Generally, after you’ve grouped your wardrobe by category you can then organize each category even more by grouping into subcategories. A popular way to do this is to simply arrange the clothing by color, from lightest to darkest. As you can see from my closet, I don’t do this. I prefer to arrange my clothing in subcategories of style. My blouses are grouped by sleeve length, my pants by leg cut, etc. I group my dresses in subcategories of: casual, dressy daytime, evening, corporate, cocktail and gowns. Don’t feel you need to do this. Always your clothes in the way that makes the most sense to you and is the easiest to maintain.

Remember the out of sight, out of mind rule. You want to be able to see what you have. Hang the clothes you wear most often and store other clothing (particularly those sweat pants or gym clothes you keep grabbing when you aren’t working out) in drawers.

How to maximize Drawer Space
Instead of stacking your clothes on top of each other, arrange them in the drawer (as shown below) so that you can easily see everything you have at first glance. This also maximizes space as you will be able to hold more clothing in each drawer. Try it, you’ll see!