Reuben's Home Inspection Blog

Bedrooms Don’t Need Closets

July 7th, 2009 | 6 comments

Everyone knows that you need a closet in a bedroom to call it a bedroom, right?  While this is a universally accepted standard, good luck finding any type of authority that will back this up.

The funny thing about the ”requirement’ to have a closet in a bedroom is that there isn’t anything in the International Residential Code (IRC) that requires a closet in the bedroom.  There’s also nothing in the Minnesota State Building Code that requires a closet, and there’s nothing in the Minneapolis Maintenance Code.  So where does this thought come from?  I’m guessing HUD, FHA or VA require closets… but they’re not authorities on the matter.

Minneapolis defines a bedroom as “A habitable room within a dwelling unit which is used, or intended to be used, primarily for the purpose of sleeping, but shall not include any kitchen or dining room.” Minneapolis also requires the following for any sleeping room:

  • Seven foot ceiling height
  • Seventy square feet of floor area, not including any closet area
  • A source of natural light (8% of the floor area)
  • A source of natural ventilation (4% of the floor area)
  • Can not be arranged such that access to a sleeping room can be had only be going through another sleeping room or a bathroom or toilet room.
  • Proper Egress – the requirements for this are long and complicated, and depend on when the building was built and when the last windows were installed.

    • ArmoireThere are a few other requirements, but there’s nothing about a closet.

    What exactly is a closet anyways?  The IRC defines a closet as “A small room or chamber used for storage.”  A chamber is “a natural or artificial enclosed space or cavity”.  This means that a 6″ box with a door that’s installed on the wall could be called a closet.  Ok, maybe that’s silly.  How about an armoire or a wardrobe?  I’ve seen plenty of houses with only wardrobes in the bedrooms, and nobody had a problem calling them bedrooms.
    The bottom line is that bedrooms do not need closets to be called bedrooms.  The next time you hear someone tell you that a bedroom needs a closet, ask for proof.
    Oh, and don’t let common sense get in the way (everyone still needs a place to store their stuff!).

    Reuben Saltzman, Structure Tech Home Inspections – Email - Home Inspector Saint Paul

    ps – Almost everything I blog about deals with topics that I have knowledge about, and I can almost always prove whatever I write.  For this topic, I’m writing about something that I don’t have proof of. If anyone reading this blog can find evidence that I’m wrong, please post a comment.

    6 responses to “Bedrooms Don’t Need Closets”

    1. "Non-Conforming Bedroom?" How About "Not A Bedroom" | Reuben's Home Inspection Blog
      July 14, 2009, 5:52 am

      [...] Posted on July 14th, 2009 Reuben Saltzman No comments Last week I wrote about how bedrooms don’t need closets to legally be called bedrooms.  That post got me thinking about this similar but opposite topic. [...]

    2. Chad
      August 29, 2009, 9:42 pm

      The IBC and IRC, which is the root codes for the MN State Building Codes, is non specific on this matter. I believe owing to past eras of housing not having closets. Instead relying upon furniture (wardrobes) for this function.

      That stated, where the structure isn’t affected by HUD or FHA rules, it is often the city ordinances that amend the codes to include closet requirements.

      Oddly enough, this may arise as a means to define what a sleeping area (bedroom) is in order to enforce egress window requirements.

    3. Kristin
      October 15, 2009, 9:37 am

      I am doing a some research on this topic and a fellow Edina Realty agent recommended I check your post out.I have a property that has an office on the main level.No closet. In the original home plans this room was a bedroom option with an opening into an adjoining 3/4 bath.We are posting it as a 4th bedroom and disclosing that it doesn’t have a closet. I think what this comes down to is that you can call a room a bedroom, but what will a bank appraiser call the room? I believe the house would appraise for more if it has an additional bedroom vs. an office. Not sure. With appraisals being a bit volatile in this market the appraisal may be the problem if the appraiser has a differnet opinion on closets and bedrooms.

    4. Reuben Saltzman
      October 15, 2009, 10:04 am

      Kristin – If you’re concerned that an appraiser might want to see a closet, pick up a cheap wardrobe and screw it to the wall. Easy fix!

    5. frank
      June 15, 2010, 2:53 pm

      What if the city code require or defines a bedroom to have a closet? And no bolting a closet from IKEA will not do. They want a built in closet so that the owner has to get a permit.

      According to city employees, they do not grandfather things in. Which I think is total BS!

    6. Reuben Saltzman
      June 15, 2010, 2:58 pm

      Hi Frank,

      What city is this? I’m not aware of any city in the country that would require a permit to build a closet. I don’t think you’re getting the whole story.

      - Reuben

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