“Can we just talk about those plastic Target trays?” asked Alex Rush, a professional organizer and owner of the storage consulting company Spruce NYC. “I like to think head, shoulder, knees and toes when organizing, and those trays, they’re actually acrylic, they work. They’re stackable and allow the owner to just see everything they own.”
Ms. Rush, based in New York, specializes in the kinds of small spaces typically found in urban homes. And she often focuses on options beyond plastic trays or custom Millie & Noah boxes (although she said one of Ms. Tran’s jewelry boxes, a gift from her husband, was “the best organizational thing that’s ever happened to me”).
“I always ask my clients what they have that they love,” said Ms. Rush, 37. “Old Gucci shoe box, great! We can turn that into an accessories box. Vintage briefcase or trunk, yes! That can absolutely hold different sized dividers. The key is to separate every watch, every piece of jewelry so my client can open whatever receptacle and see their collection. Only then will they wear it.”
Evoking Emotion
Yet those watch collectors or jewelry fans who can afford closet customizations often see them as part of a way to create some structure in their lives.
Sarah Solis, 46, said she has been perfecting a hybrid closet/work space since 2017, when she began Sarah Solis Design Studio in Malibu, Calif. “Your trays of watches or jewelry don’t just go in one place and your shoes in another,” she said. “I’m tapping into that nostalgia of an old world dressing room to create an experience and a framework to give story to your daily routine.”
Ms. Solis said she believes that her closets evoke emotion, largely through the kinds of locks or fastenings that she installs, as well as the fabrics, such as the soft velvets and suedes, that she uses to line drawers. “A really nice beige or off-white makes watches, jewelry and accessories really pop,” she said.