Mandi Focht’s Lehigh Valley franchise of the Closet Factory, a national brand, has been in her family since 1999. Along with her parents, sister and the dogs that roam the office, she designs and oversees construction of custom closet systems that make organization inevitable in their clients’ homes. Here’s
her insight on getting your house in order.
Declutter with Purpose
If you’re planning to implement an organizational system, you want to make sure it’s encompassing only what you truly need. The layout of your closet depends, as we’ll see later, on the extent of your wardrobe, and the same is true when it comes to shoe racks, garage shelving and storage solutions around the house.
“It’s about really being mindful of the things you have,” Focht says. “Do you use it? Can you donate it to someone so it would be of more use?”
From regifting to upcycling, there are many better options than a landfill, and a thorough evaluation of your things will clear the way to store the
rest efficiently.
The Custom Closet
Focht bemoans the typical setup in a closet. “A lot of homes will have just wire racks in a single row,” she says, “losing out on so much potential height or space below.”
Where we look into a closet and see pretty much what’s in front of us, Focht’s background in closet creation shows an opportunity for a combination of shelves, drawers and hanging areas that pack a wardrobe accessibly without an inch of wasted space. Consider the double-hanging area for shorter items, placing a row of shirts or hangered pants above another short row instead of leaving dead space underneath. “That allows us to add shelving and drawers,” Focht says.
A built-in hamper or a valet rod can also add functionality in a well-Tetris-ed space. The valet rod, if you’re not familiar, is the seemingly insignificant little item that clients tell Focht makes the most mind-blowing difference to their closets. A telescoping rod pops out to provide a temporary bonus spot to hang tomorrow’s outfit, travel bags or anything else you need handy.
Lifestyle Leads
To determine what combination of shelving, hanging space, drawer space, et cetera is needed in your closet is a very personal question. Do you like to hang more of your clothes up or fold them? Do you have a lot of watches that need a sectioned tray for best access? Do you have a massive shoe collection? Whether you like to get all your winter clothes out of the way in summer or just keep them in separate areas of the closet will determine what storage strategies you need.
“You don’t want to totally reinvent how you get ready,” Focht says, “you want to enhance it.”
You may do well with a streamlined look that keeps a lot of things out of sight, but some will certainly need to be able to see their options in order to use them effectively. With a functional, reachable and useable collection you can avoid silly mistakes like buying something you already have and wasting money.
Beyond the Closet
Focht doesn’t just consult on closets. Mudrooms, pantries, laundry rooms and drop zones are just some of the spaces that can benefit by intentional organization. The last spot you inhabit before leaving and the first when you return is a place where shoes, bags, coats and miscellaneous stuff can collect or scatter unhelpfully. “Who wants to come in and trip over shoes?” Focht asks.
Set yourself up for a soft landing and a sprightly launch with designated storage to tuck shoes out of the way, hang up backpacks and always be able to find purses and keys, and you’ll take overwhelm down a peg (pun intended).
The pantry is another area where cluttered shelves or cabinets can obscure resources and have you running to the store for yet another bottle of hoisin sauce without realizing you already have enough to open a restaurant. Try to purge the pantry and fridge every couple of weeks and store utensils and appliances
by frequency of use.
Multi-Use Space
With many folks working from home, the roles our rooms play can require a lot of flexibility. Focht sees clients working to delineate work space from family and home space, and also to keep making things comfortable for guests and family when that guest bedroom had to start moonlighting as a home office.
“A Murphy bed is a great way to maximize space,” she says. These wall-mounted frames fold down to reveal a bed which, contrary to what fuzzy memories of cartoon characters getting snapped inside might tell you, is fully functional and comfortable. A regular mattress can be used and serve as a great spot for guests to sleep as well as for multigenerational families making it work in the short or long term.
closetfactory.com/locations/allentown
Published as “Ask the Expert” in the May 2025 edition of Lehigh Valley Style magazine.
