One of the best organizers of our personal belongings in the home is the closet. This is where most of us keep our clothes, shoes, accessories and other keepsakes.

The type of closet we have in the home reflects our very own personality. Today, there are just so many styles of closet to choose from and one of the most popular is the type that features a sliding door.

A closet with a sliding door is great for small rooms. It is ideal for homes with small children.

The good news is that if you no longer want the style of your existing closet door or if it gets damaged through the years, you can always change only that part and choose a sliding type instead.

Whether you’re building a new closet or replacing your old closet door, the most important step you’ll have to take is to get the right measurement. Once you have it, you can order right away and specify whether you want the finished or the unfinished type. Should you decide to get an unfinished door, make sure to paint it before installing it to your closet.

The door guide is the first thing that you’ll need to install. Its purpose is to keep the closet door in place and prevent it from swinging in and out. This can be made from wood, plastic or metal and is normally installed in an L shape to the floor. For wooden floors, use 1/2-inch screws and longer screws if you’re installing to carpeted floors. If the floor is concrete, you should drill a guide hole before drilling the guide into its right position.

With a track guide in place, the closet door is always on track when it is opened and closed. Maintenance, however, is required as dust and other particles can gather on the tracks.

Keep in mind that you need to leave the proper clearance when you measure the door opening. A guide wheel will have to be installed on the bottom part of the door.

The upper track will have to be set up next. First mount the bracket with screws but not too tight to cause warping of the track. Ensure that the screws are well driven so that they don’t block the rollers when they run to and fro the track. Don’t forget to check the track if it’s level before securing the brackets. Adjust when necessary.

From there, you can then mount the rollers on the inner upper edge of the doors. Follow the instructions of the sliding door manufacturer.

Finally, you can now hang the doors on the track. Test it by sliding it open and close to ensure a smooth operation. Should there be problems, just adjust the guides.

If you’re replacing old doors, all you have to do is lift the existing ones out of the track. Then you can remove the old track from the top of the door opening. You can just retain the old door guides if they’re still in good condition.

Be gentle with your sliding closet door so it won’t easily be damaged.