Thanks to everyone who made the 2008 Closets & Home Organization Conference & Expo such a lively event. I had a great time in Palm Beach, and was impressed by the growing strength of the industry. Hopefully, you learned as much as I did.

For those of you who couldn’t make the trip, I’m giving a quick summary of new research presented at the conference which highlighted consumer spending habits and home organization trends. Since 2005, we’ve been tracking the average cost consumers have paid for closet and garage systems. Great news – prices keep rising.

In 2005, the master bedroom closet cost an average of $3,182. This year’s survey puts that average at $4,435. Even better news seems to be around the bend, as respondents said they are budgeting an average of $4,770 for future master bedroom closet projects. So they evidently have realistic expectations as to costs.

Garages finished first for planned projects in the coming year, according to the research. Nearly one-quarter of the respondents planned to organize their garages in the next 12 months and had a budget of more than $5,000 set aside for the task.

Surprisingly, the organization accessory that today’s consumers crave most is accent lighting. In response, we’re adding a lighting pavilion at the 2009 Closets Expo in Schaumburg, IL, to help attendees source innovative and attractive lighting. In 2007 we launched the garage pavilion based on the increase of consumer awareness, and the area has grown from 11 booths in 2007 to 14 in 2008.

The research presented above was based on answers from 806 respondents, evenly distributed throughout the U.S., who own their own home and have an average household income of $222,000. Respondents were 62 percent female. A full report of study findings will be included in the June 2008 issue of Closets magazine and posted online at closetsmagazine.com.

As a side note, keep an eye on your inboxes for the new redesigned Hot off the Shelf e-newsletter. It will deliver research results from this study and the manufacturers’ study, which was also presented at the 2008 event. If you aren’t signed up to receive our e-newsletter, please send your information to industrialinfo@vancepublishing.com or subscribe online at closetsmagazine.com