Suburban Home & Garden Resource Guide

Buks County edition

"Helping you take the first step to a clutter-free life."

Each and every morning, you begin your day in your closet. If you can’t find what you’re looking for and you’re rumbling around in your closet getting frustrated, that’s how your day continues. But imagine if you started your day in a beautifully appointed closet that was created just for you — with your sweaters neatly folded and color coordinated, and your shoes lined up just so.

“When everything is where it needs to be, then your day starts out perfectly,” says Janet Stevenson, design manager for Closet City, a closet and organizational supply manufacturer in Montgomery County. “It’s a feeling you carry with you throughout the day.” Stevenson knows what she’s talk-ing about — she has 25 years of experience in the closet designing and manufacturing business.

One of the things she likes best about her job is helping customers set their priorities for a space. “From our initial consultation, we analyze the client’s needs and determine what design works best for the space that is available,” she says. “Then we see if there are extra things we can do in that space to make it even better!”

To reduce unwanted clutter, Stevenson recommends that her clients go through their items twice, once as they empty the original closet, and again as they start to fill it back up. As hard as it may seem, that means getting rid of items that haven’t been worn or used in years. She’s found that once they see their beautiful closets installed, they only want to fill them with their most favorite wardrobe items.

One recent project that Closet City has taken on is designing a space at the Bucks County Designer House & Gardens, currently running through May 27th at Foxbriar Farm at Peddler’s Village in Lahaska. Stevenson’s task was to hide some conspicuously placed electrical wires and copper washer-and-dryer hookups. What was once an eyesore is now covered in luxurious custom cabinetry — and no one is the wiser.

“Closet City is best-known for the work it does to closets, but, truthfully, we’re very involved in all aspects of interior design,” she says. “Even when it’s not a closet, we do what we can to make a space both beautiful and functional.”

Closet City’s most popular products are its affordable, 3/4-inch, furniture-grade, melamine laminate, custom closet systems. Pre-finished woods, wood veneer, and paintable wood-grade products are also available for higher-end projects. Add a countertop in upscale materials like Corian, granite and marble, or truly personalize your space with organizing must-haves like shoe holders, jewelry trays, clothes hampers, and ironing boards. Closet City is constantly testing products to bring its clients the most innovative organization accessories available in the marketplace.

Stevenson is a board member of IFDA (International Furnishings and Design Association), an Industry Partner in ASID (American Society of Interior Design), and a member of ACSP (Association of Closet and Storage Professionals). Each of these memberships require that businesses hold themselves to a higher standard of professionalism. Closet City has been a long-standing member of both design associations, and has found it extremely rewarding to extend that high level of service to its customers. Closet City organizes everything from closets to children’s playrooms, laundry rooms to home offices. Stevenson is a regular presence at retirement communities, where she often helps residents and their children with the process of moving and organizing a lifetime’s worth of mementos. “No matter what stage of life you are in, we try to create as much space as possible through closets, built-ins, window seats, storage areas and cabinetry,” she says. “When you’re living in an organized space, it just makes your life better.”