Designing an Efficient Space with California Closets

* See this post to see the AFTER of the closet!

Thank you California Closets for sponsoring this post.

Top: Alice + Olivia / Pants: Anthropologie / Bracelet: India Hicks

You know that Friends episode, “The One with the Secret Closet” where they discover organized OCD Monica happens to have this locked closet full of “feminine products” and by the end of the episode they discover it’s filled with disorganized chaos? Well, this is mine, in my office, my office closet!

I’m going to finally show you, as it is now, eek. This is super embarrassing to me because everything I share is usually clean, staged, all nice and orderly. I wouldn’t dare show you something unattractive that doesn’t leave you inspired, but the truth has to come out because I need help and there’s good news – there’s a solution at the end of this post that shows what my closet could look like with the help of California Closets.

Silvia, a consultant with California Closets in Scottsdale came over to design a customized storage solution – they are free consultations! The most amazing thing, she designed it during our time together and I got to see it right away, which means yes, you get to see it too!

We talked about how I use the space, and she did some measurements. Silvia bounced a few ideas off me and I loved them all! I mean really she had a solution for every problem I had. She saw I had my printer crammed on a shelf and suggested  having it slide out so I can use it and scan it. Also a charging station for a counter – iPad and an area where I can put my batteries. AND keep my wardrobe in there for clothing for the blog posts.

My sewing machines could also have cubbies for storage as well as my camera bodies. And a pull out drawer at waist level for all my camera lenses for easy access! It was like she knew all the ways to organize – and she’s European so you know they pack things into small spaces!

After measurements were taken, with a handy device that confirmed it, Silvia and I went over the different finishes.

I liked the second level, the Lago with the textures, and thought white and gray would be so nice. There are many finishes to choose from, clean simple white to textures imported from Italy and lifetime warranty too! I envisioned a textured white being the majority of the closet, with the textured gray cabinet fronts and brass pulls I could source on my own (my choice) and the installers could install them the day of.

We talked about the way the cubbies would look and some closet examples to make sure we were on the right track.

California Closets’ professional design consultants will collaborate with you so you can create a custom design that meets your needs and reflects your style. Your constant can also help with ideas on how to work within your budget. You can also get consultation on more than just a closet, you can ask for help with pantries, media centers, mudrooms, and garages.

Once you sign a contract it takes 3-4 weeks but you will know immediately your install date so you can plan for it. You just need to prep your space clean so the installers can come and they compete it in one day! If there are outlets to be added, you could do so with an electrician ahead of time, there are plans that can be given to your electrician so he knows exactly where to put it before install.

Silvia also had the most amazing idea of having an electrician come out (we have a great one) and he could install a few outlets for my charging station, the printer, and also the light sources, I could finally have lights in there with a switch of a button!

She put in a few things in her laptop and then –

Wow! And it also rotated so it was 3D and I could see what it looked like. This was like love and first sight. Silvia sent me the links later that day so I could look at them myself and share them. I love how speedy she was because we know when we are eager to get organizing in our life, we want solutions immediately.

If you look at the designs, the top of the closet there is some space where I could put my tripods, wrapping paper, anything long that could be stored up there. I’m swooning and envisioning all the items I own in there, it makes me so happy!

The shelving for the cubbies move. I also made two of the cubby drawers slide out for camera bodies so I could reach for the right ones easily. And the counter height charging station is amazing and also the rest of the shelving up top could hold my work bags and it recedes so it’s not in my face, you can see the image to the right. I couldn’t have even imagined this for my little reach-in closet!

I want! I want!

Check out this full-length closet transformation video, featuring Marie Kondo, have you read her book? I read it in a day and loved it, and I am obsessed with her method – watch her help transform a closet and her process!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.