Most clients building a new home use an interior designer for architectural elements, floor planning, interior colors & materials. While they take on the “beauty” part of the design, I look at the the storage options and designate what specific items will go in each space, then design them accordingly. This is especially important when building or renovating a home, because the spaces are a blank canvas and can be outfitted for a specific purpose. In addition, knowing where everything goes ahead of time makes the packing, moving, and unpacking process exponentially easier. (Tip: When packing, use a Sharpie to write exactly where the items belong in the new home i.e. upstairs linen closet, top shelf.)
Drawers with dividers help organize gift wrapping supplies
As a designer with Closet Factory for 17 years I thought I would share with you one of my favorite jobs and a prime example of planning ahead.
A builder brought his client into our showroom with blueprints for their 12,000 square foot home. They were interested in doing their master closets, but after an extensive tour, the client wanted me to work on other areas as well. I asked 1,000 probing questions such as ‘where are you planning on keeping your cleaning supplies, mops and brooms?’ ‘What about a gift-wrapping storage area?’ and ‘How are you going to utilize your guest room closets?’
I worked closely with the client for several months and we ended up designing, building and installing: 2 master closets, 3 guest bedroom closets, (one for dress up clothes and games for her grandchildren), a pantry, a cleaning supply closet, a large laundry room, a coat closet, mudroom closets, an art studio, 3 areas in the house manager’s apartment and a large craft room. We had planned almost everything – even where we were going to store the cleaning rags- and they were thrilled with the function of each space, as well as how each fit in with the overall decor of the home.
The left side of the craft room doubles as storage ending in a 2-person craft desk
With the busy lifestyles we all live these days, having an organized house (big or small!) helps us all function a bit more stress free. Sometimes it just takes a different set of eyes to look at your space for a great storage idea or how to utilize your space better. Call Closet Factory at (303) 690-6901, our designers would be happy to get started on organizing your home!
Senior Designer Jana Henderson
About the Author: Jana Henderson has been a designer with Closet Factory since September 1994. The thing she loves most about her job is helping people create organized spaces that are functional and beautiful. Keeping up with new products & finishes constantly coming into the market place is exciting and she enjoys introducing them into her designs and to her clients. She lives in Evergreen, CO with her husband Kevin, loves to vacation at the beach and boat in the summer!
