Closet Guts - Closet systems/hang bars/etc

[wawa]

Have you installed closet guts?
What brand?
Pros/cons? Happy/notso?

In a perfect world I'd be calling somebody like California Closets to come give us a perfect system - but I'm not made of money. And we don't have endless closet space - just a normal non-walk-in closet. It's a decent size - about 6'6" across the back IIRC - but still, just a normal closet.

So...Elfa? something from lowes/HD? Something else? Talk to me about your closet innards.

This is for our master BR - I think the rest of the bedrooms we're just going to install a single shelf/hang bar for now. Except the baby room - which will get a high and a low bar unless somebody tells me we need something other than that.

We also need shelves for the little linen closet, big downstairs hall closet, and the giant pantry - so any comments on storage systems in general are helpful.

[TBM]

We have components of this system. www.easytrack.com/easytrack/


I would use it again in a heartbeat. It is relatively easy to install and it is possible to rearrange to suit your needs. We bought ours at a store that was closing, and out of the random parts we were able to get we wound up with being able to do our small walk in and use the leftovers in two of the smaller bedrooms.

[bunnymendelbaum]

We have wire shelving adjustment mounting (left by previous owner). You can get them at Lowes/HD. I hate them. Ok once installed, but not that stable. "drawers" are always falling out.

[tarheels]

We've installed coated wire in every house. Works great and is completely configurable. ClosetMaid and Rubbermaid both make it. We bought it at HD this last time.



I found this article while googling for pics: www.goodhousekeeping.com/product-reviews/home-products/closet-organizing-system-reviews/diy-closet-organizers#slide-1

[tarheels]

Nov 13, 2012 11:37:05 GMT -5 bunnymendelbaum said:

We have wire shelving adjustment mounting (left by previous owner). You can get them at Lowes/HD. I hate them. Ok once installed, but not that stable. "drawers" are always falling out.

Drawers? I've never heard of drawers, but I can easily imagine they don't work well for this system.

As for as being strong, it may be that whoever installed yours didn't know how to sink an anchor. We installed it in our laundry room and it's completely rock solid - even when holding all brand new jugs of bleach, detergent, and fabric softener all smushed together in one spot.

[jessicah628]

We did the standard coated wire shelves from Lowe's in our house. We just measured each closet and they cut them to size for us in the store. Worked out nicely.

[bunnymendelbaum]

Nov 13, 2012 11:39:27 GMT -5 tarheels said:

Drawers? I've never heard of drawers, but I can easily imagine they don't work well for this system.

As for as being strong, it may be that whoever installed yours didn't know how to sink an anchor. We installed it in our laundry room and it's completely rock solid - even when holding all brand new jugs of bleach, detergent, and fabric softener all smushed together in one spot.

Yeah, the drawers suck, but we don't have space for dressers for me. Ugh. If we were staying here, I'd do a real closet overhaul.
The uprights are pretty stable, I was just referring to the drawer stability.

Although, if the previous owner got these they way she got anything else for this house (through sleeping with the person who installed it) then the installation is suspect. (And I'm not joking. She got a furnace, roof and paint jobs by spreading her legs. Lady was old so she must have a magic vag.)

-Sorry to hijack your thread with that info Wawa!

[ssmjlm]

We have the same rubbermaid system that bunny posted that came from Lowes. I really like it, easy to configure and install. Also it's like the elfa system, but cheaper.

No experience with the drawers though, we just have hanging bars, shelves and some melamine shelving that's part of the system.

[wawa]

Nov 13, 2012 12:09:22 GMT -5 bunnymendelbaum said:

Nov 13, 2012 11:39:27 GMT -5 tarheels said:

Drawers? I've never heard of drawers, but I can easily imagine they don't work well for this system.

As for as being strong, it may be that whoever installed yours didn't know how to sink an anchor. We installed it in our laundry room and it's completely rock solid - even when holding all brand new jugs of bleach, detergent, and fabric softener all smushed together in one spot.

Yeah, the drawers suck, but we don't have space for dressers for me. Ugh. If we were staying here, I'd do a real closet overhaul.
The uprights are pretty stable, I was just referring to the drawer stability.

Although, if the previous owner got these they way she got anything else for this house (through sleeping with the person who installed it) then the installation is suspect. (And I'm not joking. She got a furnace, roof and paint jobs by spreading her legs. Lady was old so she must have a magic vag.)

-Sorry to hijack your thread with that info Wawa!

LOL! your house sure does have a colorful past.

[bunnymendelbaum]

Nov 13, 2012 12:13:36 GMT -5 wawa said:

LOL! your house sure does have a colorful past.

