Closet Installation Tip - FastTrack

FastTrack Closet System is an alternate installation to our Direct Mount system, which uses back clips, support braces, and other hardware.  It is much easier to level the shelving and allows you to move shelving as needed. 

Below are some tips on FastTrack Closet Installation that should make assembly easier.  It is important to know that the 12" and 16" FreeSlide and Wardrobe shelving both use a 12" bracket.

1. Install the FastTrack mounting rail into the wall. Be sure to ensure that the rail is level. It is our recommendation to install into as many studs as possible and to use drywall anchors where studs are not available. * Install the hang rail at least 2" above the desired height of the top shelf.

2. Hang the FastTrack uprights on the mounting rail.  As long as the mounting rail is level, the uprights will be level. The uprights can be installed at a maximum of 36" apart, but we usually recommend 24" apart.  The uprights can be installed into studs, or into the drywall using a drywall anchor.

3. Attach the FastTrack brackets into the uprights. Hold the bracket at a 45 degree angle and align the bracket slots with the holes in the uprights. Insert the bracket into the upright and slowly angle it down until the bracket is level. You may need to tap it down using a rubber mallet to lock the bracket into place.

4. Install the shelf onto the brackets. Set the shelf on the brackets, aligning the wires from front to back in the bracket slots. Placing your hands on top of the shelf, push down and in so that the line wires (which run left to right) will insert into the notches on the brackets. If one of the line wires is not completely lined up, you will need to pull the whole shelf out and reinstall.

Below is a photo layout of how to install your shelf into the bracket:

Dean's Master Closet Makeover

This guest post is from Rubbermaid employee Dean who is a Research and Development Manager (think NEW products).

Everyone has a closet in their master bedroom; hopefully they don’t all look like mine used to:

We moved into our house in October of 2007 and started using the closet as a store all.  Living in the south on a flat piece of property prevents you from having a basement where you can store out of season clothes or other junk that I had in my master closet. Our closet is a decent size, but with all the mess, the size was reduced so you could barely walk in it. I have to say, these pictures were taken after a little cleaning was done. My wife wanted me to wait until it was more presentable before I took before pictures.

How did we let it get this bad?  I work for Rubbermaid, I should be more organized, right?  We moved down to NC from MA leaving all friends and family behind.  So when I arrive home from work, my job was to give my wife a break from my two sons (ages 3.5 and 5 years).  So I would come home, drop things off in the closet (out of site from the main leaving area).  We’ve made many new friends which we gladly gave our time to rather than cleaning the closets.  But we reached the breaking point.

I just had my third son at the end of March.  My mother-in-law came down to help out.  Lucky me, she was here for a month.  Really, I was lucky having her help. During the first couple of weeks, I knew I would be able to get some small projects done and then when my father-in-law joined her I knew I could complete my closet project.  In the weeks leading up to the big day, I was able to bring home catalogs of Rubbermaid’s closet systems and worked with my wife (between the hours of 10 PM and midnight usually – after the boys went to bed) to layout the melamine closet system we wanted.  I was fortunate to have access, as a test, to the system Builders use when designing and installing our high end wood closet products. Unfortunately it meant that I would have to install the closet on my own and not have someone else do it.

Everything arrived the week before my father-in-law showed up so I would be ready when he arrived to lend a helping hand.  The second big day was here (the real big day was the day my son was born 3 weeks prior).  I started cleaning/emptying the closet Saturday morning at 8AM.

By 4PM Saturday I had everything out of the closet and all the wire shelving pulled out. 
Then I started hanging the new system.

At 5PM Sunday I had an awesome closet my wife and I love.



You can’t see from these pictures, but there is now about a good 7 foot by 10 foot open floor space in the middle of the closet.  Plenty of room for changing or folding clothes to put away, or maybe add an island in the future.  My wife and I set a goal to keep the closet organized!

Another take away is the sense of accomplishment you get after completing such a project.  My wife likes to watch the TV show Hoarders and I pointed out that if you walked into our master closet before you would have thought it was from an episode of the show.  I’ve since brought home a couple of Rubbermaid HomeFree customizable closet kits to redo the kids’ closets.  I’ll let you know how that project turns out as I tackle it.

If you are interested in having someone come out and install this closet in your home, visit here to see if Rubbermaid has a professional builder in your area.

Organizing Kristine's Shoe Collection

A friend of mine, Kristine, is looking for a solution for her shoes that have gotten out of control.  I have attached her picture and also some Q & A that she and I have exchanged on the need for organization.


