When it comes to making a closet as efficient as possible, the right shelving can make all the difference. The Container Store's Elfa Shelving is a well-known system but Home Depot, Lowe's and IKEA all offer similar options. On a recent Sunday afternoon I visited all four stores to shop for closet systems so I could compare the shopping experiences.
Overall Shopping Experience: I'll admit from the start that I'm a bit crowd averse. So when I pulled into The Container Store parking lot and saw how busy it was I audibly groaned. Once inside the store, however, it wasn't as crowded as I expected. The store itself was clean and well organized (as if we'd expect anything else from a store specializing in organizational products).Customer Service: Although I visited The Container Store on a very busy Sunday afternoon, there were plenty of sales associates around to help. One of the obvious benefits of buying from The Container Store is the amount of help you can get when designing your closet. Whether you choose to use their online design tool or get assistance from one of the sales associates, it's nice to have that helping hand with your DIY project.
Brand(s) Offered: Elfa
Display Quality: The Container Store is the hands down winner when it comes to displaying their merchandise. Displays are at eye level where the customer can touch, explore and discover.
Online Purchasing: Orders can be placed online and either picked up at the store or shipped directly to your home.
Overall Shopping Experience: There's a Home Depot just a stone's throw from The Container Store in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood. This isn't my usual Home Depot so I had a lot of trouble finding the closet organizing section. Once I did locate the aisle (after circling the entire store - ugh!) I found it messy and a bit crowded. It probably wouldn't have felt quite so crowded if not for the ladder blocking half the aisle.
Customer Service: While I wandered around the store in search of the closet systems, I passed a number of Home Depot associates, none of whom offered help. However, once in the closet system aisle, I encountered an associate who was assisting other customers by cutting a few of their shelves down to size. You won't encounter much design assistance at Home Depot so this is definitely more of a DIY experience.
Brand(s) Offered: ClosetMaid and Martha Stewart Living
Display Quality: You mean there is one? There was one display closet system but it was placed on an upper shelf and roped off so it was a purely hands off experience.
Online Purchasing: There are online design tools for both of the closet systems that Home Depot offers. You can purchase the items online or save the shopping list to purchase in store.
Overall Shopping Experience: Shopping at IKEA is always an adventure that requires setting aside a big chunk of time. The IKEA I visited is about an hour away from my apartment and once in the store it took some time to find the closet organizing area. Since I was there on a Sunday afternoon the store was very busy, making shopping a little more difficult.
Customer Service: While there were a number of yellow shirted IKEA associates on the sales floor, I didn't seek any out for assistance. In my experience, IKEA associates are generally very helpful when it comes to locating an item but not for design assistance.
Brand(s) Offered: IKEA's house brand is called ALGOT.
Display Quality: One of the great things about IKEA is most of their showroom floor is accessible to customers, giving you the opportunity to really explore the furniture before purchasing. That said, there wasn't much of a display for the ALGOT system - at least not where the product is stocked.
Online Purchasing: The ALGOT system cannot be purchased online nor is there a design tool associated with it.
Overall Shopping Experience: My day ended at a suburban Lowe's store because it was the most convenient location as my last stop before going home. Perhaps it was because I was in the suburbs or maybe it was due to being later in the day but the store was far less crowded and the aisles seemed cleaner and more organized. I have some familiarity with this store so I was able to easily find the closet organizing section, which I found clear and well stocked.
Customer Service: I was never approached by a sales associate but I did see a few pass by. If I had needed help, I could have flagged one down.
Brand(s) Offered: Rubbermaid Home Free and Allen & Roth
Display Quality: There were a couple of different closet displays, one for each brand. While there weren't at eye level nor at at arm's length, they were attractively arranged and somewhat styled.
Online Purchasing: Lowe's offers an online design tool for the Rubbermaid brand shelving. Both that brand and the Allen & Roth brand can be ordered online for store pick up or delivery.
THE BEST CLOSET SYSTEM SHOPPING EXPERIENCEThe Best: The Container Store was by far the most pleasurable shopping experience, owing largely to the fact that it's a store that specializes in shelving versus a big warehouse store that happens to have closet systems. Being able to get design assistance is also a huge plus, especially if you're not comfortable trying to maximize your closet space on your own.