You don't get 7 kids my accident!

The worst was when one guy came by and proceeded to walk around the house telling us everything he paid for. EW. We also sleep in her old bedroom. Not enough Lysol in the world...

Her realtor also didn't accept a "monetary" fee from her either....

But I guess the lesson is: wire system is fine, just don't get the drawers!

[wawa]

Nov 13, 2012 12:28:15 GMT -5 bunnymendelbaum said:

Nov 13, 2012 12:13:36 GMT -5 wawa said:

LOL! your house sure does have a colorful past.

You don't get 7 kids my accident!

The worst was when one guy came by and proceeded to walk around the house telling us everything he paid for. EW. We also sleep in her old bedroom. Not enough Lysol in the world...

Her realtor also didn't accept a "monetary" fee from her either....

But I guess the lesson is: wire system is fine, just don't get the drawers!

LOL!
I actually would really like drawers for sweater storage. Hm. So maybe the cheap and easy "just buy the stuff at Lowes/HD" solution is not our best bet.

[ssmjlm]

We have sweaters and other folding items on shelves like this, but in white:



I actually wanted the sliding bins in our office closet for my purses, but the way they hang, etc it worked better to do shelves and then I got baskets instead.

[mrs.jacinthe]

We had a rubbermaid system in our house in Ohio.

Fantastic, even in a tiny standard closet:


That's my ENTIRE wardrobe, y'all. Fit perfectly into a little tiny half a closet. (Admittedly, I did hang my dresses on R's side, but whatever.)

[wawa]

mrsjac - is that a drawer on the left side? Any issues with stability?

[mrs.jacinthe]

It is a drawer. I put jeans and non-dressy pants in it. Probably 6-8 pair at any given time. NO stability issues.

Admittedly, I couldn't open the drawer 100% because of the closet wall when it was in that location. However, we also moved it to a different location and there were no stability issues with being all the way open and FULL. It's a pretty well-built system.

[auntie]

Nov 13, 2012 11:37:05 GMT -5 bunnymendelbaum said:

We have wire shelving adjustment mounting (left by previous owner). You can get them at Lowes/HD. I hate them. Ok once installed, but not that stable. "drawers" are always falling out.

I have exactly that system. My contractor installed it when he was here swapping out my windows and it started to rain. He installed into studs and it's very solid.

[kyliek29]

I did Elfa in all our closets.. it's a little pricey (but they have sales a couple times a year) but I love the container store!!

[wawa]

Nov 13, 2012 15:15:40 GMT -5 kyliek29 said:

I did Elfa in all our closets.. it's a little pricey (but they have sales a couple times a year) but I love the container store!!

Any clue what their sale schedule is like?

[kyliek29]

Nov 13, 2012 15:20:11 GMT -5 wawa said:

Nov 13, 2012 15:15:40 GMT -5 kyliek29 said:

I did Elfa in all our closets.. it's a little pricey (but they have sales a couple times a year) but I love the container store!!

Any clue what their sale schedule is like?

Pretty sure it's in February, and then I'm thinking one ended recently.. so maybe September or October. It seems like it goes on for a few weeks. Both those sales are 40% off everything (including installation - but they are easy to install, we did it ourselves).

[wawa]

Nov 13, 2012 16:06:53 GMT -5 kyliek29 said:

Nov 13, 2012 15:20:11 GMT -5 wawa said:

Any clue what their sale schedule is like?

Pretty sure it's in February, and then I'm thinking one ended recently.. so maybe September or October. It seems like it goes on for a few weeks. Both those sales are 40% off everything (including installation - but they are easy to install, we did it ourselves).

boo...ok, we can't wait that long. I need a closet before this kid comes. I'm sad I missed the last one.

[pitterwoo]

Nov 13, 2012 12:28:15 GMT -5 bunnymendelbaum said:

Nov 13, 2012 12:13:36 GMT -5 wawa said:

LOL! your house sure does have a colorful past.

You don't get 7 kids my accident!

The worst was when one guy came by and proceeded to walk around the house telling us everything he paid for. EW. We also sleep in her old bedroom. Not enough Lysol in the world...

Her realtor also didn't accept a "monetary" fee from her either....

But I guess the lesson is: wire system is fine, just don't get the drawers!

I don't think that IS the lesson here! lol

[bunnymendelbaum]

Ha!
I'm curious now about the Rubbermaid vs closetmaid systems and if they've changed the way the drawers are made. It could just be how the previous owner installed the rails. (Imperfect spacing?) Going to check them out next time I'm at Home Depot.

[boiler717]

A container store associate told me to go build a system and not purchase. Then you'll receive a coupon offer via email.