Case Study: Small Space, Big Shoe Energy
When your apartment is small, your schedule is packed, and your shoes are…..many, organization can feel impossible. In this Harlem 2BR/1BA, Shelfie helped create custom closet systems, smart storage solutions, and a functional layout that finally keeps up with everyday life.
The Challenge: ClosetS in Crisis
Before working with Shelfie, this Harlem-based music executive was trying to make a 780-square-foot 2BR/1BA do the work of a much larger home. Between frequent travel, a packed schedule, and a serious — and we mean serious — sneaker collection, the apartment had slowly lost any real sense of system. Closets existed, but they weren’t pulling their weight — shoes overflowed, bags and clothes competed for space, and packing for trips meant digging instead of grabbing.
“I have a lot of things but no place to put them,” she told us, describing bags, shoes, clothes, books, and general knickknacks as her archenemies. Her goal wasn’t to own less — it was to make the space feel easier. She wanted to understand what she had, use her closets more efficiently, and put systems in place that could actually keep up with her life.
Our Approach: Tailored Systems FOR Real Life
To get there, we first focused on making the most of the apartment’s three closets. We designed custom Elfa systems for each one, tailoring the layout to how she actually lives:
Primary bedroom closet: reworked to accommodate long dresses alongside shorter hanging pieces, with upper shelving for folded items and bins.
Entry closet: a streamlined spot for short coats, elevated sweatshirts, and winter accessories, complete with a door rack for extra storage.
Shoe room closet: all long coats shifted here, freeing up space elsewhere and creating room above for boot storage.
Even with optimized closets, additional storage was needed. We added narrow-depth IKEA PAX units in the dining area and bedroom to handle overflow in a way that felt intentional, not crammed. In the dining space, PAX units replaced an overstuffed garment rack and created a clean home for bags, purses, and miscellaneous items. In the bedroom, another set of PAX units took on folded hoodies, denim, and everyday pants — the items that tend to pile up without a clear system.
The Shoe Room: A Collection, Finally Visible
The final piece was the shoe room, where we leaned fully into her collection. Additional drop-front clear shoe boxes lined as much wall space as possible, making every pair visible and easy to access. A freestanding ELFA drawer island anchored the room, storing socks and smaller items while keeping everything within arm’s reach.
THE RESULT: SPACES THAT KEEP UP WITH LIFE
At the end of the project, the apartment finally felt like it was working at full capacity. Everything had a place, getting dressed and packing became easier, and the systems we put in were designed to last — even with a busy schedule and a lot of movement. That’s the kind of transformation we aim for at Shelfie, especially in New York apartments where space is precious and no two layouts are the same.
If your home feels like it’s working against you instead of with you, we’d love to help you rethink what’s possible and create systems that make everyday life feel simpler.
