Best closet organization system for the buck?

[The Captain]

Anyone have experience with these?  DH and I are buying a place with walk in closets.  For the first time in my life I will be able to have a closet that's bigger than, well - a closet .

Since we plan on staying in the place for awhile I'd like to put in a nice closet system.  Being the cheap YM'r I'm willing to do the install myself (well - DH will) and I prefer quality materials and am willing to pay for them.

Any suggestions?

[Blonde Granny]

California Closets- pricey

Lowes carries a nice brand of put together pieces, that way you can choose what you want, not as prices as California Closets

Easy Closets- only have seen online ads for them.

[HoneyBBQ]

I used the 'make yourself' ones from Home Depot. I think it was a couple hundred bucks for my walk in. I thought they came out really well. I chose the dark 'wood' coloring and it looked great IMO.

[sheilaincali]

We went the Lowe's route for our walk in closets. I really liked them. Took about an afternoon to assemble and install. Not bad price wise- was a few years ago but I think around $400? I honestly can't remember.

[thyme4change]

I used a company - and I was unimpressed.  For a butt-load of money, I got a fairly standard layout.  I could have done it myself for a lot less money if I had chosen just about anything else.  For the kid's closets I went to The Container Store.  They had someone there who helped us design a closet, and then you just install a rail and everything hangs off of it.  It was super easy.  It took less time to drive over there, get the design, drive back over there and pick up the pieces, bring them home and install them than I spent with tweedle-dee and tweedle-dum from California Closets.  They aren't as pretty, but they are easily re-arranged.

There are also websites you can go to and design your closet, and they will send you all the pieces and installation instructions.  I didn't use them, but I wish I had.

[aprilleigh]

Storables! www.storables.com/closet/storables-closet.html Full disclosure: I'm OF COURSE biased, because I work for the company that makes the closet cabinets. But it's completely customizable, and really cute! And it looks really easy to install.

[hoops902]

We did Easytrack closets for our walk-in.  Super easy to install, about $1000 or so.  Lots of ability to customize which I liked.  We didn't want wire ones, we wanted someone with some wood color to it.  I like them.

[Annie7]

There are many design tools on many websites like lowes/home-depot, ikea, etc. Use them to get an idea of what is available. Then design it yourself for your clothes and how you use the closet.

I did the Closetmaid shelf track from home-depot for my walk-in closet. I designed on those websites what I wanted in terms of shelves, hanging space, etc based on my clothes and habits. Mine was simple, with no drawers, no shoe racks, etc. I have some pretty baskets to store some things like bra/panties/socks, etc. I don't store shoes in the closet - they reside in the garage. So, it worked for me.

I got the vertical metal standards and had the handyman who was here finishing the basement hang them for me (it's very easy and you can do it yourself). Then I just placed the brackets where I wanted for the shelves. Easy to adjust if what I initially thought was not right.

I have the two short sides as double hanging for 3/4th and shelves/single hanging for the remaining 1/4th (the ceiling slants down towards the back). The long side across from the door has half the width as shelves and the other half as single hanging.

For the shelves, I put in the metal brackets and placed wood shelves on them. The shelf is not locked in place - it can be lifted off easily. But it stays in place because of the weight of the things placed on them. I have no kids coming into my closet, so it works for me.

For the hanging, I got the ventilated wire shelves.

I'm happy with what I did

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Apr 24, 2014 10:14:10 GMT -5 Blonde Granny said:

California Closets- pricey

Lowes carries a nice brand of put together pieces, that way you can choose what you want, not as prices as California Closets

Easy Closets- only have seen online ads for them.

I used Lowe's system to modify my closet in my last apartment.  Whomever got my apartment after I moved out got about 3x as much hanging space as was there originally!

I did it myself, it took a couple evenings and wasn't that difficult.  Probably the hardest thing was making sure that the braces were put into studs and needing to manipulate the configuration to be able to do so.

[sheilaincali]

Now I want to re-do the closets in my current house Gee Thanks Captain.

Wonder if I can convince the Husband that this will help with the resale when we go to sell in two years.

[The Captain]

[Sam_2.0]

I really want to re-do our closets. There's only 3 (2 brs and 1 coat closet) so it should be pretty easy. What we have is OK, but more hanging space and better organization would really help. DH's suits are crowding me out of the closet!

[kittensaver]

Another Elfa/Container Store fan here. If they are anywhere near your part of the world I highly suggest you check them out

[wvugurl26]

Apr 24, 2014 12:39:21 GMT -5 sheilaincali said:

Now I want to re-do the closets in my current house Gee Thanks Captain.

