Lazy or Lean? Closet Design for the Modern Age

John Gallagher
Nov 18
3 min read

Designers as Anthropologists

One of the best skills a closet designer can develop is observation.

Every client has little quirks that reveal what truly matters — how they fold (or don’t), what they reach for first, where the overflow ends up, and what always seems to migrate back to the floor.

These tiny clues aren’t just “habits.” They’re data points. They tell you what systems would actually help your client live better.

The Athleisure Revelation

I once had a client who bundled up her slippery polyester leggings and workout tops into little cubby dividers inside drawers. She didn’t fight to fold them only to have them slip apart, she just rolled and stuffed — quick, easy, no guilt.

Another client even had me design open cubbies into her island specifically for that purpose.

That observation turned into one of my favorite design talking points. I started sharing that story with future clients — and guess what? It sold a lot of shallow drawers! Because when you tell a story about real human behavior, it gives your client permission to see themselves in the design.

The lesson: Don’t fight how people live. Support it — beautifully. And learn from it!

Ask About the Flow

When a design feels “off,” it’s often because the flow of life wasn’t mapped first.

Ask your clients:

“Tell me about your flow. Where do you store your laundry? Where is it done?”

Those two questions are a good start. Begin with the end in mind. Maybe they keep a laundry basket in the closet and they have a Landry room right outside the closet— or maybe laundry day means hauling hampers down two flights of stairs. Design solutions change completely depending on their answers.

In some regions (like the Midwest), we still find laundry in the basement even when the closets are upstairs — a funny little inefficiency that has developed ever since the invention of the washing machine. But that’s changing fast.

Follow the Laundry

More homeowners are bringing the machines to where the clothes live. Second-floor laundry rooms — or even laundry machines inside walk-in closets — are becoming increasingly common in remodels and new builds. And designers are being asked to either design around them or even build them in, complete with doors to keep the machines concealed when not in use.

When I lived in Las Vegas, most homes were single-story ranches, so laundry and clothing shared the same level naturally. In multi-story homes, we’ve been forcing clothes to commute — up for storage, down for cleaning — and designers are finally helping end that nonsense.

This is a great discussion point during consultations:

“Have you considered relocating your laundry area?”
“Would a pull-out laundry insert near your closet save steps?”
“Do you like to sort as you go, or all at once?”

Questions like these don’t just show expertise — they open doors to add-on sales like pull-out hampers, sorting cubbies, and deeper systems thinking that separates pros from order takers.

Lazy Is Just Logical

Asking, watching, and adjusting to how people actually live isn’t about encouraging laziness — it’s about designing efficiency. We can help clients stop fighting their routines and start refining them.

Maybe that means adding removable drawer inserts that double as laundry bins. Maybe it means fewer folding zones and more “grab-and-go” drawers. Maybe it means a “drop chute” into a hidden laundry basket below. When designers honor reality instead of perfection, everyone wins — the client feels seen, and the system sells itself.

The Nesting Systems Takeaway

Observation is strategy. Every designer who listens deeply can turn a client’s quirks into inspiration, and every great system starts with one question:

“How do you really live?”

Design from that answer — and your projects will practically close themselves.

Designer’s Notes

Observation prompts for your next appointment: