Otter Creek’s Design and Installation Process for Custom Closets

Your project starts with you in mind and we strive for the process to be easy, fun, and professional. The design consultation is where we’ll discuss key considerations including:

• Your intentions for the space or spaces including a complete inventory of the items you’ll be organizing and storing.
• Your style preferences for everything from finishes and hardware, to colors, organizational features, and accessories.
• Your own storage preferences. For example, do you like to hang clothing or would you rather store items flat and folded? Do you prefer drawers, open shelves, or a combination?
• The dimension of the target space or spaces and aspects such as doorways, light switches, outlets, laundry chutes, etc.
• Your budget.  We have a range of options and it is helpful to have a budget range to target.

Once we know exactly what you’re looking for, our designers will use a CAD program to create a custom design that makes optimum use of your space and includes user-friendly closet organization ideas based on our years of extensive experience. They will show you all the possibilities!

The rest is easy! Once you decide on a design we will schedule your installation within a couple of weeks.  It generally takes only a day or two for the actual closet system to be installed depending on the size of the project. Our installation process is actually a point of distinction for our customers who appreciate that our team is dedicated to installing closet systems every day and does not deviate between installing other product lines. This means that they are completed in the most efficient and informed manner possible and with consistent technique.

Let us help you make your closet dreams come true with our easy and fun process for designing and installing Custom Closets!
 

Inventory your wardrobe

Taking inventory of your wardrobe is one of the best ways to get started on organizing your closet; whether you are doing it yourself or having a professional do it.  It allows you to see what you have, what you should edit, and what you are missing.

It sounds easy enough but it can be overwhelming. Finding ways to simplify the process and have fun with it can make all the difference.  It is helpful to invite a friend to help since most folks are emotionally attached to items.  Having a non-partial opinion can help with the editing.  As a rule if it doesn’t fit, it is outdated, or if you haven’t worn it in a year, it is time to get rid of it!  A professional organizer can be a great resource as well and can easily help with this process.

A wardrobe inventory list is helpful.  That way you can easily see what you have and what you are missing.  If you are planning on installing a new closet system it will be easier to determine what you need for shelving, hanging, accessories, and shoes.

Make it fun!  Put on some music and invite that friend over.  Then empty out your closet completely.  As you are editing and inventorying, you can organize items by color and style.  This will be helpful in keeping the closet organized and save lots of time every day finding items.

Storage Solution Possibilities

Do you have a closet or space in your house that is maybe too cluttered or dysfunctional?  Or perhaps the space is serving too many purposes?  Well, you are not alone!  We all have at least one space at home that could be more organized and it’s not always the closet.  Maybe it’s time to consider more creative ways to organize and maximize your space.

Otter Creek Custom Closets is helping create solutions for all areas of the home. Understanding that every home is unique, it is our goal to provide you with our organizing expertise while keeping your personalities, style and needs in mind during the design process. So think outside the closet and consider these other storage solution possibilities:

Garage
The garage tends to be a great place for clutter since it is so multifunctional.  From sporting equipment, toys, yard equipment, and tools, it tends to be a dumping ground for everything.  Maximize all the space in the garage with a custom designed system to store each type of item.
Kitchen Pantry
The kitchen is easily the most used room in the house so efficiency is very important. Consider creating a pantry where everything is easily accessible. Slide out drawers, baskets for perishables, and other unique features will make life easier and more efficient in the kitchen.
Home Office
Combining function with elements of efficiency and flexibility that fit your work space is essential in a home office.  Often this space is shared and needs to meet the needs of both work and home.  Understanding exactly how you use this space is key to the design.
Mud Room
The mud room is a place of chaos and activity; a place that is demanding and ever changing due to the different seasons, activities, or just a drop zone for the miscellaneous.  Creating storage solutions for each individual is often the focus of this space.
Entertainment Center
Our closet systems can be built with crown molding and finished side panels to create a custom piece of furniture that is multifunctional.  Custom sized for TV and audio equipment, open shelving or cupboards with doors, and custom hardware are just some of the features. We can create a custom built-in that is a beautiful addition to any room.

