As much as I laugh at the episode of 30 Rock where Liz Lemon is carrying multiple bags from the Container Store and declaring how neat she's going to be and how wonderful that will make her, it's true that accomplishing a big organizational project feels really good. A few months ago I succeeded in installing a closet system, and here's a bit of what I can share about the process.
A salesperson helped me design an Elfa system (on sale!) for my strangely-shaped, shallow closet. We spent roughly an hour planning, and the installation took me just about double that time. While my advice won't apply to something like Ikea's Stolmen or Pax (except for tip 5), here's what I learned when I turned a heap of boxes into an assembled closet system.
1. Lay out your components in the order the manufacturer's directions suggest you assemble them. Browsing the steps will make you more confident, but it also will work out fine just to group like pieces with like.
2. Grab a friend. Many closet systems rely on a main bar that runs parallel to the ceiling and that is screwed into wall studs or plastic anchors. When I installed my own system, it was pretty much a miracle that I managed to do this step by myself. Standing on a ladder and juggling your tools and a long piece of metal — and then attaching that metal bar levelly to your wall — is not easy and not advisable. If applicable, use a finder to locate your studs in the wall. Have one or two other people hold the metal bar in place while you mark your spots for drilling and then again when you are ready to screw the bar to the wall.
3. After that main horizontal piece, the next ones will be long vertical bars. The company's directions should tell you how far from the ends and one another these bars should be to accommodate shelves and drawers. With a system such as Closetmaid you'll need to screw these bars into the wall; with Elfa you won't.
4. At this point, the directions diverge for the type and design of the system you've chosen. Shelves and drawers will require brackets that click into vertical bars you just installed. Drawers in a system such as Elfa require extra pieces that can be a little difficult to get in place — you have hit them fairly hard, and you might want to wear gloves. Certain Elfa pieces also have directional arrows that you need to look for.
5. Take your time. All in all, I found installing my closet system to be about the same difficulty as assembling Ikea furniture — but the manufacturer's directions included words. I found myself frustrated at points where I really had to hit something to click it into place or when I hadn't really read the directions. Don't rush these steps, and don't forget to take breaks.
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Wait, is that the After photo??
^ haha, i'm wondering the same thing...
yeah...
this is not selling the elfa system for me.
also, my first step in closet organization (I do it all the time... friends, family... I'll organize anyone's closet for a bottle of diet coke) is deciding on one kind of hanger. Buy enough to hang everything you have plus some extra. Not just 'white plastic' but the exact same hanger for everything. No matter what system you have or don't have (hell, mine is one pole, one shelf) any closet will look a million times better with matching hangers that have a little room to breathe.
i think this is the after picture... i love the elfa system. It has increased my storage capacity 2 to 3 fold. It's just amazing. The folks at container store are a great resource and are extremely patient in helping you with different configurations to maximize storage needs.
How timely! I am picking up my Elfa system on Saturday. I'm planning to paint my closet this weekend and have the thing ready to go by Sunday night. Wish me luck.
Kudos to Kim for showing it like it is.
I don't know what you all are complaining about with the hangers. They all match except for the skirt hangers, which have a specific purpose.
I installed my Elfa closet system by myself, and it wasn't hard at all. Here's what I found:
1) It helps to use a level with a magnet (they sell one at the Container Store). I marked the holes with a pencil and then drilled the holes.
2) I was too lazy to try to find the studs, so I drilled all the holes first with a smaller bit that would be suitable for the wood screws, and whenever I didn't hit a stud, I marked a small X over that hole with a pencil and followed that up by drilling with the large bit for the anchor screws. That's helpful anyway, since centering a large bit can be a little difficult.
3) Do NOT try to multi-task while installing these. I was chatting on the speaker phone with my sister while installing my shelving, and I got on autopilot and drilled a bunch of holes at the wrong height.
I bought some elfa drawers for my closet and it REALLY maximized the space. I love them and while expensive, would totally purchase them again.
All I see on my screen is the before pic of a messy closet. There is only one pic.
I don't get it. Does everyone think that is messy because it isn't two folded sweaters, a paper storage box and a couple slacks on hangers? That's usually how the unrealistic college storage system advertisements look like. This closet just looks like a one that a human who wears more than one outfit a week would have.
I bought a crappy closet system from Canadian Tire. It clipped onto the existing closet bar (no screwing into the rental walls!) and easily came in and out for rearranging the closet and when I moved. I loved that thing (I gave it away as I no longer have a closet)
You missed the first and most important step:
Throw out or donate as much as you can part with before beginning any closet re-do.
I bought a custom closet from Easycloset.com. MUCH better quality than Elfa (as in, wooden shelves not wire mesh everything, which will leave marks in your folded clothes) and only slightly more expensive. Frankly, i found the whole Elfa thing far too expensive for a bunch of cheap wire junk, so upping the cost slightly to get something much better was worth it for me. Easycloset is basically California Closet type of design, but you assemble it yourself a la IKEA. Everything is custom cut to fit your closet, so you'll also get a better fit than Elfa.
i would put in more storage shelves and if you had 2 knock down a wall, my first closet was a walk in and had a spinning clothes shelf it was hard to put together though