While I love every second of organizing for my clients, it’s always a treat when I get to give one of my own spaces some organizing attention. At one point or another, we’ve all had those closets or rooms that we have deemed the “I’ll get to this later” part of the house. As you can see, this closet was my dumping ground.👇🏼
The day had finally come for me to invest in a closet upgrade. Ironically enough, it was actually one of my clients who gave me the inspiration to do so since we were in the midst of creating a custom closet for her son.
As you can probably guess, The Container Store is one of my favorite places, and I had been intrigued by their ELFA systems. I absolutely love that the closets are adjustable, custom to the client’s needs and room dimensions, and they offer both a DIY and professional installation option.
Here are the exact steps I took to get this closet transformed:
Download & complete the Space Measurements Guide. Be sure to measure twice!
Contact your nearest Container Store to set up a call or in-person meeting with their ELFA closet designer. I am all about seeing spaces in person, so I highly suggest doing this part at the store. You can see their store displays and take a look at any organizing products you may need.
Agree upon the design. Be sure to come to this meeting prepared with your vision and any special requests/needs that may seem “out of the ordinary.” For example, I have a rolling cart (pictured above) that needed to be stored in that closet. The design needed to allot for the height of that cart.
Set a closet pick-up date. Your closet will arrive in parts for either you to assemble or the installer to hang when they arrive. I HIGHLY recommend having their installation team install your closet—especially if it’s your first one. Here’s why:
A. The job will get done. And…in a fraction of the time it would take for you to install. It won’t become another “to-do list” item for you. The date is set, and their team will get your closet up and running. Worth every penny!
B. If there are any idiosyncrasies or parts that need cut/adjusted, The Container Store installer(s) can do that on site.
Declutter & Decide: The days in-between your design appointment and the installation date is the perfect time to declutter and decide what will take up residence in your soon-to-be beautifully functioning closet. 🍷☕️ So pour yourself your beverage of choice and start knocking out these steps:
Remove ALL items from the closet.
Remove old shelving, patch any nail holes, and throw on a fresh coat of paint—you won’t regret this, trust me!
Do a SERIOUS EDIT. This is the fresh start I needed! I took the time to go through literally every single item in that closet. I donated an entire box full of items I don’t used anymore and started to categorize and contain the items I needed to store once the closet was installed.
This is where your own personal style can be incorporated into your design, so have some fun with it! 🤩
These are my favorite products I used to categorize and contain my office supplies. I got everything prepped and ready the night before installation day—this was my version of Christmas Eve! 👇🏼
Once the closet was up and running by The Container Store’s closet installers (that process went SO smoothly! 🙌🏼), it was time to work with my blank canvas. I made sure all items were placed where it made the most sense for me, my habits, and my needs.
Sentimental items and photos were place on the upper shelves, important files were placed within arms reach, and back stock of office supplies were neatly organized in the drawers for quick grab and go. *BONUS: I hadn’t originally planned for that printer to be in there, but the amount of storage space allowed it!
It’s been several months since that install/organizing day, and I am just as happy as I was the day it was installed. It has saved me time, energy, money, and sanity. Now, I look forward to opening this closet door every single day instead of dreading the reminder of yet another unfinished project. Truly game-changing, my friend! 🥳
👀 Click Here to see a 30 second glimpse of what this process looked like. 🎞️
I hope this behind the scenes view of my office closet inspires you to tackle your own workspace with a fresh set of eyes. And you know I’m here if you need a teammate to knock it out with you! ❤️
Happy Organizing!
✓Natalie
