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Review on ๐Ÿ”ฒ Versatile and Stylish ClosetMaid 4540 Open Back 2-Cube Storage Organizer in Sleek Black by Hunter Schneider

Revainrating 4 out of 5

Good for small shoes, closet

Bought two of these units and just assembled the first one. First of all, the delivery was much quicker than expected - despite the estimated delivery date of tomorrow (January 25th), the package arrived two days ago, just before the winter storm you're all tired of hearing about. The packaging was confusing. Both boxes were stuffed diagonally into a much larger shipping box that would probably fit a medium sized fridge, with only brown paper thrown in to keep it from shifting. The inner boxes held up fairly well, however, and at least the one I put together came through without damage. Assembly was fairly easy, although the included schematics left a lot to be desired. If you're completely confused about putting together something more complex than a sandwich, you should find someone to do it for you. But if you can understand some of the less precise instructions, you'll be fine. The assembly instructions state that you will need to use glue (not included) to hold some of the wooden dowels in place, but I chose to skip this step and see no loss of strength as a result. You will need a Phillips screwdriver and a small hammer. During construction I found a dowel hole drilled too deep, but this was "fixed" by inserting a piece of plastic into the hole. . Again, the instructions aren't the most detailed I've seen. So you need to make sure all the finished sides are facing the same direction before screwing anything in (especially if you're using glue). . However, once you get everything lined up correctly, the screws thread in easily and the finished product looks as good as you'd expect at its price point, and it's pretty solid. Additional wall brackets are supplied for those wishing to stack the units on top of each other. The openings in the niches on the second level are quite small, which limits their usefulness. Big enough for a couple of books or CDs, but not much more fits in there. Also, with a nailed lining, you're unlikely to be able to use them on shoes unless you're wearing a particularly small size. However, the gaps are significantly wider at the bottom and the carrier strip does not cover them. Structural strength also allows for storage of larger items; I currently have a top shelf laundry basket with no visible flex. It's $35-$40 overall, but not something you can use in place of a dresser or bookshelf, and certainly not an item to pass on. generations. I will update if necessary. Update 03/21/17: More than a year later nothing has changed. The first block is still carrying the heavy laundry basket and shows no signs of wear while my old processor has found a spot on the second block which is also holding up well. At this point I can say with certainty that the only things holding this item back from a 5 star rating are poor assembly instructions and little storage space in the devices. Those two points aside, this is a very well designed product at a very fair price.

Pros
  • Ideal for outdoor activities
Cons
  • Doubt