• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Meet the Girl ↡
    • About Abby
    • Contact
  • Projects ↡
    • Organization
      • All Organization
      • Printables Library
      • Productivity
    • Decorating
      • Our Home Tour
        • Current House Home Tour
        • Townhouse Home Tour
      • All Decorating
      • DIY
      • Furniture Makeovers
      • Crafts
      • Holidays
    • Blogging
      • All Blogging
      • Income Reports
    • Happy Thoughts
  • My Products ↡
    • Impactful Habits, Organized Home Organizing Course
    • Browser to Buyer
    • Blogging Binder Printables
    • Home Binder Printables
    • Student Binder Printables
    • Christmas / Holiday Planner
    • Fitness Journal
  • Free Resources ↡
    • ClarityList for Bloggers
    • How to Start a Blog in 2020
    • 100+ Blogging Tips, Tools, and Resources to Grow Your Business
    • My Favorite Organizing Items
  • Income Reports

Abby Lawson logo

October 10, 2017 By Abby Lawson 14 Comments

How to Install Elfa Shelving from The Container Store

Pin62
Share3
Tweet
Email
65 Shares

We installed Elfa shelving from The Container Store to add a huge amount of storage in a small home office space!

DIY- How to Install the Elfa System from The Container Store, organized home office, masculine office, organization, custom shelving, shelf installation, storage solution, Elfa components, mesh drawers installed, finished shelves detail, installing Elfa shelving

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.

Last week I kicked off our latest room makeover by sharing the plans for Donnie's masculine (yet very organized 😉 ) home office! He does so much around here, so I am thrilled that we're finally focusing on a space that is alllllllll his!

One of the biggest components of the room is a full wall of shelving to hold his books, video equipment, and supplies for his various hobbies. His office is not huge, so we knew we would need to really maximize every inch of the space so that he could neatly store all of his items, and we decided to use the Elfa system from The Container Store to do just that. (This post is not sponsored by The Container Store. We had just heard a lot of good things about Elfa and wanted to give it a try for ourselves!)

We thought the easiest way to talk about the Elfa installation would be to show you via video, so you can see the whole process below!

How to Install Elfa Shelving from The Container Store

Click here to subscribe to our Abby Organizes YouTube channel!

Creating Our Elfa Design

Coming up with our initial design for the shelving was a little bit intimidating just because there were so many options to choose from! We had taken a few trips to The Container Store to look at the different colors and styles of shelves and hardware and had looked at different configurations in the store and online.

After we had a good idea of what our options were, we measured the space in Donnie's office and sketched out a basic plan based on the amount of space we had and the items we needed to store.

DIY- How to Install the Elfa System from The Container Store, organized home office, masculine office, organization, custom shelving, shelf installation, storage solution

Donnie then took our plan to The Container Store and talked to a designer there, who made a few suggestions and helped him solidify the design. They then put in the order for all of the pieces he needed, and he was able to go pick it up the next day.

DIY- How to Install the Elfa System from The Container Store, organized home office, masculine office, organization, custom shelving, shelf installation, storage solution, Elfa components

The Pieces We Chose

We ended up going with the Sand Melamine Solid Shelves because Donnie really liked the color and texture and thought they would work well with the "feel" he was going for in his office.

DIY- How to Install the Elfa System from The Container Store, organized home office, masculine office, organization, custom shelving, shelf installation, storage solution, Elfa components, mesh drawers, melamine shelves installed, ventilated shelves

We also used a few of the Platinum Ventilated Wire Shelves at the top of the design for a place to store all of Donnie's video equipment. We ended up using the Platinum color for all of the uprights and brackets as well to give the system a more masculine look.

DIY- How to Install the Elfa System from The Container Store, organized home office, masculine office, organization, custom shelving, shelf installation, storage solution, Elfa components, mesh drawers installed

In addition to the shelves, we chose to incorporate some mesh drawers in various sizes to hold and corral smaller items. Donnie also used some accessories like drawer dividers and bookends to help organize the space.

The Installation Process

The first step in the installation process was to install the top track, which would determine where everything else would go. Donnie spent a lot of time taking measurements to make sure the track was perfectly centered, and he used the uprights to help figure out the height of the track.

