Organizer confession: I have a “Monica” closet in my house, and it’s not pretty. The closet is in my two year old daughter’s room, and between her changing sizes, and using it for “off season” storage – the organizational situation has gotten totally out of hand! Read on for our best tips on how to organize your closet for good, plus a review of the Elfa system. It’s honestly completely changed the way we use this closet!
The Closet Backstory
The closet in my daughter’s room lacked of any type of organizing infrastructure, and had but one rack and one rod for the 5×5 space. My “makeshift” solution of old plastic drawers plus a garment rack didn’t help. After years of trying to organize this space, I finally came to the conclusion that it was time to invest in a closet organizing system. Closet systems aren’t inexpensive, and I was nervous about the cost and not getting the design “just right.” However, upon hearing that The Container Store was having a big sale on their Elfa system, I figured it was time to take the plunge.
The Elfa Appointment
I scheduled an appointment at my local Edina store, and my assigned closet designer Meredith was nothing short of amazing! Coming to the appointment with measurements in hand, it was easy to brainstorm options and create a virtual design. The Container Store makes a 3D rendering, which is a great tool for planing where the clothing will go.
The Closet Install
I loved having the option of either installing the closet system myself, or having a professional come to our home. I picked the latter, with a two year old and 5 year old underfoot my husband and I are all about saving time. Our installer was excellent. He was was on time, took down our old rod and shelf, and was done in under 2 hours. While this part went quickly, reorganizing the entire closet did not.
Time to Declutter
Whenever you start an organizing project give yourself ample time to get it done. Organizing a nursery or a child’s room isn’t an easy task, and can take half a day. A favorite organizing tip that works for any project is: always take everything out. This allows you to go through each item and donate, discard, or keep. It will amaze you how much stuff you find that you no longer need.
Getting the Closet Organized
After all the hard work of sorting is done, it’s time to put everything back. Getting organized is always easier with less stuff, and we guarantee that you’ll be glad you minimized. Now is also a great time to develop systems so you can keep your closet organized in the long run! For this particular closet, my daughter is constantly growing out of and into new sizes, so I needed to develop a system. I used the metal drawers + baskets for this purpose. Clothing that has been given to us that is too big is stored in a labeled drawer, and clothing that she’s grown out of goes into a “donate” basket. This way it’s easy to see exactly what we have on hand, and clothing isn’t forgotten about.
The Elfa System Reviewed
So you may be wondering how the new closet system preforms after being used for a few weeks. I’m happy to report that I’m totally obsessed with it! the drawers work great, the layout couldn’t be better, and I love having extra empty shelves. The only thing I may have done differently or may spring for in a future closet is possibly upgrade to wooden drawer fronts. However for a child’s closet the Elfa system we went with is fabulous, and it was also the most economical option.
My daughter also loves how the closet turned out, and she thinks it’s fun to toddle in each morning to pick out what she wants to wear for the day. We hope you’ve found this guide on how to organize your closet with the Elfa system helpful, and as always we’re happy to answer any questions you may have!
Happy organizing,
Style + Dwell
