Houston Invents the Ultimate Apartment Perk: A Closet Concierge

A clean and organized closet is the ultimate amenity.
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Jason Reeves' closet is a work of art. The clothes are organized by occasion and color. Shoes are placed in individually labelled plastic bins. Even the cabinets under the bathroom sinks are pristine. “I was always organized, even as a kid. It's borderline OCD—all my stuffed animals had to be facing the same way,” Reeves says.
Reeves launched Oddly Organized in 2012 to share his organizing skills with others. Now he's partnered with the Simpson Property Group—the developer behind upscale apartment buildings Skyhouse, District and 2125 Yale—to offer an exclusive rate to residents as part of a new 'closet concierge' program. It's an amenity that was designed by the property to serve the many residents who are downsizing and choosing to live in smaller, more urban spaces, but really it's a boon for anyone—who hasn't struggled with how to maximize their space or figure out where everything should go when moving into a new place? Residents can take advantage of his expertise when it comes to unpacking, spring cleaning or restructuring their wardrobe.
But while the Closet Concierge program is only for property residents, anyone can join in on the launch happy hour events that will take place at each of the Houston-area Simpson Group apartments throughout April—both the drinks and the advice from Reeves are free for all comers.
“There are studies that show seeing clutter every day is a stressor, just the act of looking,” Reeves says. “Removing that is a liberator and you have more ease dealing with the things that should actually stress you."
Reeves will offer specific suggestions, each tailored to the site of the talk, about how to utilize a space and/or transition. There are the general hacks he always recommends: special hangers, shelving, boxes, and storage units as a last, but still viable, resort. His best advice, he says, is to embrace the euphoria of the purge. He tries to always focus on the personal aspect of letting go, to see if people want something out of obligation, need or nostalgia.
“I don’t force anyone,” Reeves says, “but I’ve learned how to have the conversation about getting used to the idea... and then they love to purge.”
The next Closet Concierge launch/Oddly Organized presentation is at 2125 Yale on April 6. The happy hour starts at 6:30, with the presentation commencing at 7 p.m. Subsequent events will be held at Skyhouse River Oaks on April 7 (happy hour 6-8 p.m., presentation at 7 p.m.); at District at Greenbriar on April 9 (with a farmer's market from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and talk from Reeves at 12 p.m.); and at District at Memorial on April 13 (happy hour 5-7 p.m.; presentation at 5:45).