Many people may have noticed the increasing advertising presence of large custom closet companies such as California Closets and Closets By Design. There also seem to be more smaller local companies doing closets and garages than ever before. If you are interested in getting a new closet designed, how do you make sense of which company to choose and why?
I wrote an article about this for Lifehack.org, in which there are 17 important questions you should ask when hiring a closet company, and the one important thing you should do first before ever calling one in the first place! If you are currently in this market, I hope this article will help you clear a path through the cluttered confusion of closetry.
What has been your experience with the Container Store’s Elfa shelving system? We’re considering it for our office closet and would like to hear the pros and cons.
Shayla,
We love the Elfa systems. They are easy to install and very versatile. The only downsides are: (1) some people don’t like the wire ventilated shelving look, (2) the wire can leave marks on clothing that is directly sitting on it, (3)it’s hard to store things vertically on wire such as books. However, Elfa also offers solid shelving, so any of those obstacles can be overcome. They also have plastic liners. It’s really just a personal preference thing.
Thanks! – Lorie
We’ve gotten bids from Closets By Design and transForm. Looking to get one from ClosetFactory. Anything I should know about any of these companies? Have I missed anyone of note? We didn’t include California Closets because we just figured they’d be too expensive.
A.B. and others… this kind of advice (and more) is what we help our members with daily in our message boards at https://www.clutterdiet.com …
I would not be able to answer this question without knowing where you live, since not all of the companies are represented in all of the major cities. If you have bids from two and you’ve read my article, you’re probably in great shape!
– Lorie
Hey Lorie, I live in NYC.
Where these message boards? I can’t find them.
A.B.,
We have a paid membership website at https://www.clutterdiet.com … our members get access to our team via our message boards and get their direct questions answered.
This blog is just a companion to our main website. We have over 100 articles in our member area along with a weekly project plan that is given out each Thursday.
I am feeling like the readers of this blog may not realize that the blog is NOT the Clutter Diet… the Clutter Diet is our main website.
To answer your question, if you live in NYC you have all of the major closet companies available there. I do think if you have bids from two of them and you have read the article I wrote, you are well-positioned for making your decision.
Thanks,
Lorie
Hi Everyone,
if you’re is looking for a closet pro in the New York Metro area, cityhammer.com has a section of them with ratings and pic’s of their work…
here it is: http://www.cityhammer.com/catalog/companyList/?category_id=31
later,
Shari
Hi Everyone,
if you’re is looking for a closet pro in the New York Metro area, cityhammer.com has a section of them with ratings and pic’s of their work…
here it is: http://www.cityhammer.com/catalog/companyList/?category_id=31
later,
Shari
Lorie:
Thank you for including California Closets in you articles about custom closets. As a California Closets franchise owner, I’d like to clarify one item in your article. Oval closet poles are actually inferior to the ones offered by California Closets. The thickness of the metal is thicker in poles offered by California Closets than in the less expensive ovals. In fact, ovals are a European pole, designed for European hangers. Round poles work better with North American hangers.
Hi Megan, thank you for your comment. I was told that about the oval clothing rods by a very experienced closet designer. He said that, just like an egg’s oval shape makes it stronger (like how you can’t crush an egg easily by just pressing on the top and bottom), the oval rods are also stronger just by their shape. So thanks for the information…
– Lorie
Wow Nice blog…
Thanks for sharing your views on choosing the closet company. Very informative post. Thank you.
-Mini
I need help! My reach in closet was so poorly constructed that now, as I prepare to renovate my master bedroom, I cannot find an appropritate design. The 84 inch closet would be beautiful and useful IF the closet didn’t extend beyond the bedroom door and into the hallway. I lost half my closet space because I cannot reach into it. I’m in Pennsylvania, and I am renovating on a tight 2010 economy budget. Many contractors are too expensive for our family budget.
Any suggestions for this aggrevated and closet-cluttered wife???
Nikki, if you have a Container Store nearby, they have complimentary closet designers that can work with you, and their Elfa product goes on sale every January. It’s a significant sale. I think you need a design professional to help with this challenging space. That’s my best advice! – Lorie
With an organized closet there’s no more hunting for that other black shoe, or getting 80% of an outfit on only to realize the missing piece is missing a button (or still in the laundry.)so we should go for organizing our closet
Living with four women in our twenties our closets can get a bit out of control. Custom closets are exactly what we need. However, im concerned with cost. Would it be cheaper to DIY?
Phew, Rosalie- I agree that might be an out of control closet! It really depends on what your needs and abilities are for a DIY project. There are a lot of things you can buy and implement right out of the box. Think about your skill level, time, and needs and decide if a closet company or DIY project is best for you.