Why do you think you need a change with how these are organized?

• As you can see, I once had fixtures that temporarily worked but I have now outgrown them.

How many shoes do you want to store?  Are you open to donating some?

• I would ideally like to house 50 to 75 pairs of shoes...I know I need to get a little better at purging. I did recently go through and donate at least a dozen pair of shoes....I will weed through more this week.

Does the ideal solution need to fit in your closet?

• The entire room serves as a storage area / closet, so the solution doesn't need to fit in the closet. I do need something that goes in that corner of the room against the wall and there is some floor room that can be utilized too.

Any other considerations? Do you want them open or contained? 

• I want to be able to easily access them and be able to see what I have. I'm really not sure if I would prefer open air or a closed container for some of the shoes?  I trust you with what ever works best!  Maybe a combo but honestly what ever you think would work best and make the most sense for functioning and accessibility.

In your mind, does this need to look attractive or is functionality key?

• In my list of priorities how it looks is down the list.  Yes, it would be a plus if its cute but not worried about it at all...you see what I have now! :)

Anything else?

• This may be asking way to much....because I searched every container web site and couldn't find the solution. 

So, looking for input from our organizing experts out there !  Before I start designing and researching which Rubbermaid solutions can help, did I ask the right questions?  Anything else to consider?

Creating An Outdoor Closet

Monthly, I volunteer at a local homeless shelter (Samaritan House) in Charlotte which provides care for homeless guests who are recovering from a hospital stay.   As you know from previous posts on their dining room and basement, this program is located in an older home which causes lots of storage and organization issues. 

Recently, when I was working, the director, Miss Carrie, mentioned they were frustrated that they didn't have a place to store their outdoor equipment.   As she started, I was thinking they just need a simple storage shed.

She went out to describe what she wanted to store....outdoor tablecloths, outdoor decorations, cleaning supplies.  As she went on, I started thinking...wait, this needs to be really an "outdoor closet".   Luckily, Rubbermaid just came out with new Roughneck sheds.  The cool thing about these is that because they are double-walled (helps protect from the elements), they also have slots in the walls so that you can hang shelving or pegboard.  The benefit is that the shed doesn't become a disorganized dumping ground for stuff.  I thought this would be perfect for Miss Carrie's storage needs. 

I shipped a shed to them.  Luckily, when I called to see if it had made it, she said some high school kids who were volunteering put it together in less than a half hour!  Awesome...

When I got there though, they had just placed their stuff in it.  As you can see, this is not optimal for maximizing the organization potential. 

 

So, I installed a Homefree closet kit which I have a lot of experience with, and went on an organizing mission also using Roughneck totes to provide more storage for these items.  My part of the project took less than ten minutes.

Miss Carrie was so excited she had an organized home for her stuff, she gave me a hug.  In looking back, I realize I should have put labels on the totes for her.  I will be sure to tackle this next visit!

The Big O: Closets

Can you never find anything in your closet? Do you feel like you are not taking advantage of your closet space?

Well our knowledgeable closet brand manager Katie Parsons and professional organizer Monica Ricci shared their advice on The Big O: Organization podcast series on What Really Matters by vickyandjen.com. Here is the link to the show that Katie and Monica were on!!!

I'm listening to the end of the podcast right now and I have to say that it is packed full of advice. So download it and listen to it as you organize (or drive or clean or whenever!).

Happy Listening :)

I Heart My Closet (now)

I’ve wanted to redo my bedroom closet since I originally put it in. When I moved into my (very small) condominium four years ago, I installed basic wire shelving because that’s what I knew how to do. And that’s what you do in your closet, right?

   

Over the years, it became more and more apparent that my ‘design’ (consisting of an upper and lower shelf) was completely useless in terms of maximizing my space, and my poor closet became more and more of a disaster area. I was almost embarrassed for people to look at it, and getting dressed in the mornings took forever because I could never find what I wanted.Enter Rubbermaid Custom Closets 

Because of my job, I’m very lucky to see a lot of the product that we don’t sell in retail stores. In particular, we produce a high end wood closet system that we sell directly to contractors.

At the recent International Builders Show, we happened to have a pretty good amount of extra product, and feeling ambitious I snatched it up and brought it home. After one very long day of tearing out my pathetic attempt at a first closet, patching the walls, and installing the wood, my dream closet was born. I sat and stared at it for literally an hour. Now, my closet is something that I’m proud of, and I LOVE to remind my little sister about how ‘cool’ my closet is compared to hers.

