The Container Store

The Container Store may be a strong contender for "a shopper heaven". I visited two of their stores several times in the last few months, and the associates there were super friendly and helpful. I ordered Elfa shelves for several rooms in my house at their Paramus NJ store. The person who took our order and designed the shelves configuration was patient, helpful, and cheerful. I made several smaller purchases at their 6th Avenue store in Manhattan. In the last visit one of the associates noticed that I was carrying an overfull shopping basket, and he suggested to bring me a cart to make my purchase easier. What a service!

There are a few things you need to keep in mind when you shop at the Container Store:

• The Elfa shelving system is especially good for kid closets, because you can reconfigure the shelves as the kids grow and their storage needs change. For example, you can make more room for hanging longer clothes. You can also move components from one closet to another.
• The Elfa shelving system is about as expensive as a traditional built-in closet system. We got both a traditional design and an Elfa system design for a master walk-in closet and two regular closets. The prices are similar if you use Elfa's ventilated shelves.
  
• The Container Store owns the Swedish manufacturer of Elfa systems. Thus there are a few components that are only available at the Container Store and not at other retailers. For example, the mesh drawers without the decorative frames.
• The designers in the store have much experience in configuring an Elfa system to fit your particular needs. You just have to measure your closet or wall precisely and read the catalog to have some idea of the possibilities. Expect to spend about 25 minutes to design each and every closet.
• If you place a large order in the store, you can ask them to deliver the order to your home for a flat fee (I think it was $75). It is much cheaper than ordering the same items on-line and paying UPS shipping for individual items.
• You can place an order 0n-line and pick it up at any store. You do not pay shipping or handling for this option. Your order will wait for you at the agreed time.
  
• If you make a large order of an Elfa shelving system, it may make sense to ask for a professional installation. I think that most homeowners can install the Elfa system by themselves, but a professional installer will save you much time. You pay 30% of the component price for the installation.
• The Container Store has a yearly 25% off month-long sales event in September/October for all Elfa system items.
• Do not order long (top racks, standards) from their web site. These items are shipped by UPS from Texas. I found in two cases that they do not pack long items well. They placed the long items loosely in a tall box. The items rub against each other during shipment, and the epoxy coating was damaged a little.