The Container Store

I moved recently and found myself at The Container Store several times. The store is organized pretty logically and the clerks are really friendly (the kind of friendly that is almost over the top, but not fake). As others have said, there are some things here that are ridiculously overpriced, while there are others that can be a great deal, especially if there is a sale.
I finally signed up for their «PopStar» rewards program – even though I won’t be in here often enough to earn any points, it’s awesome that they’ll accept a return without a receipt if you join the program.
This will probably be a go-​to place for me for some time to come!

I love container store and have several of there products. ELFA! This location is ok a little disorganized and only have two cashiers making for a long check out line. The Elfa sale is my favorite time of year so many goodie to try and install. One lady offered me help and was friendly but I was really there to return things and browse.

I believe that this location is the highest selling one in the DC area. I love all of the products but parking can be tricky. You can’t afford to get lost in thought here. There is free parking with validation for one hour. There are lots of practical choice that can help organize any room in your house.

David B. did a phenomenal job selling us Elfa shelving systems for our oddly shaped closets. One could tell he truly enjoys helping customers find the right solution. His expertise was comforting and we enjoyed seeing his ideas. He also walked downstairs to help us find our parking ticket so he could provide a validation stamp. Thank you!
I would recommend this place and David B. to anyone who is not satisfied with their current closet/​organization.

Long line on a Sunday morning. Manager notices it and jumps right in to add more registers open. Now this is customer service !!

Great location right off the metro. Very big considering it’s city location with an underground parking garage with validation. I like using the in store pick up option, but clearer instructions would be appreciated. The first time I used it, the confirmation email said to go to the register with the «in store pick up» signage. But this location isn’t staffed where someone is at the counter all the time. You actually have to go in the main check out line. Not a big deal, but would have been nice to have accurate instructions.

They are a bit pricey on some things, watch for sales and sign up for their loyalty program to save $$. They have so much useful, space saving stuff that is even more useful in an expensive city like DC.
Just take my money now.

Get it together here!
If you can’t get organized after shopping here, well… the word ‘hopeless’ comes
to mind.
I especially like their garage organization products.

I’ve always heard of The Container Store and their products, and how people get all crazy over it. I thought to myself, what was so special about a place that sells random products that help you keep organized?! I thought I myself was a pretty good organizer. Boy, was I wrong! Even the most organized person in the world can find some products here useful! I recently purchased 2 white Elfa Start-​A-​Stacks that is one of The Container Store’s most popular drawer products. It comes with 3 2-​Runner Drawers, one 1-​Runner Drawer, and back stop pins. The crate itself is made out of epoxy-​bond steel and the drawers glides smoothly in and out (no squeaky sounds here!). It holds TONS — I put my random collections here and there and the weight did not even phase the sliding action. Everything is now neat and organized, and all my things can be seen clearly through the drawers. I absolutely love it! The store also offers things to organize your closets and your office space.
+Elfa Start-​A-​Stacks

I went to the Container Store yesterday. It is located in a really nice area right across from Whole Foods and next to best buy. They had some nice stuff to get you organized. This Container Store had a friendly staff and was really clean. Just wish there prices were alittle lower. Love there Elfa Brand!

Had a weird customer service issue at register. Contacted corporate. They resolved the issue promptly and well. Classy move.
Had a weird customer service issue at register. Contacted corporate. They resolved the issue promptly and well. Classy move.
Had a weird customer service issue at register. Contacted corporate. They resolved the issue promptly and well. Classy move.

I came here with my dad who was trying to get a container to hold legal size documents. The staff here was super helpful and friendly for the most part. One of the cashiers was a little bit push though to get my dad to give his email address with no explanation for the reason.

Across the street from the Metro and easy to park at for free. Clean store with ample-​if focused-​selection. Plenty of people to help, but not pushy. I hate retailers who greet you at the door or talk to you uninvited. Prices are not dirt cheap, but reasonable enough. Nothing exciting about shopping for containers, but this place serves the need well.

Elfa. Closet. Happiness. I designed my closet here and had it installed three days later. It’s rare in business today but the Container Store provides great customer service all around: in store, on the phone and even through their general 800 number.

The Container Store is a little bit like walking into a mini IKEA, but with far fewer options of course. The place is brightly lit and the staff are flush with smiling faces. This particular store is also in a really great, convenient spot that also has a Best Buy and and Ace Hardware in it all the while being directly next to the Tenleytown metro.
While the container store has a lot of cool things, remember that the game here is organization. That just means that you won’t find pots, pans, or too much kitchenware here, but you will find wine racks, spice racks, trash cans — things to put your stuff in!
This place has crazy and stylish ways to keep your closets, bedrooms, kitchens, etc. clean and thoroughly organized. The «elfa» shelving is amazing here too — I made a desk/​bookshelf out of it and the only thing attached to the wall is one metal strip near the ceiling. So now I have a totally portable desk! It’s really quite wonderful.
Definitely take a trip here if you’re just moving into the area — you’ll leave a happy human being.

