I’ll be honest, I did not see this one coming. If you’re an organizing addict, you may have heard the big news: The Container Store is merging with Bed Bath & Beyond. As someone who has built a career around organizing spaces and who has a long-standing relationship with The Container Store, I’ve been following this story closely since it was shared publicly. I have thoughts. And I figured you probably do too.

So let’s break it all down. At least what I know as of now.

If this feels like it came out of nowhere, let me give you a little context. The Container Store has had a rough few years. They filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in late 2024 — in part because a $40 million investment from Beyond (the parent company behind the new Bed Bath & Beyond) never materialized — and exited bankruptcy in early 2025. After that, the company spent 2025 making significant changes: new top leadership came on board, the chief merchant left, about 70 people were let go, and capital projects were paused.

Meanwhile, Bed Bath & Beyond (yes, it’s back — it was relaunched as an online retailer after its own bankruptcy and has been quietly rebuilding) has been on an acquisition spree under CEO Marcus Lemonis. This past February, BBB announced a definitive merger agreement to acquire The Container Store for $150 million through a mix of common stock and senior convertible notes. The deal is expected to close in July 2026.

You can shop the sale here!

What Exactly Is Being Acquired?

 

This isn’t just a store buyout. The deal includes The Container Store, its Sweden-based Elfa business, and Chicago-based Closet Works. More on what that means for Elfa in a moment — because I know that’s the question some of you may have.

The transaction is expected to add more than 100 retail locations to Bed Bath & Beyond’s portfolio, representing over 2.2 million square feet of retail space. Stores will be rebranded as “The Container Store / Bed Bath and Beyond.”

As part of its broader vision, Lemonis has outlined an “Everything Home” framework built on three pillars: omnichannel retail brands, protection and financial services, and home services and installation. The Container Store fits squarely into that third pillar.

What’s Happening In Stores Right Now

 

Here’s the part that’s most relevant if you’re heading into a Container Store in the near future: things are changing fast.

The Container Store launched a chainwide “Store Changing” event beginning April 24th, with 98 stores nationwide resetting their selling floors to prepare for the phased integration of Bed Bath & Beyond products.

As part of the reset, the company is liquidating approximately 30% of select categories and SKUs to streamline assortments, improve space productivity, and create room for new products expected to arrive in phases throughout the year.

So yes — there are some significant sales happening right now as they clear floor space. If you’ve been eyeing something at TCS, now might actually be a good time to check in-store. Products that are being phased out to make room for BBB merchandise are being marked down, and deals are out there.

Over the coming months, stores are expected to shift to a combined format that expands beyond organization into a broader home offering, with new services tied to flooring, lighting, kitchens, laundry rooms, and bathroom cabinetry.

What About Elfa?

 

This is the question I’ve received more than any other since this news broke: Is Elfa going away?

Short answer: No. In fact, quite the opposite.

Elfa — founded in Stockholm in 1948 — is one of the world’s leading modular storage and organization brands, known for its customizable closet systems, shelving solutions, and space optimization products. Historically, it has been distributed in the U.S. primarily through The Container Store.

Under the new ownership, Elfa is actually being positioned for growth. Anders Rothstein, who has led the Elfa business for approximately 10 years, will be named Global CEO of Elfa International AB and will oversee all worldwide operations. Bed Bath & Beyond expects him to expand distribution, accelerate product innovation, and position Elfa as a standalone global brand — extending its reach through direct-to-consumer models, self-serve retail formats, and broader distribution partnerships.

Lemonis has described Elfa as “one of the most important growth engines” within the Home Services platform, and has said the company plans to grow the brand well beyond its historical constraints and fully realize its global potential.

For those of us who design with Elfa and recommend it to clients regularly — this is genuinely good news. The brand isn’t being diluted or discontinued; it’s being invested in.

My Personal Take

 

You already know that Elfa has been a cornerstone of my work at Simply Organized. I’ve been designing with it and recommending it to clients for the entire time I’ve been running this business — over a decade. It’s a system I trust, and my clients trust it too. So when news like this breaks, of course I’m paying attention.

My honest first reaction? A little sketchy, if I’m being candid.

I’ll admit — I didn’t fully realize what had happened with Bed Bath & Beyond before this merger was announced. I knew things weren’t great, but I didn’t know the full picture: that they had actually filed for bankruptcy, closed all of their physical storefronts, and pivoted to an exclusively online model. And apparently, they were doing pretty well there. That genuinely surprised me, because Bed Bath & Beyond is not a website I’m going to when I’m looking for home products or organization solutions. It’s just not where my mind goes.

And honestly, that’s part of what made me hesitant when I first heard about this merger.

When I think about Bed Bath & Beyond — based on years of walking through their stores — I think about bedding. I think about towels. Bathroom accessories. The kind of stuff you register for when you get married. I don’t think about home organization. I don’t think about the thoughtful, functional, purposeful approach to how a space works that The Container Store has always represented.

So when I started reading that the plan involves bringing bedding and towels into The Container Store — into a space I’ve always associated with intentional organization — I’ll be honest: that feels a little strange to me. These are two very different brands with very different identities, and I’m not entirely convinced that putting them under one roof is going to feel cohesive to the customer walking through the door.

I want to be wrong about this. The Container Store has meant a lot to my business and to my clients, and I want it to thrive. And as I mentioned above, the news around Elfa specifically is actually encouraging — they’re investing in it, expanding it, keeping the leadership in place. That part I feel genuinely good about. I’ve been working with Elfa for my entire career, and I hope it continues to evolve and improve. I believe it will.

But the overall merger? I’m cautiously skeptical. I’ll be watching how these stores evolve over the next several months, and I’ll share what I see. For now, the products you know and love — including Elfa — are not going anywhere. And that’s what matters most to me.

Change is always a little unsettling — especially when it involves a store that many of us in the organizing world have built our businesses around. But based on everything that’s been made public, the core of what makes The Container Store special isn’t going anywhere. It’s actually being expanded.

The Container Store’s Elfa and Closet Works brands are expected to anchor the company’s move into design, customization, and installation, expanding the business beyond product sales. That sounds, to me, like a company that understands why people love this store in the first place.

I’ll be watching this transition closely and sharing updates here as things continue to unfold. In the meantime, if you’re curious about what’s on sale right now, head to your local Container Store — the “Store Changing” reset is happening now.

As always, I’m here to help you make sense of your space — no matter what changes come our way.

What are your thoughts on the merger?

Back soon with more!

xo,

Sam