DIY- How to Install the Elfa System from The Container Store, organized home office, masculine office, organization, custom shelving, shelf installation, storage solution, Elfa components, track installation

Once the track was securely in place, he was able to hang the uprights, space them out, and start clipping on the brackets that would hold his shelves and drawers.

One thing to note: The 16" shelves that Donnie was using actually required a 14" bracket to secure them to the upright, while the mesh drawers used a 16" bracket, so he had to be aware of which size bracket each component accepts while he was doing his installation. The brackets for the ventilated shelves are also slightly different than the brackets for the solid shelves.

DIY- How to Install the Elfa System from The Container Store, organized home office, masculine office, organization, custom shelving, shelf installation, storage solution, Elfa components, mesh drawers

To install the drawers, Donnie snapped in the correct bracket to the upright, then attached the drawer frame with rollers to the brackets. From there, the drawer simply dropped into the frame, and it was ready to be used.

DIY- How to Install the Elfa System from The Container Store, organized home office, masculine office, organization, custom shelving, shelf installation, storage solution, Elfa components, mesh drawers, melamine shelves

From there, he could just continue adding brackets and shelves in the configuration he had planned, using books or other items to double check that his spacing was correct along the way.

The Final Elfa Shelving Unit

DIY- How to Install the Elfa System from The Container Store, organized home office, masculine office, organization, custom shelving, shelf installation, storage solution, Elfa components, mesh drawers, melamine shelves installed

Donnie was absolutely thrilled with the way his wall of storage turned out! The whole build only took about two hours, so it was fairly simple and he was left with an organization system that will be perfect to meet all of his storage needs.

The total cost of the wall of storage + another smaller unit that we'll show you next week was about $1200, so it is a bit of an investment, but Donnie will be using this system for years and years to come.

This shelving will allow him to keep his items organized and be more efficient with his work space, AND if he ever needs to switch pieces around or add new items, Elfa is flexible enough to meet whatever needs he may have. The initial investment will be well worth it in the long run.

DIY- How to Install the Elfa System from The Container Store, organized home office, masculine office, organization, custom shelving, shelf installation, storage solution, Elfa components, mesh drawers installed, finished shelves detail

Everything is looking pretty bare in Donnie's office right now, but we will be back with the big reveal next week so you're able to see how we organized the wall of storage, added other organizational elements throughout the room, and solved the standing desk vs. sitting desk debacle that Donnie was dealing with! I can't wait to show you the finished space!

Update: Donnie's office is finished! You can see the other posts about his space here:

Planning a Masculine and Organized Home Office

How to Install Elfa Shelving from The Container Store (You're here!)

An Organized + Masculine Home Office: Reveal!

[Psssttt… Get our top 100 tips for organizing every room of the house here!]

Have you ever used the Elfa system in your home? I'd love to hear how it's working for you!

Have a wonderful week!

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.

Filed Under: Abby Organizes, DIY, Organization Tagged With: abby organizes, elfa, the container store

Pin62
Share3
Tweet
Email
65 Shares
Free Printables Library at justagirlandherblog.com

Get 200+ pages of free printables!

Become one of our VIP newsletter subscribers and gain access to our exclusive free printables vault!

I want in!
Previous Post: « Planning a Masculine and Organized Home Office
Next Post: How to Make Large DIY Framed Canvas Art »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tiffany says

    October 10, 2017 at 8:30 am

    This is great! Would LOVE to see this for the IKEA Algot system too!!

    Reply
    • justagirlabby says

      October 10, 2017 at 8:55 am

      Hi, Tiffany! I have about a million posts about ALGOT, lol. I'm a bit obsessed! 🙂 The one that explains it most is this one: https://justagirlandherblog.com/ikea-algot-closet-system/ . I hope this helps!

      ~Abby =)

      Reply
  2. Ashley- At Home with Ashley says

    October 10, 2017 at 9:52 am

    I can't wait to see how it looks filled! We have quite a bit of photography equipment and I need to find a nice way to house it. Yay for Donnie getting a fancy office!

    Reply
    • justagirlabby says

      October 10, 2017 at 2:57 pm

      He was very excited! 🙂 Looking forward to sharing the full reveal! Hope you're having a great week, Ashley! <3

      ~Abby =)

      Reply
  3. Jen T. says

    October 10, 2017 at 2:27 pm

    I just saw on the Container Store website that the Elfa systems are 25% off till Oct. 15. I'm not in the market for shelves at the moment unfortunately but still good timing! Love your blog!