This store is filled with all kinds of cute and what may seem necessary items. From things you know you need to things you didn’t know they make but suddenly need, The Container Store is a place to quickly rack up a huge bill!
No one greeted my boyfriend or I. No one asked if we needed help. In fact, I wasn’t sure if anyone was really working last night.
Still, the store is well stocked and very organized, as it should be. There are two convenient entrances, one from within the little plaza and one from Wisconsin Ave. It’s also conveniently located across from the Tenleytown Metro stop and other bus routes.

This store is well-​stocked and very organized. I was able to find everything I needed almost immediately. The one thing I have an issue with is the apathetic sales staff.
Example #1: I had a question about a couple of items I was considering buying and had a hard time locating an employee on the floor. When I went back to the shelf to continue pondering my options, two sales people walked by but they completely ignored me – it seemed they were too involved in their flirtatious conversation with one another.
Example #2: After I finally grabbed everything I needed, I couldn’t fit all the large containers into my cart so I was pushing my over-​filled cart with one hand and dragging the rest behind me with the other hand. Again, an employee walked right past me and completely ignored me. A guy who was there with his family saw me, came over, lifted up my four containers, and walked me to the cash register.

Two key points:
1) The Elfa system will legitimately change your life. Particularly the Gliding Shoe Rack. Prices are a bit high, but there’s a 30% off sale every Sept-​Oct, which helps. Best money I’ve ever spent. I’ve moved 5 times over the last 5 years, and the components have come with me every time. Lifesaver for renters. They’re completely reconfigurable. Put them up, take them down, move around. Lather, rinse, repeat.
2) Customer service is what sets this company, and this particular branch, apart. Story time!
As part of the Great Closet Organization Project of 2010, I spent a whole bunch of money on Elfa closet components (including the aforementioned Gliding Shoe Rack), using the Container Store’s online «Click and Pick-​up» service. You order everything online, then go pick it up at no additional cost. This is a BIG time saver because your order is waiting for you at the counter, all packed, paid for, and ready to go – meaning, you don’t waste time hunting for items/​getting distracted by aisles of deathless plastic promising you a better life.
Anyway, after loading-​up a cab with 7′-long rods and ventilated shelving components, and hauling everything into my tiny apartment, I realized that they didn’t custom-​cut my 7′-long shelving components, as I ordered online. Turns out the website didn’t save my custom-​cut preferences after I marked the order as a «Click and Pick-​up» (a glitch, not sure if they’ve fixed this yet). You have to call the store and tell them to do it before pick-​up.
As is my nature (persnickety), I called the store and told them about the mistake. Not only did they apologize and immediately offer to replace the components, the sales associate (David) who had helped me load the cab, DROVE OVER and delivered the replacement pieces to my apartment, in his own car, in the rain. Amazing. If the Container Store didn’t already have a customer for life*, they definitely have one now.
*The customer is me.

I love The Container Store. Every trip I’ve made there has been a pleasant experience (a complete contrast from the ghetto service I receive at the Best Buy next door, but I digress…).
During my recent trip there, I was buying boxes, crêpe paper and tins to make care packages for kids I knew who were going off to college. While looking around, one of the employees approached me and gave suggestions. I liked how I was approached like a customer, not like a nuisance or a thief (as I’ve been treated in other places).
The woman who rang up my purchase, Ann, had a lovely British accent and a pleasant demeanor. She seemed genuinely happy at her job, which is rare nowadays!
Sure this is a place that sells different containers and things for around the house, but I can’t stop raving about how awesome this place is.

This store is seriously the black hole of all of my money. Ever since this store opened a few years ago, I have been coming here (and sometimes dragging my friends here with me). My favorite time of the year is here — when the store is transformed into wrapping paper wonderland! I simply refuse to buy my wrapping paper needs anywhere else but here. They are so tricksy and get me every time by showing you all of the ways you can coordinate your papers with ribbons, strings, fun tags, bows… etc. It’s hard for me to just pick one or two rolls of paper — and I always end up with more than I needed.
Aside from my love of paper (you may also realize this about me after you’ve read my review of the Paper Source…) I do really love all of the other things you can get here to organize your stuff. From the teensy clear boxes in the back right corner of the store (yes, I have pretty much the entire layout memorized…), to the fun kitchen containers, office supplies and blue colored staples to the ELFA closet shelves that I so desperately want but can’t afford… you can find just about ANYTHING you will ever need to get organized right here.
I would say that about 70% of the things in my room are from the Container Store. Of all of the things I have obtained from this particular store, my favorite has to be the LABEL MAKER that I bought for 50% off. Yes, that’s right. I got mine for $ 25. That was like… the best day ever.
Lastly, I would like to say that I’ve never really had a bad experience here. Once I bought something I ended up not liking and I had no problems returning it. Everyone is very friendly and helpful and I will forever come to this store as long as I am still living in DC.