bottomless closet - new york city

CAMEO CLOSETS for BOTTOMLESS CLOSET

1 | Love the Clothes You’re In

www.cameoclosets.com |89 Murray Street, 6J | New York, NY 10007 |646-797-6262 | [email protected]

WAREHOUSE Sorting Stations & Storage

The storage room, titled the “Warehouse” in this proposal, is the first point of entry for all new donations. It is essentially the shipping and receiving division of Bottomless Closet and serves to keep clutter out of the Stock Room and Boutique. Since space is a premium in both the Stock Room (Inventory Room) and Boutique it is important that going forward the new “Warehouse” be the primary point of receiving and sorting donations for the eventual relaying of usable, i.e. Ready to Wear, merchandise to the Stock Room or shipping of unusable merchandise to the Nickel Man or other beneficiaries. The Warehouse keeps deliveries contained and out of the sight of our clients. It also affords our employees the peace of mind that our volunteers are already in the Warehouse acting as “intercessors” under Jessica’s guidance of all incoming donations, rather than having the physical deposits of daily deliveries compete with their valuable and limited workspaces. The idea is that all sorting begins and ends in the Warehouse and only interview appropriate and BC approved items make it to the Stock Room before entering the Boutique. The following are schematics for the Warehouse and represent recommendations for usage of each of the 2 rooms. The first room is labeled “A” with the numeration beginning along the walls, starting from left to right. And the second room is labeled “B,” again with the numeration beginning on the first wall to the left upon entrance.

Warehouse Wall A1

INTRODUCTION Bottomless Closet

Cameo Closets is pleased to donate the following proposal for exclusive use by Bottomless Closet NYC. As a benefit to the women BC serves Cameo Closets offers the following recommendations for improving work flow and organization systems for the Warehouse (Storage Room), Stock Room (Inventory Room) and Boutique. We’ve also included a SUPPLY LIST of tools and supplies to help maintain systems and reinforce instructional signage for guiding volunteers

through the use of these systems.

This room, specifically wall A1, is

perfectly situated to be the holding place

for incoming donations and outgoing

Nickel Man remnants. So whether

donations arrive in garbage bags,

shipping boxes or crates the designation

of an area with approximately 4x6’ of

empty space along wall A1 would

guarantee a holding place for

incoming/outgoing goods. Designating a

“loading dock” makes sure we don’t

compete with volunteers’ ability to stay

on the assembly line and have a space to

sort. The place where we ship and

receive is completely different from the

place where we sort as not to create a

bottle neck in the work flow. And like a

police line where the presence of yellow

tape lets folks know “do not cross”

signage or the designation with tape

along the floor could achieve the same

boundary by reminding folks that this

wall is not for hanging racks but solely

for incoming and outgoing deliveries.

Incoming/Outgoing

KEEP CLEAR




Warehouse Wall A2

Warehouse Wall A3

Wall A2 is best utilized as a Ready to Wear Station with a maximum of 5 hanging racks with ascending S-M-L size

markers perpendicular to the wall. The addition of a wire storage shelf above the racks that are the complete length of the

wall would offer additional storage for out-of-season items like sweaters and scarves, and to hold items for inclusion in

future sample sales, i.e. shoes, casual wear and home goods.

Wall A3 should be designated as the !ickel Man Sorting Station since the windows prohibit the use of wall mounted

shelves and any fabrics stored in the light risk fading. The addition of the Meijer Chrome Heavy Duty Laundry Center in

the nook on Wall A3 would allow donations that are already on hangers to be stored while volunteers are inspecting them

before dropping them into the Nickel Man bags below or placing merchandise onto the racks sized on Wall A2. The

dimensions are 30.5"W x 74"H x 18.5"D; we’ll just need to confirm that the nook allows 91.5” in width for 3 stations.




A

C

B

Warehouse Wall A4

Warehouse Wall B1

Because Wall A4 is situated near the entrance

to the 2nd room it is important to keep this

wall as clutter free as possible. So it is best to

designate the area as the Steaming & Ironing

Station. This supports the flow of traffic

from room to room. The installation of 2-wall

mounted ironing boards above the sinks to the

far left and far right (the far right should leave

about 2 feet from the door frame so folks can

continue ironing when there is traffic behind

them.) The space between the 2 sinks can be

used to store the rolling steamer and pulled

out into the center of the room for use. Wall

mounted iron holders posted on the column on

Wall A3 are shown with an X.

X

X

Wall B1 is ideal as a Shoe Sizing Station. Using

the same shelving and sizing system from the old

Inventory Room. The new station would include

a counter top created by installing a buffed and

painted sheet of plywood that is wall-mounted on

L-brackets at the same height as the top of the

sinks. This allows volunteers a counter top

workspace for applying stickers, rubber bands

and sharpies and the option to be seated while

working. All incoming shoes that need to be

paired are located in plastic holding bins below

the sinks. Shoes that have met their match are

labeled and put on their respective shelves above

the counter to await transport to the �EW Shoe

Station in the Stock Room.