Runner Up: Lowe's comes in as a close second. The aisle was organized and well stocked with clearly labeled shelving components and accessories. The displays, while out of reach, showed a nice representation of the product. Since you're on your own with design and construction, it would be a good choice for a confident DIYer.
(Images: Jason Loper)
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before i went over to Elfa i went to HD, wandered around in the aisle for a few minutes, got fed up with pushing a cart around and left. Elfa was 30 percent off and i've done 4 closets so far, one each year whenever the sale is on. the HD shelves are great and you can save, but if you have no help at home and don't feel like pulling out a power saw, the Container Store was by far the best choice for me. Getting someone else to figure out all the cuts and measurements, all packaged up for you, it was well worth the money for me.
How about the product/prices? I loved the Elfa system I put in at my old place, but it was pricey. I'd be willing to forgo a bit of the experience at The Container Store if I knew I was getting a comparable product at a better price.
No info about pricing? Sure, the "shopping experience" might make a difference if one store serves you tea and gives you a pedicure while you peruse the goods, but the bottom line is what matters more to most of us, assuming the product quality is more or less equal. Also: Your experience of whether a store near you is crowded or whether there's a ladder in the aisle has no relevance to the experience of any other AT reader.
While more expensive, Elfa has been around quite a while and their style (from a basic configuration standpoint) has been consistent. This gives me confidence that I'll be able to retrofit and reconfigure my system as needed in the future (which I've done twice already) as well as add new bits when they become available. Some of the other mentioned brands are — for all intents and purposes — copies of the Elfa system with questionable longevity.
If you can catch them on sale (usualy 2X year at 25% off) you can save a bundle. They also offer a discount for teachers year round.
In our last condo, we replaced the builder-grade shelving with extensive Elfa systems in each closet and I'm confident that not only did it quadruple our storage while we lived there, but was a significant feature come selling-time. Given the volatility of the real-estate market (we sold in 2007 right as we ere going over the cliff), it was a wise $3K investment. (yes, I just called a closet system an investment ;) ...)
i just went through this very recently and i agree with the experience notes here. since i was looking to use these in my home office as bookshelves, i wasn't convinced about the aesthetics of any of these, so i went with the cheapest, closetmaid from home depot in white, but bought solid yellow pine (which i then oiled) for the actual shelves. the elfa standards and top tracks are much better looking as they have less exposed holes, but cost a little over twice than the closetmaid system.
No mention for Ikea Stolmen? Or the ease of installation for each?
We opted for the Elfa for 2 of our 3 closets (and we'll do Elfa in the third closet at some point). We wanted to add some extra storage shelves in our laundry closet and thought we would just go with the cheaper Rubbermaid from HD since it was just 2 wire shelves, but after looking at the options at HD we went down the block to the Container Store and ended up purchasing the much sturdier and attractive Elfa and don't regret spending the extra money for a better product. Just like redneckmodern, we also think that the continuity and quality of the Elfa will be a selling point for when we move.
I'm usually more of a DIY kind of girl. But when my closet rod fell down in the middle of the second night in my new home; I needed a new closet system fast. I went to the container store on my lunch and explained my needs and dimensions to the guy. He emailed me configuration choices and once we had that settled, I called in with my credit card and picked up the system after work. I have old plaster walls with weirdly spaced studs so their system worked great and required minimal drilling for a solid system. The time saving and peace of mind was worth a little more money.
I've tried both the Lowe's and Home Depot wire systems. I MUCH prefer the HD - easier to install, cheaper, and they've held up better over the years. I load those babies up with what must be hundreds of pounds. The Lowe's ones have collapsed on us, but not the HD. I had to take one down from an apartment I moved out of - not quite so easy, but I managed to patch and paint the walls and it looked good as new all said and done.
We just installed a big walk-in closet using the Ikea Algot system. You missed out on the display models upstairs in the showroom. They should be right after you pass through the bedding section.
They give out a handy flyer with 6-7 example systems and the parts list for each. We riffed on one of the systems in the flyer and ended up getting enough parts to install a 5x11' closet for just over $300. The quote I got using the Elfa system for the same layout came to $1200, by way of comparison.
