The Container Store

It’s not usual that I would write a review of this type of business but from patronizing The Container Store at this location as well as downtown San Francisco one thing really stands out at this business besides the scope of storage solutions and that is the nature of the staff in the store. Always friendly and very helpful to assist you in any way. And they do so in a genuine way.

THIS IS A HORRIBLE STORE!!!
i came in here last night prepared to spend a lot of money and left with nothing. I found many things in here that I needed/​wanted. Why did I leave empty-​handed, you ask?
I spent a great deal of time in the store making selections and made my way toward to front to check out a shopping cart that was chock full of goodies. Before reaching the check-​out stand, I got distracted by something and disappeared down an aisle to investigate. I made the mistake of leaving my cart and before I knew it my cart had disappeared. I looked all over the store and couldn’t find it and finally concluded that a ditzy employee had taken my cart and put all my stuff back on the shelves! I confirmed this by noting that one particuarly unique item had been returned to its place. I was angry, tired and hungry at this point that I didn’t even want to deal with these idiots, I just walked out and went straight to my car (I needed to go get something to eat).
What makes me especially angry is not ONCE in all that time in the store did anyone ask me if I needed help. I was in there a long time and was all over the store and saw several employees walking around. They weren’t even that busy! Sorry but if you have time to walk around PUTTING MERCHANDISE AWAY (and not even bothering to find out if it belongs to someone) but no time to try to assist customers, you’re fucked up. FUCKED UP STORE.
I want an apology before I ever shop here or any Container Store ever again. Actually, an apology and a coupon for at least $ 50 to make up for the time I wasted in here.

If you are shopping for attitude this is your place. SF and Walnut Creek both have nice sales associates but Corte Madera not so much.

I get all funny inside walking in this place. Organization and little boxes make me squirm with anticipatory excitement. I only wish my closets looked as good as theirs.

First time in the Container store for me and I was like a kid in a candy store! Roberta helped me build my first ever «Elfa“shelving unit. And let me tell you she made it FUN! Showing me all my options, keeping it simple for me and being freakin Awesome at the same time. Wasn’t trying to «upsale» me (given the fact that I was willing to spend $ 200+) I’ve been in sales for years and even tho Im young she didn’t work me over like some rich kid spending daddies money (which Im not FYI) I really appreciate sales people being real and not pushy. At checkout I was above and beyond impressed that I did not have to then try to bring all my purchases out to my car. They said pull up to the front and will have someone load it in my car! WHAT?! Amazing! Absolutely going back! And hopefully my girl Roberta will be there.

Bought our custom closet online through
and went to Corte Madera to pick it up. While the people over the phone at Container Store seemed somewhat helpful we had a difficult time finding anyone in the Corte Madera store that knew what they were doing. We wanted to view our closet picture with them and make sure we did not need any last minute add ons — it took them 20 minutes to try to pull up our closet and they never could figure out to work out the computer to look it up. So we decided to just check out and pick up our pre-​designed closet. Of course, the kind woman at the checkout station implied they never received our order but it had been sitting in the warehouse with our 2:15pm pick up time. Time to get loaded up in the car, and i must say the warehouse worker was the most helpful of anyone there. After the big ordeal at the store, we drive home 45 minutes to find out not all the closet rods were provided with our order. Called Container Store to get them sent overnight and they did not have in stock at their distribution center and also their staff does not have authority to overnight anything even when they make the mistake. We are now waiting for a local store to hopefully call us and see if they can help us get what we ordered. Overall – good product and horrible customer service.

This store always has something new. Like a storage container for your Christmas wreath. I really like the euro design ‘bungee chairs’. They are extremely comfortable. It’s a great place if you’ve moved, whether to somewhere larger or smaller. It’s all about making the space look great. In the past have bought things like storage bins and shelving.

I love these stores

Easy access on 101, this is boxes and containers ikea style. Lots of choice… if you like boxes and packaging or need something to hold your pens on the desk. «Watt a grate choice «said my French wife who is a «get everything in the right place» addict.

The Ikea for those with OCD like tendencies.
Today I went without a focus and found myself walking with the herd and managed to accomplish nothing. Half way through the store I realized that I have been wanting to organize my tee shirts and dresser drawers. I went back to the front to check out what they had for me. Turns out… not a lot. I was specifically looking for insterts and I thought that this store would have that in spades. Nope, they only had a couple of items and neither of them would work for me. Oh well… le sigh.

Third visit to this store. This time the woman helping me was a real sweetheart. Last 2 visits not so much. The other people who’ve helped in the past clearly don’t like their job.
Most major stores nowadays can access purchases by your credit card you used. But not these guys. I bought some gifts for Christmas and lost the receipt. Of course they were on sale right after Christmas, so I had to eat $ 60 when I went to go exchange my items for a different size.
Two stars seems about right for lackluster service and overpriced stuff.

if you need containers for your kitchen, bathroom, closet, jewerly, boxes and wrapping items etc come here. They have so many different items.
I was not blown away by this store, I had seen all the items before and they actually did not have one item I was looking for, but its nice that everything is in one place.
The store is pretty large and the cashier was friendly enough.
Their trash cans however are on the pricey side. 79.99 for a stainless steel kitchen trash can? And that was the cheapest one. Maybe I have been out of the trash can loop I dont know.

I like containers and I like organizing, so I thought visiting here would be fun and exciting, but I really wasn’t blown away. I was expecting organization and selection to be a bit better.
There were a lot of containers, but I was surprised at how the kitchen section was lacking. There were some glass things, but really, not as many as I was hoping for. The type of storage I was hoping to find comes in many shapes and sizes, but the store only carried a couple varieties and most were too big for my uses. I hoped for more variety and kind of got a meh feeling about the place.