D

Warehouse Wall B2

Warehouse Wall B3

Wall B2 should be designated as a secondary !ickel Man Sorting Station since the windows prohibit the use of wall

mounted shelves and any fabrics stored in the light risk fading. The addition of 3 Meijer Chrome Heavy Duty Laundry

Centers in the nook on Wall B2 would allow donations that are already on hangers to be stored while volunteers are

inspecting them before dropping them into the Nickel Man bags below or placing merchandise onto the racks sized on Wall

B3. The dimensions are 30.5"W x 74"H x 18.5"D; we’ll just need to confirm that the nook allows 91.5” in width for 3.

Wall B3 is best utilized like Wall A2 as an XL Ready to Wear Station with a maximum of 5 hanging racks with

ascending XL-XXL-XXXL size markers perpendicular to the wall. The addition of a wire storage shelf above the racks

that extend the length of the wall would allow storage of out-of-season items in XL sizes like sweaters, lingerie, and

hosiery.




Warehouse Wall B4

Incoming/Outgoing

Option A

Depending on whether or not the door will be in use,

Option A and Option B give BC different uses for Wall

B4. If the door on wall B4 will be used then the best

use of that space is for a secondary “Loading Dock” as

shown in Option A (also Wall A1). If the door will

remain locked then Wall B4 should become a wall of

shelves that allow storage of overflow items that can be

contained or folded like sweaters, purses, luggage,

belts, scarves, flip flops, pajamas, bath robes and home

goods. As long as items remain clearly marked this

area becomes a reliable resource for sample sales,

workshop door prizes, and birthday & holiday give-a-

ways. And since all sorting begins and ends in the

Warehouse the relocation of the Supply Station from

the Stock Room (Inventory Room) would be ideal for

behind the door as shown in Option B. Also, relocating

the hanger stands from the Stock Room to the bottom

of the shelves on Wall B4 would enhance efficiency.

L

SWEATERS

XL

SWEATERS

XXXL

SWEATERS

XXL

SWEATERS

Option B




STOCK ROOM Ready to Wear

The Inventory Room, titled “Stock Room” in this proposal, holds only those items that have already been vetted and approved as interview appropriate. To use the phrase “Ready to Wear” best describes the type of merchandise and donations that make it into the Stock Room. By keeping clutter at a minimum and browsing at a maximum for volunteers, prohibiting donations from entering this space will increase the productivity and selectivity for outfitting our clients. The following are schematics of the Stock Room and represent recommendations for usage of the space.

Secondary Supply Station

Hanging Rack Right Wall

As we continue to streamline the

process of receiving donations and

transitioning them to the Boutique, the

relocation of the Supply Station to the

Warehouse seems to work best since

the bulk of sorting is now taking place

in the Warehouse. However, it will be

necessary to also make these supplies

available in the Stock Room in case

approved merchandise headed to the

Boutique requires additional labeling

or repair. So the continued use of this

wall as a secondary Supply Station

works well but we’ll just have to

duplicate it in the Warehouse.

The southern entrance of the Stock

Room is very narrow, yet gets a large

amount of foot traffic because

volunteers check-in and out at this

entry point. To open up the traffic

flow, reduce clutter and provide more

space for volunteers to browse it will

be best to simply add a hanging rack

along this far right wall. Since sorting

now takes place in the Warehouse the

Stock Room holds more inventories

and alleviates the bottle neck that

sometimes occurs in this corner.




Overhead Storage Left

Overhead Storage Center

Overhead Storage Right

There will be some overflow

items that will need to be at

hand or easily retrievable by

volunteers while in the

Boutique. The installation of

shelves along the Stock Room

back wall would allow

volunteers to retrieve these items

without going to the Warehouse.

Bras, pantyhose and makeup are

just a few of the items that could

be stored overhead.




E

Hanger Station

Seasonal Station/Steaming Station

At present the Sizing & Sorting rack’s location in the Stock Room creates a very narrow aisle way between the southern

and northern entrances. Now that sorting has moved almost exclusively to the Warehouse, the best use of this wall is to

now become a Hanger Station. And instead of organizing hangers in vertical storage on the floor, we get our inspiration

from Julia Child with peg board (Option A) or valet hook style organizers that allow wall mounting of hangers (Option B).

Option A Option B

The present location of the Shoe

Station is very narrow and is

unable to keep up with the demand

and influx of shoes. Regardless of

the use of this wall, it will always

compete with the closet door that

must remain open next to it. For

this reason it is best to assign a

hanging rack to this wall and

designate it for use of seasonal

items: coats in the fall and winter,

dresses in the spring and summer

or as the Steaming Station with the

use of a permanent rod.