The Algot system was fairly easy to install (we looked up some reference photos online rather than using Ikea's pictorial booklet) and seems to be very sturdy. It's not as aesthetically pleasing as the Elfa system, but it's in a closet, so chrome plating was not worth an extra $900 to us.
You can also buy the Rubbermaid system online (in both the white and silver options) from a variety of sellers and possibly pay 1/2 the price of the Lowe's option. That's what I did and the savings went to hiring someone to measure, drill the drywall and hang it properly! For my money it was the best option.
I called the container store when I purchased my condo to see how much it would cost to re-design my 10' closted in the main bedroom.
If I install the closet myself with their product, it would have run $2300.00. If I had the store come out, the cost would have been $2800.00.
I opt for Home Depot and install it myself over a 4 day weekend for $500.00. But honestly, if I had the money, I would have had the Container Store install the closet organizer. The gal worked with me over the phone and emailed me the design lay-out. You don't get that with the other stores.
It was either the closet or get my floors done...I opt for the floors since that is what was most important to me. But the Container store, regardless of how pricey, it rocks for storage solutions.
Ikea also has a very in depth closet system featured on their website including an in-depth design tool. http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/departments/bedroom/19086/
I believe this is one of many Ikea closet systems (STOLMEN is another, which I believe was mentioned above), and I know that there are more options for what is available in store. Too bad this wasn't explored, since Ikea tends to be the most affordable.
This is interesting, but shopping experience is such a small part of this -- what about cost, flexibility of the system, system accessories (any special drawers, hooks, racks...), aesthetics, installation...
I'd love to see some posts about this that get into those details.
I'm in agreement with a few other commenters: while the shopping experience can be a factor in shopping (especially when it comes to staff helpfulness/knowledge) it's not only factor in most people's shopping decisions. If this is going to be a regular feature on AT it'd be nice to get a price point as well. Quality and ease of use/installation would be great too but I can see that being more difficult if you're more or less window shopping.
Agree with previous posters, it doesn't seem like there is much helpful information here for actually comparing the different systems. Is how crowded a store is really relevant?
I just went through this as my husband and I shopped for a system for the closets in our condo (master bedroom, office, and entry). I have to put a good word in for Home Depot. Yes, their display isn't as pretty. Yes, their employees don't tend to proactively ask if you need help. However, they will cut all the pieces you need to size for you in the store. (We had them cut shelves and a closet rod.) So you don't have to go buy a hacksaw or bolt cutters. We found that extremely helpful. When we spoke with the Container Store employees about Elfa, they really pushed not trimming the pieces and just using them in the "modular" fashion they were designed. As our closet isn't a standard size, we would have had unused space.
Like ElleBee said, pricing has a huge influence. I understand this particular article is about the shopping experience itself, but it has to be said: Elfa is expensive. The most expensive of those four options. Which I believe is part of the reason they really show it off in the store. Rubbermaid was a similar price to ClosetMaid, it just didn't have some options we wanted (particularly we wanted all our pieces in silver/nickel). I can't speak to Ikea.
We went with ClosetMaid. (As much as I drooled over Elfa, I couldn't swallow the extra cost.) So far we've installed the parts in the entry closet. It was easier than we expected and it's been holding up our heavy winter coat collection (we're in Chicago too) for a week with no problems.
While it is more expensive, Elfa is the way to go. I have moved, changed and reused Elfa components in all the rooms and closets of my home. I did have the professional installation once for a walk in closet because it involved demo of the old shelves and lots of custom cuts and it was worth the cost. All other times I have installed myself. I believe Elfa has the only freestanding units (which are good for renters).
One way to keep costs down is to remove all the track covers and pieces, and have them cut larger wire shelves into two smaller ones wherever possible. And buy during the twice yearly 30% off sale.
I bought the IKEA Stolmen system for a walk in closet. I went on a Saturday morning with a friend and the shopping experience was fine. I like that it doesn't have wire shelves and you don't have to hang anything on a wall - no searching for studs and no worries that things will come crashing down. The price couldn't be beat either. It took us 2-3 hrs to install the whole thing the next day. People are amazed by my awesome closet.