Wonder if I can convince the Husband that this will help with the resale when we go to sell in two years.

Just tell him you can redo the closets or redo the living room for the 5th time? Or whatever version you are up to.

[sheilaincali]

That's true- redoing the closet won't require any painting! Genius. I'll use that as leverage.

FWIW_ I have promised him that the focus this summer will be on the outside. I'll help him build a patio/fire pit area instead of making him help me re=paint the living room.

[milee]

The Ikea organizers are great. We have them and love them. They were very easy to put together and the online design tool was good. Very similar quality to all the others out there, but at a fraction of the price.

[wvugurl26]

Apr 24, 2014 13:18:09 GMT -5 sheilaincali said:

That's true- redoing the closet won't require any painting! Genius. I'll use that as leverage.

FWIW_ I have promised him that the focus this summer will be on the outside. I'll help him build a patio/fire pit area instead of making him help me re=paint the living room.

Well after the patio is done you can do closets. Double leverage he got the outside stuff and he doesn't have to repaint the living room again.

[Pants]

Closet organization systems are far too deer.

(I'm sorry. I'm on dayquil. I can't stop laughing.)

[The Captain]

, I don't get it.  Can I have some of what she's drinking?

[Pants]

Buck... deer...
Bueller? Bueller?

[The Captain]

As soon as I refreshed on the "participated" chicklet I figured it out...

[Pants]

Hey - at least I think I'm funny.

[sheilaincali]

Apr 24, 2014 13:53:14 GMT -5 wvugurl26 said:

Apr 24, 2014 13:18:09 GMT -5 sheilaincali said:

That's true- redoing the closet won't require any painting! Genius. I'll use that as leverage.

FWIW_ I have promised him that the focus this summer will be on the outside. I'll help him build a patio/fire pit area instead of making him help me re=paint the living room.

Well after the patio is done you can do closets. Double leverage he got the outside stuff and he doesn't have to repaint the living room again.

I say this in the nicest way-  You are like an evil genius!  Thank you  

[NoNamePerson]

Apr 24, 2014 14:39:36 GMT -5 The Captain said:

, I don't get it.  Can I have some of what she's drinking?

I got it but I still want some of what she's drinking  

[bean29]

I have used the Closet Maid System.  I also like the shelf track.

Shelf Track has a Hangtrack that hangs close to the ceiling and runs horizontally.  It gets screwed into the studs wherever you find them.  Then there are standards that hand down vertically every 18" or so and the shelf brackets clip into this.  This sytem is more expensive than a permanent fixed mount, however you can change your mind and move things around at will.

Go to  Home Depot and flip through the book for examples of what you can do.  I recommend the wider shelves.    Lowes system is very similar and I like the baskets they have but suspect it is more expensive.

Home depot will cut the shelves for you but my DH prefers to do it himself with a jig saw.  I figure out what we are doing, layout wise and then I tell DH.  My DH can do the work, but he has a hard time "reading blueprints"  So I tell hime how many inches the shelf has to be, the height etc and we use a teamwork approach.


www.closetmaid.com/en-us/Ideas/pages/diy-bedroom-closet.aspx

They have a design service whre you  tell them what you want and you pay $5.00 and they do it for you.  I think I did that in our second house.  It was real nice.

I have tried their do-it yourself closet design, but I think I don't have ther right computer setup for the graphics so I end  up swearing at my computer b/c it is not doing what I want it to.    I have done it so many times now that I can figure out what I need and just direct DH and we end up with a decent result.

My closets are overstuffed but I will see if I can get you some pics.

[wvugurl26]

Apr 24, 2014 15:42:15 GMT -5 sheilaincali said:

Apr 24, 2014 13:53:14 GMT -5 wvugurl26 said:

Well after the patio is done you can do closets. Double leverage he got the outside stuff and he doesn't have to repaint the living room again.

I say this in the nicest way-  You are like an evil genius!  Thank you  

I try! ;D

[Deleted]

Perfect timing for this...

We have 5 closets and I was thinking about doing all of them one at a time.

$$$$$$$

[buster]

Apr 24, 2014 12:47:01 GMT -5 kittensaver said:

Another Elfa/Container Store fan here. If they are anywhere near your part of the world I highly suggest you check them out

The Elfa/Container Store systems are awesome. If you time it right, twice a year the systems will go on sale for 30-50% off.