These shelving units are a tried-and-true, cost-effective way to take advantage of vertical space and store many different items in a home or business.  As professional organizers, we routinely recommend these shelves to clients for many reasons:

•     They maximize use of vertical space in a way that few other solutions    can with so little work and cost;

•     They are very strong and durable;

•     The shelves are height-adjustable, so they can be positioned at intervals which make sense for the dimensions of the items you’re storing;

•      The shelves can be stationary or mobile, depending on your situation (locking wheels are often included, if not you can purchase wheels separately)

•      Some units come with plastic shelf liners so small items won’t fall through the bars (if not included, these liners can often be purchased separately);

•      The metal bars are trim, which means they don’t impede access to shelf contents, and they let light through which makes it easier to see everything;

•      They can be put together relatively quickly and easily (around 20 minutes), and require no tools (although having a rubber mallet can be handy);

•      They are competitively priced (around $90-100) for the value they deliver;

•      The standard 18 x 48 x 72 unit can be purchased locally at stores like Costco or Sam’s Club or Lowe’s, so it’s easy to pick one up on short notice;

•       They are available in any number of dimensions from stores like Target and companies like ULINE and Global Industrial, allowing them to fit in almost any space or hold items of unusual sizes.

Building these shelves requires a bit of physical strength and dexterity. It’s usually easiest for two people to build the unit together. After you’ve built one, you get the hang of it and you become quicker at building subsequent shelves. One final word of advice: when you get back from the store, rather than hauling the heavy box into your home or office and then unpacking the pieces, we recommend opening the box right in your vehicle and carrying the individual pieces inside to the location where you will be building and using the shelf; it’s much easier on your back this way.

 

This Product Review was submitted by Chapter Director of Communication and Technology, Nia Spongberg, who is a Certified Professional Organizer® and owner at Spruced Up Spaces, LLC.