For another (non walk-in), I needed shelves and bought an extra deep Ikea Billy bookshelf for under $100, assembled it and pushed it into the closet. At 79" high, it is 1" less than the door opening. It takes up about half of the closet width. We cut the clothes rail in half and hung that in the other half. The trip to Ikea, assembly of the bookshelf, and the re-organization of the closet was done in 1 Saturday.
I find that their little product handouts are sufficient for planning as long as you have a general idea of what you need.
Thanks for the feedback about price, folks. I'll keep this in mind for future Battle for the Best posts.
Agreed with other - IKEA Stolmen, PAX series, and even Broder make for great, no-need-to-find-studs options for homeowners and renters alike. Too bad the reviewer couldn't find them in the store
Another thing to point out: ClosetMaid and Rubbermaid also have adjustable shelving lines in addition to the "standard" shelving. We are planning to take our components with us when we move. We'll just leave the hang tracks and standards.
We priced out Elfa during their 30% sale (which is going on now) and removed silly things like bracket covers. It was still $500 over the price of ClosetMaid. Maybe in our next place, if we're going to be there longer than where we are now.
I bought an entire Elfa closet system for my daughter's room off of craigslist. It was $400 for over $1500 worth of shelving and in perfect condition.
No prices? This was not very helpful.
Some who consider shopping at Lowe's might want to remember that in 2011 they caved to pressure from ultra right wind anti-Muslim groups to pull adds from the harmless tv show "American Muslim." Since I don't like religious discrimination or bigotry and have friends who are Muslim who are very good people I no longer shop at Lowe's. I know this doesn't matter to everyone but some people out there might want to know this.
I have an old house with non-standard size closets. After a ton of research I got the Rubbermaid system from Amazon. It is the only one that is easily adjustable and also ended up being the least expensive [I made up for that buying linen boxes with windows at the Container Store]. Since I have lathe and plaster finding the studs was a challenge until I figured out that the molding was nailed in at the studs. The system is sturdy and can be reconfigured any time I decide it isn't quite right. Unlike the other systems it makes use of every inch of space.
I know others mentioned the IKEA PAX system, but it's great. IKEA in fact does have an online tool for styling the PAX (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/departments/bedroom/tools/planner_pax#lnk-3-1).
We price shopped the Container Store ($$$$$); California Closets ($$$$$), Closet Maid ($$$) and IKEA ($$). We ended up with two sleekly styled 39" closets (78" total) for about $900. This included front doors, drawers, clothes racks, interior baskets, etc. We are SO happy with our PAX! Plus we used a New Orleans service called Blue Bag to get them delivered, assembled and installed.
Wow, if only I had seen this post 2 weeks ago. I thought about going to IKEA, but didn't feel like the crowd. So I went to Home Depot and stood there and stared at the closet aisle for 40 minutes. Then realized that there was more to choose from on another aisle. Decided on the closet maid system and had to return to the store 3 times to cut it down to a custom size.
Thank goodness for the tools we already had at home and a handy hubby. Oh, by the way, the closetmaid system had two left pieces and so we had to rig it to make it work. But my closet is awesome... Now.
So...the lowe's store near the author has a neater aisle, therefore recommend them? Really?
I have had Elfa for many years and have reconfigured and moved them. They are wonderful. My housewarming gift is to chip in with friends and give the start of an Elfa system: top bar, standards, one self and the brackets.
One thing to be aware of is that the shelves may use vertical space differently. I have Rubber Maid (I think) shelves on one wall and they use slightly less space than Elfa, but there are supports that keep things from sliding.
In any case, organizing your closet this way is great!
Almost all of my closets and my laundry room are elfa. When we renovated a guest room we went cheap and got Home Depot but it just wasn't the same and far less attractive. We have done elfa for all the other closets since. We learned our lesson! As far as cost goes, our last closet was about $150. We demolished, designed, and installed ourselves. The cost was low because we kept our design simple, with a closet rod and some shelves. We didn't add bins or anything like that.
If you're really into saving some money, Home Depot sells Rubbermaid shelving that is very sturdy and nice. It's a lot cheaper than the shelves Container Store sells. If you are using elfa rails and the track, you can make them as wide as you want to fit the shelving.
I must say that, for me, Elfa is the way to go. We have it in a multitude of configurations and finishes, from our master closet, to the guest closet, to the guest library wall to our kitchen pantry (amazing!) and the garage. I know that I sound like an ad, but I would pay the price. Just watch for the sales and add pieces as you need more.