My favorite part of the whole thing is the drawers. I’ve been able to empty out a lot of my dresser drawers and can now probably get rid of the entire piece of furniture – freeing up a lot of space in my small room. My dream closet is no longer just an aspiration; it’s my favorite part of the house.

Side Note – I’m taking your blog advice, Megan, and using hooks on the back of my closet door for necklaces! Thanks for the great idea!       

      

 
 
 
 
       

 

 

Baby Steps to a Better Coat & Game Closet

Like most people, our coat closet does not just house coats. It holds board games, shoes, a vacuum, my yoga mat and of course plenty of coats. I thought it was time to reorganize a bit...I found these easy steps online and pretty much followed them one by one. They are very basic and simple, but it helped to get my coat closet in much better shape.

The one shelf in the closet was a complete mess. It was like a game of jenga to get things down! When sorting through it, I found hand weights, a puzzle, an umbrella, several decks of cards, a poker chip set, empty gift boxes and even an old winter coat and ski pants wrapped up  tightly in a plastic bag (upper right corner). 

  

On the floor, the vacuum was taking up a lot of space because it has a rather large footprint in an awkward shape. I was trying to use a cardboard shoe holder (on left) for tennis shoes, sandals and other random things. The yoga mat was standing between the shoe holder and the vacuum, loosely rolled and not in its case.

 
 
I also found wrapping paper in the corner. (....which led me to my detour project in the middle of this: wrapping paper roundup!) My tennis shoes were NOT working out with this method - some were falling out, and I had shoved others on top. The flip flops fit well into the compartments, so that was plus.....I guess...? 

I got out my shoes and the shoe holder to assess the situation there. It is a good place for us to keep our sandals that we slip on to run out or go get the mail, so the shoe holder was going to stay. (I do need to paint it or something because that floral pattern is not my fave!) I just need to figure something out for my tennis shoes. 

I took all of the coats out to see if any could go to Goodwill. No dice. We actually wore everything that was in the closet. I put them back in order by length: vests together, short coats together and long coats together.

At this point, I found a tote that was going to be the home for my tennis shoes for now. I feel like it's not the best solution, but it will keep them together and from falling out all over the place. In reality, I probably need to only keep 1-2 pairs in the coat closet - the ones I wear most often - and put the others up in my bedroom closet.

With the closet empty, I took this rare opportunity to vacuum the floor and wipe down the baseboards and walls inside the closet. Now was ready to put everything back in...

I stacked the games in two piles on one side of the shelf up top. We don't use the games very often, so they can be stacked high. When I need one, I can always get the step stool. At least now they are neat and sturdy - no more jenga stacks! I used a small plastic bin (on right) for our decks of cards. The coats are arranged by length: short things on the left above the shoe holder and long coats on the right.

   
On the floor, the shoe holder is still there. I feel like there is a better solution, so I will keep looking around for other ideas. I found several options online, but I'm not sure if any of them will work for me. I like it for now to hold our most-used sandals, and I also put the hand weights in the bottom compartments since they were the heaviest. In another closet I found some resistance bands and small dumbbells, so I put those in the other compartments along the bottom. My yoga mat is now in it's carrying case and leaning in the corner (which you can't see in the pic). The tennis shoe bin and the vacuum fit next to each other, and when we need to get the vacuum out, we will slide the shoe bin out for easy access.

Through this process, I realized a few things:

1. It might be best to find a new home for our vacuum since it is the biggest, most awkward item that takes up the most room. Also, the height of it doesn't make it the best fit in the coat closet. We vacuum the most downstairs, which is why we have stored in the coat closet.

2. I need to find a new shoe/sandal holder or put in some shelves on the bottom. My husband and I need to pick only one or two pairs to keep in the coat closet that we wear the most and move all others up to our bedroom closet. 

3. If we can find room in another closet, it would help to store heavy winter coats somewhere else in the off-season.

I realize that my coat closet is in better shape than it was, but I still think it needs some work. Please let me know if you have any ideas or suggestions. Hopefully I will have another post in the future about my new & even more improved coat closet!

Build Your Own Organization

Has anyone ever seen the site Ikea Hacker ?

This shoe closet is PRETTY sweet. We've been talking about doing a shoe closet forever now (my lovely husband's idea), so imagine my shock and jealousy that not only has someone else THOUGHT about it.. but they've done it! I'm totally going to snag some of his ideas: lighting, belt rack, and bag rack. Thanks for the inspiration, Phillip!
 