    Reply
    • justagirlabby says

      October 10, 2017 at 2:56 pm

      Awesome! Thanks for sharing, Jen! Have a wonderful day! <3

      ~Abby =)

      Reply
  4. debbei says

    October 14, 2017 at 6:12 pm

    You always show me something new. I had no idea what this was when I read your newsletter so I checked it out. Looks like great storage. Can't wait for the reveal, those are the best!

    Reply
    • justagirlabby says

      October 14, 2017 at 8:33 pm

      Aw, so glad you enjoyed it, Debbei! Looking forward to sharing this week! Hope you're having a great weekend!

      ~Abby =)

      Reply
  5. Debbie says

    October 14, 2017 at 6:12 pm

    We have Elfa in five of our closets. We have had them about 10 years or so. So far we have been happy with them.. another thing, you can take them with you if you move.

    Reply
    • justagirlabby says

      October 14, 2017 at 8:32 pm

      So true! Glad to hear that you've been happy with them... we are loving it so far! 🙂 Have a great evening!

      ~Abby =)

      Reply
  6. Amanda says

    October 14, 2017 at 10:33 pm

    Why did you choose the Elfa system over the Algot this time? I'm looking at a similar situation in my house and trying to decide.

    Reply
    • justagirlabby says

      October 26, 2017 at 10:23 am

      Hi, Amanda! We LOVE ALGOT, but it only comes in white, and Donnie really liked the look of the platinum/sand Elfa combination for his more masculine office. There were also a few pieces he wanted to use that Elfa had but ALGOT did not. We also had just heard great things about Elfa and wanted to give it a try ourselves so that we could compare the two systems and see what we liked about each one. I hope this helps!

      ~Abby =)

      Reply
  7. Vicky says

    September 22, 2020 at 10:32 am

    Do they shelves just sit on the brackets or are they secured to the brackets?

    Reply
    • Abby Lawson says

      October 22, 2020 at 2:32 pm

      Hi, Vicky! The shelves clip into the brackets so they are secure. They don't just sit right on top. I hope this helps!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You have to agree to the comment policy.

Primary Sidebar

Hey there, friend! I'm Abby, and I'm so thrilled you stopped by! I love working to create a beautiful, thriving home, life and business and helping others do the same.

Read my story→

Let's Connect!

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Let's Get Organized!

Impactful Habits, Organized Home organizing course | https://abbylawson.com/ihoh
Deluxe Home Binder Printables | https://www.abbylawson.com/deluxe-home-binder-printables

Stick to your fitness goals!

Deluxe Fitness Journal | https://www.abbylawson.com/deluxe-fitness-journal-printables

How to Start a Blog

How to Start a Blog: The Definitive Guide

Our Course for Bloggers

Blogging: Organized

Deluxe Blogging Binder Printables | https://www.abbylawson.com/deluxe-blogging-binder-printables

Favorite Posts

Free Printable Library | 50+ Free Organizing Printables

50+ Free Printables to Organize Every Area of Your Life

home- cozy office nook, feminine home office, organized home office, small office, decorating, farmhouse office

A Cozy Office Nook

Ryan Homes Palermo Before and After Home Tour 2.5 Years In

Before and After Home Tour: Two and a Half Year Update

Free Printable Budget Binder Cover

Budget Binder for 2021 (with FREE Printables!)

Home organization- How to Organize Every Space in Your House, declutter, organizing, small space organization

How to Organize Every Space in Your House

Student Binder Printable Organizing Pages

Printable Student Binder

Personal Posts

Breast Cancer Awareness Month My Story by Just a Girl and Her Blog

Breast Cancer Awareness Month: My Story

This girl started out knowing nothing about blogging or online business and made 6 figures last year. Time to start that blog I've been thinking about!

From Hobby Blog to Thriving Business: My Blogging Story

Archives

Post Categories

Copyright

I love it when you share! Please keep in mind that all images and text on this site are property of Just a Girl and Her Blog. Feel free to use one or two photos provided that a link back to my original post is included. Please do not remove any watermarks, crop, or edit any of my images without first obtaining written permission from me. All free printables offered are for personal use only. Pinning is always welcome and appreciated! Thank you!

Privacy Policy & Disclosures

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Read our privacy policy and disclosures →

© 2021 Twenty Three Publishing LLC