A place for everything

How many times have you gone into a room looking for something and gotten frustrated because it wasn't easy to find?

Being organized could be the solution. And a good place to start would be The Container Store, which opens Saturday at Town Square Las Vegas.

"What we're achieving is allowing them (our customers) to find peace of mind with an organized space," said Sharon Tindell, chief merchant for the company. "We can give them more time - and ultimately it's all about saving time - so they can find what they are looking for and not surround themselves with clutter."

According to Tindell, quite often when people come into the store they find organizing and storage solutions they didn't even know existed.

"We have been in business 34 years now, and we have everything you need to organize your space in your home," she said. "We have over 10,000 products - very carefully selected and edited products."

Organization holds the key to simplifying and reducing clutter, she said.

"The main thing to keep in mind is to have a very active space, so the things you use every day are right there for you, not things you use once a year," Tindell said.

In addition to saving time, being organized and reducing or eliminating clutter can be a safety issue.

Designer Jennifer Adams, principal of Jennifer Adams Design Group who appears on the TV show "Better" and as lead designer for HGTV's "My First Place," said organization at home is important because "everything begins at home and is the crux of the family functioning well. It saves time in your day if you start from an organized space, it will make your home and family function better and you can be safe. If you are rushing through your home with a baby in your arms and there is stuff all over, it is a tripping hazard."

Adams said one way to get organized is to establish a daily routine or specific location for a particular item. To get started, she suggested you "chunk it down to small pieces." Trying to create an overall organization plan for your home can be overwhelming. If you tackle a small area, spending just five minutes a day when you get home from work or first thing in the morning, the task becomes much easier.

The impending arrival of summer is an ideal time to get organized, Adams and Tindell said.

"Summer brings outdoor activities, and families especially need to reorganize space. If they have a kid going off to college, they are gaining additional space. Or if their kids are just starting grade school, they will need a space to study. It's a time of transitions. Even if they are starting high school, they will have different needs. Summer is the time to reassess what is going on in your household and how to make it more efficient," Tindell said.

If you have space, Adams said, it is a good idea to switch out your summer and winter clothing. With less clothing in your closet, it is easier to find what you are looking for, saving time and eliminating frustration.

She also likes felt hangers, which prevent clothing from slipping off and can be packed in a suitcase for summer trips directly from the closet - with the piece of clothing in place.

Closet organization is one of the primary reasons people visit The Container Store, Tindell said.

Although the store is divided by rooms of the house, solutions for any organizing problem can be found in all areas. Tindell said the division is more of a way to help people orient themselves, especially on their first few visits.

For example, if you want to organize the cabinet under the sink in the bathroom, you could visit the bath section. But Tindell said you also could look in basic storage, kitchen or office and find something that fits your needs.

"People come in the first few visits to see what we're all about. More seasoned customers come in with more things in mind, i.e., they have a problem with a closet such as a master closet with a window or electrical panel. We help them work through those problems with customized solutions," Tindell said.

In order to serve customers better, each employee of The Container Store spends 263 hours her first year in training. Product orientation is a primary aspect along with overall store operation.

This will be the company's first store in Nevada, although Tindell said some people know about The Container Store from visits to out-of-state locations or online shopping.

Las Vegas' grand opening celebration Saturday and Sunday will include hourly prize giveaways, including a $1,000 elfa closet organizing system each day. Additionally, 10 percent of sales those days will be donated to the Junior League of Las Vegas.