The John Louis Closet Shelving System, Model number JLH-523, is a popular do it yourself closet organizer system available at various home improvement shops as well via mailorder from such places as Amazon.com. The JLH-523 is not metal or laminated, like many comparable products. Rather, this organizer is made up from either solid red mahogany or maple wood, and the company boasts that it is actually “100% solid wood”, unlike cheaper units with hollow designs.

If you’re considering buying a closet organizer, here are some features of the John Louis 523 Shelving System that you should be aware of:

• The unit fits in closets up to 10 feet in length.
• In total the unit provides a whopping 24 feet of shelving space and up 18 feet of hanging space.
• It was designed with propery air flow and proper ventilation in mind, which is important for keeping clothes fresh in the long term without any mold or that common “old closet smell.”
• All shelves are 12 inches deep. This is considered the standard for closets organizers.
• Assemply is required. This is going to be the biggest hurdle to jump for many people interesting in a nice closet organizer such as this one. The company tries to make light of it, stating that to put it together all that’s needed is “a pencil, level, screwdriver and saw.” Now, the first three are easy enough but a saw? Please keep in mind that you will need a saw to cut this unit as you see fit and then assemble it as you like. For some, this means a huge amount of control over the unit and the ability to customize it for there needs. For others however, this means either skipping out on one where you don’t have to do any cutting or hesitantly proceeding with saw in hand! Reviews from users on this point are mixed.
• On that note, here are the pieces which come on their own, of which will require assembly: Three 12″ x 24″ shelves, Three 12″ x 72″ shelves, Five Wardrobe Bars, 9 Bar Spacers, 4 Angle Brackets. Additionally, this organizer system comes with a few “freebies” of sorts, which includes a stand alone tower and two additional shelves for this piece. This tower can be used alongside the rest of the JL-523 or placed anywhere else where it’s needed. It can also be further customized beyond the two included shelf pieces with more shelving and racks.

For those individuals who are adept at do it yourself projects and are comfortable working with saws and screws, this is a fine closet organizer. If that scares you, it’d probably be better to check out some of our other reviews for less products which require less intense assemply.

Be advised that this closet organizer systems weights approximately 50 pounds. Prices fluctuate depending on where you look, but expect to pay $200-300 for this unit, plus shipping and handling fees. Also note some stores offer home installation, which of course, will come with a price tag of its own!

Note: Amazon.com is currently offering free shipping on the John Loius JL-523 Closet Shelving System!