This was by far one of the most tedious modifications I have attempted on our TM. I, not being a purest type craftsman but rather a butcher of most things, was able to make this happen. Although it did not come out exactly perfect by no means it did come out ok but most of all functional (I’ve always been a more function over fashion guy anyway).

The management (bless her wonderful soul!!!) decided that we really didn’t hang up that much stuff in the wardrobe but rather folded and just crammed things in willy-nilly on the bottom anyway we could… shoes... dirty cloths… and clean T shirts etc... but mainly shoes (sometimes I think she got the Amellda Marcos gene).

So she requested of me to somehow fashion some shelves or cubby holes to stash things away in. That’s all it takes from her to get me to swing into action on a project. Anything to make her happy makes me happy as well!

I guess that the hardest thing about this is that… well… the wardrobe’s already put together. Plus it’s tight quarters to boot. So I had to make things fit as well as they could but still be able to get the components in and out for measurements and fittings etc... After deciding that I would try for 15 cubby holes of almost the same proportions (accept for the very inside bottom which would be smaller due to the cabinet itself) I set to work.

The best way I thought about doing this (on many a late night in bed trying to get to sleep) was to create two or three partitions that would stand from top to bottom with shelve runners (to lay and secure the shelves onto… ½” x ¾” molding) attached from the front of each partition to the back of each and also runners on the back wall (5 5/8” x2 x 3/8) of the cabinet itself. Problem was, that they all had to be on the same (or as close to it) level so the shelves would lay flat (I came pretty close too).  These two inside partitions are approx. 41” x 11 ½” and made from ¼” marine grade plywood like the shelves themselves. For the outside (or front partition) I was able to secure it to some of the internal framework of the wardrobe and so it didn’t have to be as tall. It’s 40”x 11 ½”(which is a good thing because with both of the other partitions inside, it would have been impossible to make it fit… amazing what one inch will do (that’s what she said). Now this wardrobe is made of very light and flimsy plywood with hardly any wood content to screw into. So I had to make and attach some outside reinforcement strips on the end of the wardrobe just to be able to screw the inside back shelve runners to so they would hold the screw and not strip out. For the back wall (the one that butts up to the window) I simply built a frame 31 ¾ x 11 ½   from the ½ x ¾ molding and screwed it through the outside back wall of the wardrobe (images 2599, 2606). On the bottom of each of the inside partitions I also placed runners to secure the bottom of those partitions to the bottom of the wardrobe. I screwed from the bottom of the wardrobe into these partition braces (image 2600) so as to keep them in place. Most everything else was glued and stapled with 18 gauge crown staples from a nail gun. (all dimensions are approx..)

I had to cut a slot for the door latch in the front panel (image 2597) so the panel would lay flat against the front frame of the wardrobe and not bulge. I also used some angle brackets (one on each side of the partition…  image 2595) in two different places to strengthen the partitions and keep them from wobbling.

Then to finish making it even more sturdy I ran some more ½ x ¾ moldings across the bottom of each row of cubby holes tying all the partitions together and with angle brackets (tying them into the rear frame) and finished it all off with some ¼” 90 degree molding in between each row of shelves (image 2592). And there you have it. I don’t think I’ll try this ever again!!