The Creation Of Functional And Organized Spaces Through Teamwork

Moving from one home to another can be a stressful time. In addition to the packing and planning, there is always the concern that you will not have enough storage or the right type of storage to ensure belongings are organized in a way that makes everyday tasks easy and efficient. Siiri was able to have her dream space designed and strategies put in place to maintain the organization she desired with the help of two professional companies.

Siiri was beginning the process of planning her dream home. Having a custom closet prior, she wanted to make sure that all the features she currently enjoyed would be in place in her new house. Her goal was to maximize the available space so her home would be clutter-free and organized. There were two areas of the home where these strategies were needed, the walk-in closet and pantry.

As the home was still being built, Siiri reached out to The Closet Works where she was put in touch with Design Consultant, Jennifer. Since the rooms were not yet fully constructed, Jennifer started with the blueprints and also took an inventory of the types of items that Siiri was planning to store. She paid special attention to details about the wardrobe items such as their length, the way Siiri liked her clothing folded and what she wanted to display – which turned out to be an elegant collection of handbags and her shoes. Jennifer also took into consideration what she wears each day and reaches for most often. She listened to Siiri’s goals for the spaces which included better organization for her expanded jewelry collection. She wanted everything visible and accessible.

“Jennifer came out to the home 4 or 5 times in the different phases of construction. She was so pleasant to work with, was excited and never became fatigued. Every inch of surface was used and prioritized.”

Making The Walk-In Closet Work

In order to accommodate Siiri’s needs, several essential features were designed. There was an emphasis placed on the organization of the hanging sections. Blouses were placed in one section, slacks, pants and jeans in another and a dedicated space for dresses. There was a long center island designed with 24 drawers. An open shelving area was created to display the handbag collection. Drawers were outfitted with specialized and custom inserts where Siiri could store her jewelry items like bracelets in organized compartments. There was also an additional cabinet designed which utilized sliding accessory racks to provide easy access and visibility and keep necklaces from becoming tangled. As an added bonus, there was a space designed for a washer and dryer right in the closet along with separate hampers for lights and darks.
“I love the usable drawer space. There was inserts for every drawer and the compartments effectively utilized the space. Organizers that I would have never known about make it functional. The jewelry storage was really stunning. The long island was fantastic, I never would have imagined that everything could look the way they did.”

Here Comes the NEAT Method

Now that Siiri had a beautiful custom closet with the features and storage she had wanted, the next priority was to put individualized strategies in place to keep things organized. She would have to determine, for example, where to hang accessories like belts and hats for optimal accessibility. She wanted to assign every item the best designated place based on how it is used. Siiri came across an ad in a local home magazine for a professional organizer and decided to meet with Cait from the NEAT Method. Cait wanted to make sure that things were set up from the get-go and make sure the flow and function was most comfortable and natural for Siiri. If that was placing blouses on before pants, blouses would be hung higher followed by the slacks underneath. And she knew that sliding trays would be important for items like sunglasses, so selecting all items for her day would be simplified. Matching hangers were purchased for aesthetic value. And acrylic stands now showcase her handbag collection. All of the adjustable shelving now came into play and each area was customized to properly store every item. Cait says “It is all about the ease of use. If you see what you have, you will use it. If not, it will be lost”.

The Perfect Pantry

The main goals for the pantry were to ensure groceries could be put away easily and that everything would be visible and easy to find. Jennifer took all of this into consideration including who would be using the pantry and what items they would be stored there in order to design the proper size and configuration of shelving and baskets. After the unit was constructed, Cait considered how often the family would bake and cook and what is reached for most often to determine the most effective plan for organizing the items. In the end, everything was labeled where it could be seen. There are bins for produce and adjustable shelving for non-perishables. A Lazy Susan was included for items like individually packaged snacks, so her family could spin, grab and go. Cait even purchased risers so canned goods would be visible and not hidden behind one another.

“There was stadium seating for my canned goods. The open shelving allowed me to see everything”.

“Jennifer started the foundation, Cait took the space was able to re-think and re-imagine it. They are both amazing. [I] would hire and recommend them 100x times over. [They were] easy to work with and was able to get what I want. [They] pulled things together and utilized the space.”

If you need a little help with organizing your belongings or creating an efficient space that is functional for your everyday needs, reach out to us for a free in-home consultation. You might be the next customer success story we feature!