Organizational closets cut through clutter

By Jomay Steen, Journal staff | Friday, February 01, 2008

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While some people are making resolutions to keep their homes organized for the New Year, two Rapid City couples are relying on their home closet units to make organization a snap.

After raising their seven children, Bob and Pat Kenner decided to sell their home five years ago and move to a new condominium. Before they had even taken one step into their new home, Bob Kenner had Mike Rowe of Midwest Closet Company install a customized closet unit in their closets and storage units for their garage of their new condo.

“I don’t know what I would have done without them,” Bob Kenner said.

“We just love it. He did beautiful work,” Kenner said of Rowe.

Pat and Karen Vidal installed the same sort of storage and shelving units in both of the last two homes that they’ve owned.

“They’re great,” Pat Vidal said.

While the organizational units doubled the storage space of his closets, it also adds value to the home, Vidal said.

“There’s no doubt about that,” he said.

Describing himself as a very organized person, Vidal had had the units installed at a former home to help keep his children’s rooms a little more neat.

“If you’re an organized person, you want these things. The kids will still throw stuff on the floor, but at least their closets look nice,” he said.

Vidal also had installed shelving and storage closets in his home garage, which he has packed with tools, luggage, Christmas decorations, tax records and anything else he needs to store.

“I can actually walk freely around my cars in the garage,” he said.

Rowe, 55, owner of Midwest Closet, started his company a decade ago. Having worked in the construction business for quite a few years, he knew that the closets weren’t given much thought. Many carpenters were anxious to get on to the next project instead of putting extra time into closets.

“Builders are still more concerned about curb appeal rather than function,” he said.

Yet, home owners and customers wanted more than just a rod and shelf in their closets.

A customer of Rowe’s brought back some information about shelving and storage units from Denver for the Rapid City carpenter to consider when fabricating a new design for a closet.

“We looked at a little bit. Then we used it on their closets,” Rowe said.

It was such a success that the brochure became their blueprint for other closet projects and led to the business’ specialty.

Rowe said if people are considering building a new home, it would be wise to consider installing the organizational units and shelving, and to also consider them for linen, pantry and hall closets and in the garage.

Depending upon size, need and accessories, plan to spend about $800 for a walk-in closet, or $50 a foot. In a garage with bare walls, an enclosed storage unit with adjustable shelving and bonus wardrobe space will cost about $125 a foot.

From design to installation, allow two to three weeks. Do-it-yourselfers should count on doubling that time and allowing three to four weeks. While Rowe’s crews have worked under a variety of conditions, Rowe hints that it is easier to install the units when the garage or closet areas are cleared out and crews can have complete access to them.

Rowe said people should clear out the garage of anything that they haven’t used in a while, separating the items into two boxes.

“Send one to the Salvation Army, and keep one box for hand-me-downs,” he said.

That organizational tip is on the house, he added.

A five-step plan to clean a child’s room

Marcia Ramsland, speaker, author, professional organizer and advisory board member of “The Housekeeping Channel,” has provided some tips on getting children to clean their rooms. Ramsland said telling kids to clean their rooms is too broad a directive.

A more focused approach will achieve better results.

“Direct your child to one specific task: ‘Go make your bed’ or ‘put away all your clothes’ or ‘clean everything off the floor,’” she said.

She offers five steps to a clean bedroom:

1. Make the bed first since it’s the largest surface — the room is now 50 to 70 percent clean.

2. Put everything on the floor away; start at the doorway and move everything (besides obvious trash) from the floor to the bed.

3. Clean up the rest of the room in three categories: clothes — put in hampers or away in drawers and closet; papers and books — organize papers in notebooks or a file and place books on shelves; toys or favorite collections — place on open shelves.

4. Add one extra cleaning area per week after the above three steps, including desktop, dresser top, nightstand and closet.

5. Empty the wastebasket often.

Organizing expert Emily Barnes said if you work orderly, you will think orderly. Orderly habits at home can be a great academic help for kids.

“Children don’t do what you expect, but what you inspect. So check on any cleaning they do,” she said.

Contact Jomay Steen at 394-8418 or jomay.steen@rapidcityjournal.com.