One of my co-workers, Jamie, is a big fan of this blog. After getting inspired (not by the shoe closet) from the whole idea of customizing your organization solution, he took some Rubbermaid shelves bolted them together to make a work table, with storage underneath. (Kinda like a dude's version of a craft table). 


 

He's a crazy-creative type that in his spare time does original screenprints. Notice all the screenprinting paraphernalia around his custom creation. Check out the his work (that was made on this Rubbermaid DIY table) here, at Human Shaped Robot.

Pretty crafty!
If you are handy, consider DIY-ing a custom organization solution for yourself. Sometimes the best organizational solutions are something you create yourself.Has anyone else not been able to find or afford a solution, and has built one themselves?
   

Small Place = Little Storage Space

While I love having my own apartment, I struggle to find places for all of my stuff.  And, to be quite honest, I didn't realize just how much stuff I had until I tried to find storage space in a one bedroom apartment.   What genius do I thank for creating closet doors (how else do I hide the clutter)??

   

 
  
 The space in my hall closet was huge when I moved in, but as the middle shelf became a catch-all for any miscellaneous bathroom junk (the dish pan contained it a little bit) the closet just became a disaster area hidden by bi-fold doors.  The area on the back of the toilet held items I used every day, and also a few things I forgot that I had purchased, and was becoming overwhelmed with anything that didn't fit under the sink.

With the help of the #1H31 Adjustable Over the Door Organizer and the #1H32 Under Shelf Basket, I was able to de-clutter, purge items I didn't use, and organize these two areas to better utilize the little storage space I have.

In the top metal basket I opted not to use the 1/2 plastic basket available so that I could store my wash cloths.  This door, which I never open as it hides my water heater, is in between my bathroom and the storage closet in my hallway.  It was perfectly placed to be able to store all my hair products that I use throughout the week, having thrown away the items that I haven't touched since before the dawn of time. Having the plastic insert is ideal as I can take it out of the metal attached portion to have in the bathroom, and put back when I'm done.  The bottom basket is my new "manicure" safe haven  - containing my nail polish, remover, and all the necessities needed for a good mani/pedi.  Again, with the plastic basket being mobile, I can take everything with me to the couch, the bed, the pool, or the porch. 

  

My storage closet now utilizes the sliding basket (below the green pan in the top right hand corner) to hold my dryer sheets, Tide Stain pens, and the like.  I was able to put all my bath towels on one shelf, freeing up the top shelf to store items that I don't usually need to reach every day.  The middle second shelf down is able to hold my laundry supplies, hand towels, and bathroom refiils (like Q-tips, face wipes, etc).

The storage basket at the back of the toilet was freed of its mayhem and now holds every day items like mouth wash, face astringent, and hairbrushes.  And, it's no longer bulging at the seams from being overstuffed with whatever didn't have a home. 

Now, the remaining challenge - can I maintain this little bit of control on my clutter???

Wrapping Paper Roundup

When I set out to organize our coat/game closet, it ended up [practically] forcing me into another organization project. In the coat closet, I found a couple roles of wrapping paper, leaning in the corner against my poor attempt at organizing my shoes...

I set them aside as I went through the rest of the stuff in the closet. I went upstairs to find a few various items in closets up there, and I found more roles of wrapping paper in two different closets. I also found a Rubbermaid gift wrap organizer, still in the package (I meant to get it out during the holidays, but obviously that never happened.). I thought, "Might as well!" so I grabbed all of my gift bags from another closet, and I was on my way to a detour: organizing my wrapping and gift supplies.  

Previously, my gift bags were housed in bigger bags with handles. I did have quite a lot of gift bags, but they were all mixed up. I had a variety of wrapping paper: christmas, happy birthday, baby, generic...and I managed to find a handful of bows leftover from the holidays as well.

I know our product of the gift wrap organizer is hard to find these days. When looking online for similar products, I found this one from the Container Store and this one on another site, which are both portable with handles. Another blog post I found had some other good ideas and links too. There were various options for bins and boxes that helped organize gift wrapping supplies from Walmart and Target, but they were not as customized. 

All of my wrapping paper (probably 8 rolls or so) fit just fine, and all of the compartments worked great. I put markers, tape and scissors in one pocket, scrap pieces of paper in another, bows in another, and all of gift bags fit in the pockets. Everything fit with room to spare! I even folded up my extra tissue paper and gift boxes (not bags, flattened boxes) and put them above the rolls of wrapping paper. After rounding up all of my gift wrap supplies that were strewn all over the house (unbeknown-st to me before starting my coat/game closet org project), I now have them in one, organized place!