This Container Store is consistently good. The people are helpful without being in your face and they know how to help you organize a desk or freshen a closet.
Considering that this is in the heart of Marin, they also are extremely patient with the equally harried and entitled customers that you’ll (generally) see running around here.

I really can’t help from being obsessed with this place. It is addicting. I could wonder through this store alllll day long and still have stuff yet to discover! There are so many CONTAINERS. And there is so much more behind that word than what originally pops into your head. Maybe it’s just me but when I read «The Container Store» I was thinking, gah probably just a crap load of Tupperware and boring stuff, but I was so very wrong.
First off, this place is giiinormously huge and filled with fun odd and ends that you probably didn’t even know existed!
I am very enthusiastic about this place as I love everything having a place or a home. I like that all my paperwork has a box or a folder. I like that my makeup brushes live in a makeup cup. I like that my books live on a shelf, and that my cups have coasters underneath them. I like that my tissues go in a trash can and that the presents I give have appropriate sized boxes for the goodies inside, and that my daily activities are jotted down in my daily planner. I like that my clothes are hung on hangers and that my shoes are in their cubbies, that my assorted spices are in individual jars and that half eaten onions and tomatoes are in their own fruit and veggie homes crisp in the fridge. I like organization, and if your anything like me, this store will be the Container you will wish you lived in :)

Going on the presumption that everyone aspires to be organized, I’m just going to figure everyone already knows about the miracle that is the Container Store. Where else can you go and be able to choose between just a PANOPLY of holiday-​themed cookie tins? for cheep!
Considering that every female Marinite and her mother is there (quite literally, I bumped into several I know on my last trip), furiously stuffing her basket full of, well, containers, the staff there is almost abnormally upbeat and helpful. Less one star because it’s not as fully-​stocked — apparently its popularity keeps some of those shelves pretty empty.

Some very cute, useful, home decorating supplies. The prices are higher than what they should be though and you could often buy the same product elsewhere for less. At least here you have all the containers you would need for your entire house all conveniently in one place!

I’ve been a little slow lately.
Just dealing with life in general… you know, of the loser variety. My last roommate was a liar. My ex was a liar. In fact, most of my bad relationships ended because I had to dump the liar, who was so busy trumping themselves up just to continue the dating process.
What does not help, is my listening to NPR reruns while typing my review: Radio Lab: Into the Brain of a Liar. You should check it out here (
)
Given the fact that I’ve had my share of dealing with chronic liars, truth benders and then ultimately, the poser/​thief you all knew of from last year, I’ve taken that loser value and applied it to consumer goods. My review and who do I trust when it comes to holding a good pair of high heels? The Container store has consistently given me a good return for my dollars spent here. Quality is a virtue here, no liars present.
It is slightly more on the expensive side but they carry a wide range of products that cover the price spectrum. In addition to a good variety I’m usually impressed with how everything is perfectly arranged, categorized and spaced. Kudos to the person (s) who put that room together.
I had to choose between a $ 12.99 clearance over-​the-​door shoe holder against a $ 39.99 item. The quality of course differed, but ultimately, the cheaper one would do the job just the same. I also walked out with a $ 1.99 paper document plastic zip folder. Keeps water and other drizzle we’ve been experiencing in SF at bay and away from important documents. I was also interested in the very trendy and vibrant reusable shopping bags located near the entrance. But at $ 8.99 a bag, I’ll think more about the purchase. They would, however, be a very cute addition to someone’s birthday gift. Hmmmm.
In addition to the pretty immaculate storeroom and staff that meander through the aisles ensuring you are finding the right items, I was even more pleasantly surprised at the check out. Chipper and smiley.
Now that is the way to end a good shopping spree. Now it was off to Barnes & Noble for some books and a cup of coffee. Truth and trust, it seems, is never too hard to find, especially when you are wandering aisles lined with literature.

It’s a given that The Container Store is on the pricey side, compared to, oh, Ikea I guess… there is some crossover in merchandise, maybe more than a little. It’s also a given that Ikea is inherently evil (if you have any doubt Google the Economist article from 5÷11÷06).
Yeah, so, get to the point… the point is, yesterday I woke up realizing I didn’t want to rewrap my recently washed 24 wine glasses in tissue paper and transport them in a cardboard box with egg crates. It works and nothing gets broken but what a pain. I decided The Container Store would have what I needed and they had options ranging from $ 6.99 (a cardboard box with a clever lid and separations for the glasses or those tchotckes you are moving) to a $ 24.99 damask covered stemware storage unit, with handles thank you very much.
Naturally I had to get 2 of the $ 24.99 options since everything’s better with damask. And then I had to get 2 wine bottle carrier/​storage thingies made of recycled plastic at $ 19.99 ea. And then I had to get a keychain/​flashlight, an odor eater for my trunk and some for the kitchen garbage and… well, you know… they have awesome impulse buy items @ the register.
Oh, I’m docking a star b/​c on their website nothing came up when I searched for Wine Glasses. I had to call the store to determine the correct verbiage is Stemware. That’s stupid.

I apparently needed to contain myself.
Okay, all I really needed were a couple of squeezy bottles with caps, and some travel stuff. Which, I gotta say, they had in spades. I mean, we’re talking an aisle of various sized plastic bottles with every imaginable cap. It was… surreal. The place isn’t exactly cheap, but hey — it meant I didn’t have to drag my backside to other stores in search of squeezy bottle Holy Grail.
Star lost for the chick at the checkout counter who inquired about my t-​shirt — it had the Jesus fish emblem on it, but instead of Jesus it said «tacos». Fish tacos, geddit? (She didn’t. Apparently, I’m going to burn in hell.)