Organized Living
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Home storage and organization products |
| Predecessor | Schulte Corp. |
| Founded | 1985 |
| Founder | Mark Ferrel |
| Headquarters | Westerville, Ohio , United States |
Area served | United States, Canada |
Key people | Beth Pritchard (former CEO) |
| Products | Home storage and organization products |
| Website | organizedliving |
Organized Living, previously known as Schulte Corp., specializes in manufacturing products for home storage and organization, which are distributed via independent dealers across the United States and Canada. Prior to 2007, Organized Living functioned as a specialty retail chain offering storage solutions for homes and offices.
History
The company was established in 1985 by Mark Ferrel under the name Containers Unlimited in Kansas, launching its initial store in Overland Park, Kansas. By 1993, the business, then operating two stores, transitioned its brand from Containers and More to Organized Living. Growth persisted with three stores by 1996, including a location in St. Louis, Missouri, followed by the addition of two stores in Las Vegas in 1997. The expansion strategy targeted regions not served by its primary competitor, The Container Store. By the year 2000, Organized Living had expanded to 11 retail locations.
At its height, the chain operated 25 stores but filed for bankruptcy protection in 2005 after anticipated financing fell through. The private equity firm Saunders Karp & Megrue took a controlling interest and appointed Beth Pritchard, formerly of Bath & Body Works, as CEO in 2004 to spearhead national expansion efforts. The headquarters was relocated from Lenexa, Kansas to Westerville, Ohio. However, Pritchard was removed from her position in 2005 amid bankruptcy due to changes in financing arrangements.
During the bankruptcy process, creditor Schulte Corp. obtained the rights to the Organized Living brand and managed OrganizedLiving.com as an e-commerce platform until 2012. On January 1, 2013, Schulte Corp. adopted the Organized Living name and relaunched OrganizedLiving.com as its official corporate website.