This annual list of the best organization/storage system franchises was revised and updated on June 16, 2021.
Home organization techniques and systems have grown significantly in prominence over the past ten years. This has created an opportunity for franchises catering to customers’ storage needs, especially in the wake of the pandemic.
The home organization industry was valued at $8.5 billion in 2015, with a predicted value of $10.3 billion by 2020. Then Marie Kondo, the queen of decluttering, came out with her bestselling book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing. Her KonMari method popularized the idea of owning less and of better organizing what we have, while drawing people’s attention to how this could improve their lives.
While her method has swept across the world, prompting many to view their possessions through a different lens, people are often reticent to let go of what they have, and so look for organizational solutions instead. That’s where these franchises come in, offering storage systems for garages, kitchens, home offices, or even the whole house.
The COVID-19 pandemic has drawn attention to the state of our homes. Plenty of people know that their home isn’t well organized, but between work, activities, and sleeping, they’ve had enough distractions to ignore the problem. Now, millions of people forced to stay at home 24/7 because of the pandemic are seeing first-hand the need to get their homes in order.
A survey early in the pandemic showed that 31% of consumers were doing more home improvement projects, making this one of the top away-from-screen activities of the pandemic. Particularly for those who’ll be working more from home long-term, there’s a lot of motivation to get their home in order.
How exactly this will play out isn’t clear yet. More time at home has given millions of people a motive to employ companies providing organizational solutions. The economic downturn could mean that fewer people can afford the costs, though the signs in this area are surprisingly positive. Discretionary spending on items that might be considered “essential” while stuck at home, such as home furniture, has accelerated since summer 2020, and even some spending areas that declined heavily in 2020 were recovering by May 2021. As the recovery accelerates, and people treat themselves to compensate for missed opportunities, the potential for growth in home spending looks strong.
If you’re considering a franchise in this industry, it’s worth considering how people are behaving in your local area. Is home improvement all the rage, or are people knuckling down to ride out the financial storm? In the right area, this could be the perfect time for an organizational franchise, with the industry expected to reach $12.7 billion in value by 2023.
The Top Organization/Storage System Franchises of 2021
1. Tailored Living
Tailored Living starts the process of helping people get organized with a free on-site consultation culminating in a full design, complete with measurements and what would be installed to meet the customer’s specific, unique needs in every space of their home or business. This company is the industry leader, in part because it has benefited from great media coverage over the years, most recently by being involved in two different episodes of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition that aired in March and April of 2020. Its commitment to thorough training is so strong that it will pay airfare and lodging to bring new franchisees to the company’s headquarters for its 11-day program.
Founded in 2006 and franchising since then, the number of locations currently stands at 185 (no change from the previously reported total), of which none are company-owned and 25 are located outside the US.
2. ShelfGenie
ShelfGenie doesn’t go for the whole-home approach as other companies do, although its products can be installed in multiple locations. Its exclusive focus is custom pull-out shelves that work well in kitchen cabinets, pantries, bathrooms, garages, and elsewhere. All its glide-out shelves are custom-made by hand in the USA at a plant located in Alabama and are based on careful measurements taken on-site. The process begins with an in-home free consultation where the designer produces a full project design on the spot with no obligation on the part of the potential customer. Many management tasks are handled by headquarters, which frees up franchisee time to do more prospecting.
Founded in 2000 and franchising since 2008, the number of locations currently stands at 172 (down from the previously reported total of 185), of which 21 are company-owned and eight are located outside the US.
3. GarageExperts
GarageExperts focuses exclusively on a space many homeowners often ignore – the garage. They turn garages into places people actually want to spend time in. The company offers 140 different styles of visually striking epoxy flooring that’s durable and easy to clean. Custom cabinetry handles much of the needed organizing, as does the company’s aesthetic slatwall, which stores and displays all at the same time.
Founded in 2008 and franchising since then, the number of locations has grown steadily to the current total of 89 (down from the previously reported total of 90), of which none are company-owned and all are located in the US.
4. Closet Factory
Closet Factory, as the name suggests, is all about maximizing the storage capacity and efficient use of closet space, pantries, garages, and other areas with storage systems created in a collaborative process between designer and customer to ensure the end result fits the client’s needs and personality. A free consultation lets customers see the possibilities in the company’s vast selection of materials, finishes, enhancements, and accessories. It also backs up its work with a transferable, lifetime warranty against defects in quality and materials. New franchisees receive six weeks of training, two of which take place in Los Angeles and the other four weeks at the franchisee’s location.
Founded by John LaBarbera in Los Angeles, California in 1983 and franchising since 1985, the number of locations has not changed a lot in recent years and currently totals 77 (no change from the previously reported total), of which 10 are company-owned and all are located in the US.
5. Closets By Design
Closets By Design presents a wide menu of ways for clients to organize their homes, including systems and products for walk-in closets, home offices, laundry rooms, wall beds, garage cabinets, reach-in closets, media centers, pantries, hobby rooms, and more. As with other companies, the process begins with a free on-site design consultation to show off potential solutions using a giant selection of features and finishes. Systems are then custom-built and professionally installed. New franchisee onboarding includes two weeks of training in California and another two weeks of training at the franchisee’s location.
Founded in 1982 and franchising since 1998, the number of locations has expanded in recent years to the current total of 64 (down from the previously reported total of 68), of which six are company-owned and five are located outside the US (in Canada).
An Important Note About Our Methodology
The franchises on this list were ranked according to the number of units in the franchise system. If you are a prospective franchisee searching for franchise opportunities that meet or exceed certain performance benchmarks for sales, profits, and return on investment, please check out this list of America’s Most Lucrative Franchises.
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