This closet organizer has over 5,000 reviews on Amazon—is it worth it?

Let me begin off by saying I’m sucker for a good closet system. What made it tough to maneuver out of my mother and father’ home a few years in the past was that I’d be saying goodbye to the custom-built California Closet they’d put in in my room (I imply, I’d miss my mother and father too, clearly, however I’ve amassed extra sneakers over the years than I do know what to do with). It was nearly genius the way in which they remodeled an empty house with the addition of some well-placed bars, cabinets, hooks, and extra.

I wanted to discover a method to recreate that on my very own—inside an affordable worth level. Enter Rubbermaid.

The fundamentals

You’ve most likely seen the model Rubbermaid floating round your miscellaneous Tupperware drawer. But they provide way more than meals storage: the model sells sheds (you heard that proper: purchase and build your own shed), cleaning supplies, water bottles and coolers, and extra—all fairly customary gear you’d want for on a regular basis dwelling. It’s thus not solely stunning one in every of their best-selling objects is a closet system. I imply, as we put together for the apocalypse, we want all of the storage we will get to fill up on canned items.

The model gives three forms of closets: The FastTrack system that options expandable all-in-one shelving, the Direct Mount system that features primary non-adjustable wire cabinets, and the Configurations system, the one I’ve full with bracket helps, dangle rod helps, telescoping rods and extra. While I want I had a extra eloquent response as to why I went with this one, it was all they’d in inventory at Home Depot on the time. But trying into their different two choices, I’m glad the one I selected represents a wholesome mixture of each adjustable and stuck shelving. It’s meant to suit into closets between six and 10 toes extensive, and its steel-based cabinets and hanger bars assist between 11 and 20 kilos.

What I favored about Rubbermaid Configurations Closet Kits

Credit: Rubbermaid

The principal factor I like about it most likely received’t apply to everybody: While the model claims, “rails, shelves, and telescoping rods can be set up in minutes with no cutting, using simple household tools,” I’m a bit of ashamed to say I employed somebody to put in it. Before putting in something heavy like this closet (which weighs 62 kilos as soon as assembled), it’s worthwhile to hammer and nail immediately right into a stud behind the drywall (this may be achieved utilizing a studfinder, which TBH seems like a relationship app I’d 10/10 join). If you don’t have studs behind your drywall you can hook your furnishings into, you’ll have to insert separate anchors to keep away from having your drywall ripped out of your wall.

I’m not a very swish particular person with a lot as a butter knife—I couldn’t belief myself to hit the nail on the pinnacle, so to talk. (And sure, I may have solicited my husband to do it, however we’ve discovered that constructing furnishings collectively places a really actual pressure on our marriage, so we figured the cost-benefit evaluation of hiring a handyman vs. a divorce lawyer made sense.)

My husband and I share a hole nook that connects immediately from our bed room into an en-suite rest room. When we purchased the home, it was utterly empty, so I like that this method made wonderful use of wasted house. This tells me a product like this may basically flip any previous nook in your house or small condominium right into a custom-built walk-in closet. Our handyman used a chainsaw to divide the shelving so we may place two models at reverse ends of our closet. My husband has round two toes of shelving since he owns like three shirts, and I’ve 4 toes of shelving.

My three ranges of cabinets home not less than 50 sweatshirts (it’s chilly in Canada, okay?!), and my hanger racks preserve not less than 20 button-downs and trousers crease-free. I additionally use the racks to hold objects I’d usually pile in a heap someplace, like purses, scarves, bras, and belts. Since having it put in seven months in the past, I’ve seen far much less muddle in my precise bed room. Wall shelving like that is additionally a good way to unlock some house in your chest of drawers or armoire, ought to they be bursting on the seams.

I additionally respect that the system is claimed to be customizable even after it’s constructed, which is why I’ve held on to some additional items I hadn’t used, simply in case I resolve to vary issues up.

What I didn’t like about Rubbermaid Configurations Closet Kits

Credit: Rubbermaid

If it looks as if I like having a closet system greater than I like having this explicit closet system, you’re not flawed. I don’t like that I felt intimidated by all of the choices. It felt like a really do-or-die scenario. Like, what if the configuration I selected will not be, actually, essentially the most economical use of house? Will I’ve to tear it out of my wall and begin over? In the model’s protection, that doesn’t appear to be their fault. I simply battle with making selections and sticking to them. I’m way more used to reorganizing free-standing furnishings to vary up a room’s vibe than resigning myself to 1 explicit look.

I used to be excited in regards to the prospect of putting cabinets in keeping with the place I felt in my coronary heart of hearts they belong, however I left it as much as the handyman. He’s an engineer by commerce, so I trusted him to have a way of how its items would make sense aesthetically and structurally. If you don’t have self-confidence points when it involves house repairs like I do, I’m positive you’ll have the ability to set up it your self with a fast YouTube tutorial beforehand.

I wouldn’t say the fabric itself is flimsy—it can assist the load of a complete well-fed toddler, in spite of everything. My principal quip is that the bottom of every shelf is made from wires separated a bit over one inch aside. That means if I stack a pair of heels on prime, the heel plunges proper by means of onto a decrease shelf, sullying clear garments. This requires I place a mat beneath every pair of sneakers, which isn’t significantly handy or simple on the eyes.

Another tiny challenge I’ve is, once more, solely my fault. I don’t love that I constructed my hanger bars only some toes from the ground. This means my blouses and scarves drag on the ground, which my cats interpret as essentially the most fascinating toy ever. However, it says quite a bit that the closet was capable of stand up to my cats swinging from my garments like Jane and Tarzan (they collectively weigh 22 kilos, in keeping with their final checkup).

Are Rubbermaid Configurations Closet Kits worth it?

Credit: Rubbermaid

Honestly, sure. I acknowledge how large of a luxurious it is to have the house to place up a wall-mounted closet within the first place, in order that in and of itself negates a few of my points with it. If you propose on utilizing the cabinets to retailer massive flat objects, like folded sweaters, then it’s an amazing guess. But for those who’re trying to make use of this as a kind of show case for smaller trinkets, cute little purses, or different equipment, you’re higher off in search of one thing with a strong flat base.

After testing a wide range of closer organizers, we dubbed the configurations equipment our runner-up. As our tester Rebecca Boniface notes, one of these closet is a greater concept for those who personal your private home or are planning to remain in a single place for some time, since it requires you to drill into the wall.

Its particular person compartments are of completely tremendous high quality, so the closet system may be very a lot what you make of it. I can’t say for positive how it’ll end up with out the assistance of a handyman as a result of, y’know, nervousness, however I think about you to tug it off.

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Prices had been correct on the time this text was printed however could change over time.