1978 - California Closets is founded by an 18-year-old college student who turned his innovative idea of maximizing space in his dorm room closet into a successful small business in Southern California. Little did he know that he also launched an entirely new custom closets industry.

History. California Closets was founded in 1978 by Neil Balter. Balter started the business after putting shelves in a friend's closet. The company redesigns closets with new racks, shelves, drawers and baskets of various sizes and shapes.

California Closets services over 2,000 locations in North America! Our regional teams are experts at creating custom closets and custom storage solutions for the areas they serve. We have more than 120 showrooms spread across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic.

California Closets is a manufacturer of custom closets and storage for homes. The company provides its products through its showrooms franchising business systems in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Dominican Republic.

By the 1950s, closets were much more popular with many middle and even lower class homes including them as standard. Some authorities suggest that the move to the suburbs around this time was fueled in part by the larger closets available as part of the larger home style suburban living.

The larger the space, the more materials and labor are required, therefore increasing the cost. Custom closet cost per square foot tends to be between $15 and $30. This cost includes any construction necessary to build a custom closet, like wall framing and drywall.

A person who is hiding the fact that they [sic] are gay has been described as in the closet, or as a closet homosexual, since the late 1960s. To out someone, meaning to reveal that they [sic] are gay, is a shortened way of saying “to force them out of the closet”.

In Europe the closet eventually disappeared, as houses grew larger and other rooms afforded opportunities for privacy. But the Puritans took the idea of a closet with them to the New World - although it had become by then simply a place to store things. Of course, closets are not nearly as prevalent in older houses.

The history of the closet traces back to Roman soldiers. They invented the armorium to transport their weapons and armor safely. In the medieval period, wealthy individuals would make cedar wood chests to protect their expensive clothes from moths and mice.

It's recommended to set a budget before consulting with a professional closet designer. While custom closets might have a higher upfront cost than ready-made options, they offer long-term value through improved organization and potential home resale value.

Here's a (not fun) fact you need to know. IKEA will not schedule to install your closet UNLESS your baseboard trim has been removed (if you decide the DIY option is not for you) before installation. This can be a BIG PROBLEM IF your home resembles This Old House AND you're not an experienced DIY'er.

In past times, the word 'closet' meant 'bedroom,' so one's sexuality was not shown beyond there. Later in the 1960s, the metaphor of a 'skeleton in the closet', which meant to hide a secret due to taboos or social stigmas, was also used in reference to a gender identity or sexuality that one may not wish to disclose.