So take a look at your home and where you can find creative ways to help with providing storage solutions that will make your life easier and save you time and stress.

January is National Get Organized Month.   Organizing your life can save you money, time, and reduce stress.  Here are some helpful tips on getting organized:

• Don’t try to organize the whole house in one day – getting organized is a process.
• Create a plan—one area, one closet, one room at a time and schedule a work session every week.
• Prioritize the areas by the degree of positive impact each one will make on your day-to-day life once organized.  Check each space off your list as you go.
• Start each area by emptying it completely.  Sweep, vacuum, dust, wipe down the walls, and apply a fresh coat of paint if needed.
• Separate the items into three piles – what is needed, what to give away (including anything that hasn’t been used in one year), and what to throw away (such as items in disrepair).
• Create a system – whether your system is custom closets or simple containers, make sure each item has a specific place of belonging that makes sense according to how and where it is used.
• Practice – live with the new system for a while and master it.  Remember, creating new habits takes time.

Otter Creek Awnings, Sunrooms & Custom Closets Association with Home Builders and Remodelers Association

Otter Creek Awnings has been a member of the Home Builder’s and Remodelers Association of Northern Vermont (HBRA) for the past 16 years.  They have sponsored the Vermont Home and Garden Show home show, an annual event in April at the fairgrounds, for 10 years, as well numerous socials and other events.

Otter Creek Awnings involvement with the association does not end with event sponsorships.  Todd Warren, Owner and President of Otter Creek, participates in Remodelers Council of HBRA and has served as Vice President and President of that Board.  Currently he serves as Vice President of Associates for the Board of Directors.  Stu McDonald, Closet Division Manager, is the current President of the Board.  Carol Carruth, Sales and Design Representative for Custom Closets, is a founding member of an affiliate chapter for HBRA in Waterbury.  Angel Goldsmith, Design Representative for Sunrooms, participates in the St. Albans chapter.  And Josie Palmer Leavitt, Marketing Manager, has worked on several committees and currently serves on the Board as well.  Otter Creek folks are clear about how HBRA benefits their business.  Todd explains, “Being a member of the Home Builders Association has been invaluable in growing our business at Otter Creek.  As a member we have built long term working relationships with many members and have also created friendships that will last even longer. HBRA members are the true professionals in our industry and we are proud to be included as part of that group.”

HBRA Holiday Party December 13, 2011

Last week Otter Creek folks attended the HBRA Annual Holiday party at the Catamount Country Club in Williston.   Pictured at the party is Elizabeth and Todd Warren, owners of Otter Creek and Paulette and Bart Frisbee, owners of Sterling Construction.

Carol Carruth of Otter Creek Custom Closets Officially Recognized for Her Proven Knowledge, Experience & Reputation

Carol Carruth earned her Certified Storage Designer Designation from the Association of Closet & Storage Professionals

Otter Creek Awnings, Sunrooms & Custom Closets, Inc. is proud to announce that Carol Carruth has joined an elite list of storage designers who have achieved Designer Certification status from the Association of Closet & Storage Professionals (ACSP), the trade organization for the custom storage industry.

“The ACSP is excited to add Carol Carruth of Otter Creek Custom Closets to our impressive list of Certified Storage Designers^SM,” said Diana Augspurger, Immediate Past President of the ACSP.  “After successfully completing a comprehensive application process, examination, and design challenges, Ms, Carruth is certainly deserving of this career-defining recognition for her professional achievement.”

“After years of hard work and dedication to my craft, I am so thrilled to be acknowledged by my industry as one of its most proven professionals,” said Carol Carruth, Certified Storage Designer^SM of Otter Creek Custom Closets.  “To be recognized by the ACSP as one of its certified designers is certainly a highlight of my career.”

ACSP Designer Certification is awarded at each of three certification levels – Registered Storage Designer^SM, Certified Storage Designer^SM, and Master Storage Designer^SM.  Certification is based on five criteria: knowledge, experience, education, client recommendation, and design.

“Designers certified by the ACSP truly are among the best of the best in custom storage design,” Augspurger said.  “When clients select ACSP-certified designers to handle their custom storage needs, they can rest assured they are working with the finest professionals who have invested in their trade knowledge.”

