Out of the closet and into the home

Susanna Woods of California Closets. FLORIDA WEEKLY PHOTO EVAN WILLIAMS It was closets Susanna Woods invested in 20 years ago when she bought a California Closets franchise in Fort Myers.

But things have changed in the past two decades. These days, the 30-year-old company that made its name transforming messy, inefficient spaces into wonders of organization and beauty, can whip just about any part of a house into shape. Garages, kitchens, bedrooms, sewing rooms, home offices - if it's organization that's needed, California Closets can deliver.

"It's been a great franchise that's evolved over the years into the whole home," Woods said. "We really try to help people change their lifestyle."

Now with a 7,000-square-foot local manufacturing facility and a showroom at the International Design Center on Corkscrew Road off I-75, the company has the ability to custom design storage space for anyone. Pull-out shelves, shoe rails, built-in seating, hanging rods and remote-control safes are a few of the available accessories. One woman even had a kennel designed for her three dogs.

"We understand space and the theory of organization," Woods said. "But based upon the customer's needs, we can design any piece."

There are styles to suit a variety of tastes, including traditional white cabinets and contemporary designs; cherry and maple are the two most popular woods they offer. A new line of products from Italy will be available starting in late February or early March, providing a wider variety of colors and textures. The point is to make your space look good.

"We try to visually make balance of it," Woods said.

California Closets' design consultants, who complete a six week training program before mentoring with established designers, work with each client. "When we go into someone's closet it could be designed 1,000 different ways," Woods said.

And the design is connected to your lifestyle.

"Some people only wear dresses and some wear separate pieces," Woods said.

Changes in the times also affect design. In 1988, women had an average of 20 pairs of shoes each, Woods said. Now they have 70. Growing wardrobes and how long you stay in Florida during the year all come into play. Are you a golfer? A businessman? How do you fold your pants? Do you empty the contents of your pockets on a bed-side table at the end of the day? These are all questions California Closets' consultants considers.

"We do wardrobe analysis for every customer," Woods said. "Then we look at the space and design it accordingly. And if they run out of room in their closet, we build outside their bedroom." That's what Woods did for herself. She lives in a 1940s home in Fort Myers, which came with small closets.

"It's not just designing the closets; it's designing the whole space," she said. "If someone's just dropped off 20 shirts at the dry cleaners, that's going to affect their design. Even to the point of, 'Do you have your shirts folded, or hang them?'"

They work with all kinds of clients. College students, families and dentists are among the spatially challenged.

Some customers might need a brief design consultation for a small storage space in the kitchen. Other larger projects require that the designer work directly with architects to design spaces, and choose colors and textures that flow throughout the home. Prices can range from a few hundred dollars into the thousands.

Woods recommends people purge while creating their living spaces- get rid of those superfluous suits and dresses you never wear.

"You don't need 15 white shirts," she said. "Decide what you really want to keep."

In 1999, Woods started Closets for a Cause. If customers want to get rid of their old clothes, California Closets gives them to a variety of charities. Besides serving a greater purpose, it helps people keep their spaces efficient.

Woods and her company in Fort Myers have worked with more than 21,000 individual clients over the years, she said. One was a college student who shared a closet with her sister. She had about 300 pairs of shoes and refused to get rid of any. For her, nothing could be done. But many customers keep coming back.

"Some of our designers have established a large clientele base, because we're expanding into so many areas of the home," showroom manager Michael Rabalais said.

And California Closets has expanded into many areas of the world: New Zealand, Australia, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.

"Canada is huge," Rabalais said.

Although the company has grown, some things haven't changed.

"The theory of space planning is exactly the same," Woods said. "We just have a whole lot more bells and whistles and accessories to meet individual needs and styles."