A few years ago, I purchased EasyClosets systems to increase the utility of closets in a 1950's-era ranch. It worked out pretty well. The systems are easy to install (the hardest part is probably finding your wall studs, followed by cutting the metal closet rods to length - or vice versa, if you're not comfortable with a hacksaw), and they provided a lot of extra hardware for putting the pieces together. One closet really fought me on the installation of the top shelf pieces, I suspect because the back wall was a bit bowed, but the other three units installed without problem. I didn't order any components with drawers, as I just don't trust cam locks and MDF to provide durable, long-lasting drawers. The biggest problem I've had was when disassembling and removing a unit to repaint the closet, a cam lock got stuck and ended up breaking a pretty large chip out of one of the shelves. It's at a bottom, back corner so with a bit of epoxy it's barely noticeable, but it's a reminder of one of the drawbacks of that type of assembly. In use, the closets have proved very durable, and they made the closets a lot more functional. My preference would be to have a similar system in solid wood for my current home; I now have walk-in closets that could use some TLC, but I would be reluctant to remove the (paint grade, pine) shelving that's currently in place to install something other than another solid wood product, and I wouldn't mind adding some drawers or cabinetry where I would want some quality joinery as opposed to screws or cam locks. If you're going for pure "bang for the buck", Rubbermaid closet kits are a lot cheaper - albeit more cumbersome to install and a lot less attractive. The EasyCloset systems proved to be a selling point when we moved; they looked pretty much as good as new, the hardware components (belt rack, tie rack) are quite solid, and while the closet systems are recognizably melamine they blended quite well with the natural oak in the house, including the closet trim.

Carolmka, I will try searching the Organizing forum, thanks. I considered Elfa because it is a very nice looking, flexible system. We know from experience that we want half of the hanging space to have 1 shelf and rod and half to have 2 shelves and 2 rods, and it will cost less to have our cabinet maker or GC build and install the simple elements we want.

Sorry for the late reply. I decided to drive 3 hours over the weekend to visit the closest IKEA and The Container Store. We decided to go with Ikea PAX for the kids' closets. Even with the 30% off ELFA sale, we were able to get more bang for our buck with Ikea. I think we will have to do a tiny "hack" to get PAX to work the way I envision, but I think it will get the job done. The sales rep called it a "hack", but I don't think the extra steps are enough to call it a true hack. I'll know once I install them. :) I haven't purchased anything for my master yet. I like the simplicity and accessories available with the PAX, but I worry about quality. I decided to install the kids' systems first to see how I like them. This will also give me time to get a quote from a local company. While looking at the ELFA system, I saw the custom closets available at The Container Store. Those are by far the nicest systems I've seen, but the sales rep didn't seem amenable to finding a budget friendly solution. The display said as shown $3,000, starting as low as $1000. When I inquired about what the $1,000 gets you, I got the....we don't do partial systems...you can't just buy parts...you get what we design...on average $10k/closet. It is unfortunate. For the quality, I would have been open to designing my closet in phases to spread the cost over a few years to get a much nicer system. Doesn't seem like that is an option. @Lawarence, thanks for the tip regarding Ikea Knoxhult. They have that system tucked in at the end of the Kitchen displays, so I had never noticed it before now. I had to ask for help finding them. It looks like a great deal. I've decided to wait and see where we are with the final budget before I outfit my walk-in pantry. I know I have extra bookshelves that I can use temporarily. Plus, we've been in temp. housing for 18 months and all my things are in storage. I don't even remember what I have! Once all my things are delivered, I'll know exactly what I need to store and can select a system to store everything. Again, thanks everyone for the advice. I'll try to update you all on the PAX systems once their installed. I'm sure I'll have more questions moving forward, but it is nice to at least have a solution for 3 of the closets.

I too am trying to identify the customized closet systems in my new condo, so I can buy some additional shelves. I can't believe they don't put their name or logo somewhere ! I too have those oval hanging rods, but my shelves are on moveable pegs for support (thankfully).