Elizabeth Warren an Ambassador at the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce

At Otter Creek Awnings most all of us volunteer or belong to one or several organizations.  Elizabeth Warren, co owner of Otter Creek, volunteers for the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce (LCRCC) as an Ambassador.   Otter Creek has been a member of the organization for years and Elizabeth has been on the Ambassador Committee for more than three years.

What is the role of an Ambassador?  Elizabeth explains, “Well, our main job is to help host the monthly Business After Hours Events.  We try and visit as many folks as possible and make as many introductions as we can.  You might also see us at the door greeting and giving out those drink tickets or selling raffle tickets for the 50/50.   Another aspect of our volunteer job is to call new members of the Chamber to welcome them, answer questions, and invite them to an event.  Many of us also support events with social media, especially Facebook and Twitter.”

In the spring the Ambassador Committee helps to plan and organize one of the Chamber’s largest fundraisers of the year; the Annual Ambassadors Silent Auction.  Committee members help by obtaining items, setting up for and working the event.  “The Silent Auction is a huge event, a lot of fun, and the highlight of the year,” says Elizabeth.

The Chamber is just one of many professional organizations that Elizabeth is involved with but it is one of her favorites. “Working with a terrific group of professionals who are committed to the Chamber makes for a very rewarding volunteer experience,” she explains.  For more information about the LCRCC contact them at www.vermont.org.

The Otter Creek Experience

At Otter Creek we are so intentional about how we do business that we came up with a name for it; “The Otter Creek Experience”.

Our goal is to make the process of working with our company easy, fun, and always professional. The experience beginning with a customer’s first call or visit and a greeting from Jennifer, our Director of First Impressions.  She will start folks out with preliminary information about awnings, sunrooms, or closets, and can schedule a free estimate.  The on-time arrival of our Sales and Design Representative sets the tone for a friendly and relaxed visit about product options, design details, pricing and the installation process. Completing the project with neatly dressed and professionally trained installers allows us to handle the details of any project from start to finish.

Upon completion of a project we send a survey to our all of our customers and track the results.  Over the last two year period we have received over 700 completed surveys.  From those surveys 99.1% of our customers would recommend us to their family, co-workers and friends.  Now that’s proof that “The Otter Creek Experience” is a positive one!

Please check out the attached video testimonial from one of our recent clients.

Looking for the Perfect Gift?

The best gifts are the ones you can appreciate each and every day.  Customized closets give you the gift of organization, luxury and beauty all under the same bow.  Gift certificates are available and installations can be completed at your convenience.  What more could you ask for in the “Perfect Gift”?

Otter Creek makes it easy!   Call for a free consultation at (888) 284-4680.  We can also ship gift certificates directly to you or just stop by our showroom on South Brownell Road in Williston.  Happy Holidays from Otter Creek!

Written by: Josie Palmer Leavitt & Elizabeth Warren

October 19, 2011 Elizabeth Warren presented “A Closet is a Terrible Thing to Waste”, at a luncheon for WBON.  The presentation was designed to give some helpful tips and tricks on organizing closets and talk about closet system options.

Elizabeth Warren from Otter Creek Awnings at WBON luncheon

Custom Closets Organize Your Home

This presentation made you think of more than closet space though!  “Think about an area in your home you wish were more organized. We all have at least one area, right?” Elizabeth asked the group going on to explain that, “it could be the entrance area, a mudroom, garage, workshop area, entertainment area, pantry, laundry area or our bedroom closets.” Elizabeth Warren then continued to explain why organizing could be important in your life,  “we are all juggling a lot and by organizing your home you can reduce stress and save time”.  Several options were discussed in detail from do- it -yourself  to professionally installed custom closet systems.

More Presentations on Organizing Living Spaces

If you are interested in having Otter Creek Awnings come to your event or office to give a presentation over the winter months, let us know.  We are happy to bring breakfast or lunch, and have presentations that range from a 10 minute company (or vendor) presentation to a 25 minutes informational presentation that focuses on helpful tips like the closet presentation.  You can contact me, Josie Palmer Leavitt at jleavitt@ottercreekawnings.com for more information.