So glad you mentioned it, Haruki! We do not give our hard-earned money to those that have an obvious problem with those of opposing viewpoints or religion! Lowe's is the devil (and coincidentally, right next door to Chick Fail A!) :)
Wow, autocorrect knows about Chick Fil A, apparently...
Well....neither Home Depot nor Lowe's is EVER going to win an award for a pleasant shopping experience.Ha! I'm befuddled as to whey they were even included here since price was not a consideration in this post (which, btw, is a determining factor for many at AT - most, even?). In the unlikely event one can spot an employee in under 15 mins, he will either (a) pretend he doesn't hear you & run in the opposite direction or (b) refer you to this other guy 'over there' who is nowhere to be found. Yeah...good luck with that.
Bottom line: they know their prices are the best and they don't give a rat's patooty about your shopping expierence despite their [false] ads to the contrary. (I won't even address this issue of their self-proclaimed *experts* who know less than my pre-teen grandson about home improvements) Personally, I'd refuse to patronize either if I had an alternative. But you see, they know that too and THEY DON'T CARE.
All that said, IF I had 3k to *invest* it would NOT be in a closet. And IF I had money to burn, it would not go up in smoke in a closet. The cost of Organiztion is discipline, not dollars. All the $ in the world can't buy you that if you're not willing to invest your time....and if you are ([willing to invest your time] you can keep that 3k in your pocket-
I've priced out Elfa, looked at the IKEA, and installed ClosetMaid and Rubbermaid. Rubbermaid is by far the best value. Extremely durable, affordable, and versatile. And I can't tell a different in quality between the Rubbermaid and the Elfa. They're near identical.
And I really like my local Lowe's store although they're getting to know me far too well.
Thanks for this info. I'd like to try to keep away from companies that support or encourage any sort of religious agenda.
This is a case in which pricing would really help. Some of you are saying Elfa was thousands of dollars. I don't doubt it, because I know how much all of it can cost, but price is relative to what you're doing. This post is not very good not only because the "battle" is based on completely subjective criteria, like what store was better organized, but because different products can cost different things to different people. The post, without the benefit of a pricing guide, can mislead some people into thinking (via some of the comments) that elfa costs thousands of dollars and Home Depot does not, when the real answer is "it depends."
The Container Store website shows the best-selling Elfa closets (all types) and prices for DIY and installed so you can get some idea of what the prices would be ranging from a bare bones solution to one with all the bells and whistles.
I'm in the elfa camp and I always add to my house during the 30% off sales. I have a very small house so we don't even have hall closets or bathroom storage. I have a wall system in both of our bedrooms that covers the entire wall probably 7 ft in each room and also a 2ft section freestanding mudroom closet and all it cost for all 3 was $1000. And this includes some extras like 3 of the platinum drawers and many bookends etc. So you can do elfa for much cheaper than what some are doing. And I plan on taking mine with me since it is not a closet system and if I do my closets I really believe it would be an asset to my house and with how small my closets are it would only be around $250 during the sales. That is not bad and elfa really is durable and I have seen how cheap the others are in comparison.
Content of article was fairly helpful however no mention of price comparisons leave this reader without the info which interests most.
TIP: If you want help with designing an Elfa system at the Container Story while their 30% sale is on (til Feb 12), call first and make an appointment. I had one this week, and the sales associate said people where waiting 45 minutes last weekend. I go during the week, and it is not so crowded. But I always have an appointment.
We are another family that tries to do some Elfa every year during their sales. Last year, we did our big walk-in closet, and it cost $2,500. But even my miserly husband says it was worth it. The sales people will draw up a plan, and we take it home to think about for a week or so. Then we make changes, etc. Those sales people are truly talented space designers.
We also pay for the installation because we aren't handy and don't have a lot of time to mess with it. We'd love to be able to get away with RubberMaid or some less expensive brand, but those others don't have the drawers and options that Elfa does.
Does anyone have a product suggestion for a closet under the eaves (flat floor, short slanted ceiling)? The only thing that I've found is IKEA's Broder, but it's no longer available at my local store. Thanks.
We have the same problem with a closet with a slanted ceiling. Any tips would be welcome.