PHA's Tidbits - San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City

Closet Makeover – Installation & Completion

Last week PHA explained the purge and sort process of going through your clothes…and other items stored in closets as the first step in your closet makeover.  We also showed you the designs that were accepted by the client. To view that post, click here...

The next step is to actually install the closet system…, Most older closets have a long pole, one or two shelves and sometimes a brace or two.  They also have three wood support pieces that the shelves sit on.  And, most times, these shelves and poles have been painted numerous times.  Removing the pole is easy – though you may need a hammer to loosen it from its brace. Next, take a utility knife and run it around the outline of the shelves and braces that need to be separated from the wall – it’s a good idea to put down a drop cloth before you begin so clean up of the paint chips is easier.

After the shelves and brackets are removed you will need to scrape off any rough edges, sand the area smooth, spackle to fill in dents and cracks.  When spackle dries, sand again and then you can paint.

Elfa Closet Systems from the Container Store are very easy to install.  There is a top brace bar that gets installed first, and then the horizontal bars hang off the brace.  Directions are provided and they are very easy to follow. And, while the directions indicate the install can be done in an hour, in actuality it takes 2.5 to 3 hours – and PHA’s crew has installed at least 50 of these systems over the years! The master closet system installed is above left, and the guest closet installed is on the right.

 Now it’s time to replace clothing and reveal to the homeowner! Always an exciting moment.  Our client was thrilled.  I happened to visit him three weeks after the install and he commented…. “I can’t believe how easy it is to maintain. Also, I’m no longer pulling a shirt from the bottom of a stack, messing up the others, to get what I want.“ And, while he still has some purging to do, overall, it is working much more efficiently for him. Especially with all the shoes off the floor.

Photo on the left is the master closet re-organized.

(BTW, the cost to redo both closets, materials - approx $2,250, including demo & painting, and organizing labor - final cost $2600.)

PHA can do this for you, too… mention this post and get a 10% discount on labor!