F

Shoe Station

BOUTIQUE Brand Power

A few recommendations for tweaking the Boutique… Organize – the best opportunity for streamlining the boutique is the unused space in the shallow closet behind the jewelry counter. First we need to remove the hanging rod (if possible), and second, add floor to ceiling stacking drawer storage for socks, hosiery and belts. Color Coordinate – though there is an eclectic mix of fixtures for merchandise on the showroom floor, one way to create a conformed and “on brand” look is by painting as many of the wood fixtures as possible the same or

complimenting colors of the colored fixtures. For instance:

1. A quick coat of spray paint in black for the necklace rack [<><><>] behind the jewelry counter would marry the fixture with the others and give the jewelry pop.

Dress

Shoes in

Cubbies

Boots

Below

6 9 8.5 8 6.5 7.5 7

6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5 9

Boots

Above

The NEW Shoe Station has the potential to store 310 pairs (620 if doubled in cubbies) of shoes in canvas hanging shoe

racks and up to 88 pairs of boots are held in storage boxes above and below the hanging shoe racks. It is so important to

see as many shoes as possible when making an appropriate selection for clients. And the best way to do so is to organize

by size and then color with black shoes on the top tier, brown on the 2nd tier, navy on the third, neutrals on the 4th and at

the lowest tiers vivid colored heels and flats. Because storage boxes above and below are translucent as clients search for

boots in the fall and winter seasons it will be easier to see the various color options by size.

Sizes continue the full 181” in length




G

2. Painting the wooden shoe wall in black would marry it with the black sweater cubby and would not reveal

scuff marks from sliding shoes like white or light gray might. 3. A quick coat of black on the floral wooden step stool would encourage volunteers to sit on it (and not want

to hide it) while fitting shoes since our clients should be seated in red chairs. 4. Adding a tension rod and red curtain panel to the closet frame behind the jewelry counter would match the

curtains in the fitting rooms and conceal the 'EW Accessory Station. This would allow us to organize belts, (by measuring each belt and assigning it a size (S-M-L-XL) we can more easily contain and search

for color matches) pantyhose and socks. See diagram below:

Accessory Station

L XL

A B

L

M S

Q C

M S

XL

S M

Belts

Pantyhose

Knee

Highs

Trouser

Socks

L XL




A

B

C

D

F

G

E

n/a

Decorate – though there is limited space in the boutique any attempt to soften the space or make it more inviting

and feminine would likely enhance the overall shopping experience for our clients.

1. The addition of a stylish clock for time management 2. The inclusion of photographs of clients “en vogue” might enliven the walls and inspire first time shoppers 3. The addition of mirrors helps to reflect more light to dark corners and also gives clients different

perspectives of their new looks

Maintain – adding the “M” back in “FITTING ROOM” would reinforce to our clients that we are detail-oriented in everything we do. Disposal – the addition of a larger waste basket H with a flip-top lid would help keep the appearance of clutter down in the boutique. The red waste basket is too small and has a tendency to fill up quickly since volunteers in action focus more on the client than keeping the space tidy during short appointment times. The red waste basket would be great in the Coaching Room for disposal of empty cups and candy wrappers.

SUPPLY LIST Quantity, Cost & Vendor

2 – Wall Mounted Ironing Board $211.76 http://www.kitchensource.com/ironing-boards/ha-5-3iron.htm 2 – Wall Mounted Iron Organizer $11.99 http://www.containerstore.com/shop/laundry/ironing?productId=10000499 2 – Irons $12.99 http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/p_10151_10104_011W778231110001P?keyword=iron 1 – Plywood (measurements TBD) 3 – L Brackets (size and load TBD) 6 - Nickel Man Sorting Station – Meijer Chrome Laundry Centers $59.49 http://www.meijer.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=109020&N=0&navparm=0&keyword=Chrome+Heavy+Duty+Laundry+Center 12 – Wall Mounted Laundry Organizers (for hangers), $17.99 http://www.organize.com/instahanger.html 25 – Canvas Hanging Shoe Racks $7.99 http://www.containerstore.com/shop/closet/hangingBags/shoeSweater?productId=10026620 16 – Large Clear Modular Drawers $ 14.99 http://www.containerstore.com/shop/storage/drawers?productId=10019978

H




H

1 – Stainless Steel Trash Can $11.88 http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10542215

SCHEDULE 2010

Wednesday, January 14, 2010

o Proposal Reviewed by BC o BC Determines Priority of Implementation


o BC Places Online Orders based on Needs


o BC Arranges Installation of Shelving & Ironing Boards

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

o Volunteers Prepare for Workday by Moving and Rearranging Racks & Merchandise o BC Creates Branded Signage for 'EW Stations

Friday, February 5, 2010 - Volunteer Valentine’s Work Day

o BC Creates & Assigns Station Setup Teams o BC Posts & Photocopies Visuals & Layouts for Reference by V-DayTeams

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

o BC & CC Follow-Up & Final Touches

bottomless closet - new york city

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