Closet photos courtesy of Rick Brady
Recently, The Container Store collaborated with Westfield Annapolis Mall (home to one of our newest store locations) and the professional organizers at Systems by Susie on a fun and unique giveaway: a brand-new Elfa space makeover for a military veteran. After considering the many deserving entries we received, it was the story of the Swick family that stood out to us the most.
Laura and Bill Swick are both Navy veterans. Laura served as a Naval nurse for four years, and her husband Bill served over 24 years--first as an officer and then as a professor at the Naval Academy. Several years ago Bill underwent surgery to treat a rare herniated spinal cord injury, and while he was expected to recover quickly, he was unfortunately left paralyzed from the waist down.
Despite the incredible challenges they've faced over the past few years, the Swick family has continued to persevere. Laura educates the couple's six children at home, and Bill works as a high school math teacher and cross-country coach. The family is in the process of modifying certain parts of their home to make it more accessible for Bill, so we felt that one of the best ways to help would be to transform Bill and Laura's closet.
The Systems by Susie team has worked with us on several special organization projects in the Annapolis area.
First, our experienced Custom Closets Design Specialist Sydney Toups-Lathlean and professional organizer Susie Salinas worked with the couple to determine a closet layout that would be better suited to Bill's needs. Next, our amazing installers came in and assembled the Elfa components. (Bill and Laura chose Elfa Ventilated Wire Shelves with White Décor Fascia.) Then, Susie and her team from Systems by Susie carefully organized the contents of the Swicks' closet.
The Systems by Susie team hard at work on the finishing touches.
In addition to the closet, the organizers also set their sights on the Swicks' bedroom and bathroom, creating easily accessible storage solutions for medical equipment, toiletries, and other items. "Our goal was to have Laura and Bill's bedroom and closet feel like a sanctuary and an escape from the struggles they face on a daily basis," Susie explains. "We wanted to create an accessible yet calm and serene space that would enable Bill to be more self-reliant. As with any space, when you create clear zones, use the right size containers, and label everything, you'll have a beautifully organized space that will be easy to maintain over time." Once everything was in place, the outcome was breath-taking!
The most important factor in the closet's design was its ease of access. Our Custom Closets Design Specialists worked to ensure that not only would Bill's clothes be easy to reach, but also that the space would be both wheelchair and walker-friendly.
Near the closet's entrance, rows of Elfa shelves provide much-needed linen storage. Bath towels are neatly folded and stacked on the lower shelves so Bill can grab what he needs, and the family's blankets and sheets are sorted accordingly into labeled Montauk Woven Storage Bins.
Bill's shirts hang from Natural Wooden Hangers on the lower portion of the back wall, and the upper shelves hold Montauk Cubes and Bigso Light Grey Stockholm Boxes filled with seasonal accessories such as hats, gloves, and scarves. A cushy chair in the back-right corner, carefully selected by the physical therapists at Stay At Home Safely and positioned between a bank of Elfa Drawers and the low closet rod will allow Bill to reach all his clothing and get dressed while sitting comfortably.
Bill and Laura share the Elfa space on the closet's right side wall. The upper shelves hold boxes of Laura's seasonal clothes and accessories, and she also has closet rods lined with Non-Slip Velvet Hangers for both short and long hanging garments. Numerous Elfa Drawers feature dividers and organizers that neatly sort the couple's folded clothing and undergarments. And sitting on a shelf above the drawers, Bill's caps are stacked into two Manhattan Open-Front Bins.
For the Systems by Susie team, the best part of the experience was witnessing the delight on Laura and Bill's faces as they entered their newly-upgraded closet for the first time. They marveled at how much the space had improved, and several of their children joined them to celebrate. "I didn't know a closet could make you cry," Laura says happily. "It's crazy beautiful!"
We'd like to give an extra special thanks to Systems by Susie and Westfield Annapolis Mall for the opportunity to make this all possible!
And to Bill and Laura--we hope you enjoy your new closet. After spending so much time serving your country, thanks for allowing us to serve you!
