Totally agree about the cedar shelves—had a similar experience myself. Another thing to consider is checking behind the closet walls for insulation issues. When I renovated my first place, I found out the hard way that poor insulation can cause condensation buildup, no matter how good your ventilation is. Once we fixed that, mold stopped coming back. Might be worth a quick look behind the drywall if the humidity checks out okay...
Good call on the insulation issue—I ran into something similar a few years back on a client's remodel. They'd tried everything: dehumidifiers, cedar lining, even those moisture absorbers... nothing stuck. Turned out the builder had skimped on vapor barriers behind the drywall. Moisture was just seeping right through from outside, causing mold no matter how clean they kept things. Once we installed proper vapor barriers and sealed things up tight, problem solved. Sometimes it's the hidden stuff that makes all the difference.
Had a similar issue in our old place—tried every quick fix under the sun, but nothing worked. Finally ripped open the drywall and yep, no vapor barrier at all. Like you said:
"Sometimes it's the hidden stuff that makes all the difference."
Wish I'd checked sooner...would've saved a ton of headaches (and frizzy hair days).
Yeah, vapor barriers can definitely help, but honestly they're not always the silver bullet people make them out to be. Had a friend who installed a perfect barrier, sealed everything tight...and still had moisture issues. Turned out their ventilation was practically nonexistent. Sometimes improving airflow—like adding louvered doors or even a small vent fan—can make a huge difference without tearing into walls. Just something to consider before breaking out the drywall saw again...
"Sometimes improving airflow—like adding louvered doors or even a small vent fan—can make a huge difference without tearing into walls."
That's a good point about ventilation. I've been considering something similar since my closets feel perpetually damp, especially during humid months. One thing I've wondered about though: if you add extra airflow like louvered doors or fans, wouldn't that also bring in more humidity from the rest of the house? Or is the idea just to keep air moving so moisture doesn't settle?
I've tried moisture absorbers and silica gel packs, which help a bit, but they're not really practical long-term solutions. And honestly, I'd rather avoid major renovations if I can help it—my budget definitely prefers simpler fixes. Has anyone had success with something minimal, like strategically placed vents or maybe even those small battery-operated closet fans? Curious if there's a sweet spot between airflow and sealing things up tight...
