April - Closet Makeover

In April, we had a million home projects going on.  I was feeling so overwhelmed so I took a break….and started another project.  Some projects are dessert compared to other projects.

Our master closet had driven me crazy since we moved in.  It’s a “walk-in” closet, but it’s not really.  It’s more like two wall closets with a door opening.

I just love to be organized, but I found it impossible with how everything was set up.  Too many shelves, too low hanging bars, no good place for shoes.  I had had it, and really wanted to change it. 

Sometimes, you just can’t go on with life until you remodel your closet.  And that’s what I told Jakob.  He wasn’t excited about starting another project, but then the sucker went to work, and I demolished the closet unit and pulled up all the carpet by the time he got home.  I should probably never be left unsupervised.

AFTER!!!!!!  This is the view looking in.  Those five, glorious slanted shelves hold my shoes.  Above them is Jakob’s hanging area.  The flooring is linoleum strips that somewhat resemble wood.

This is the view to the right.  The end section is for my dresses and boots.  I am a dress hoarder.  I sorted through all of my dresses and skirts and gave away a huge box full.  And I still have 35 dresses and 20 skirts.  I can’t explain myself.

And, yes, I did add can lighting in the closet. Thanks for noticing.

This is our dirty clothes section.  Trying to utilize every inch of space. 

And, once again for your viewing pleasure, my shoe shelves.  I spent days trying to figure out how to build these shelves for super cheap.  (I neglected to get preapproval on my budget and the bid came in at MUCH lower than I had anticipated.)  The shelves are just plywood covered with contact paper.  And I figured out a cheap option for edges – carpet edging strips!

This is the view when you turn to the left.  Both of these units are from IKEA.  I built these two first, and then realized how easy – and how much cheaper – it would be to build my own.  So I just built the other two out of melamine.

The left side is Jakob’s side and the right is mine.  Jakob’s shelves house his nine pair of humble shoes.  My shirts hang on the right.

Then we each have some pull-out baskets and drawers.  They look so thin, but they are really deep so they hold a lot of stuff.

This is my little dressing area with a mirror.  It kind of feels like a walk-in closet now.

Across from the mirror is this wall.  I dream of putting in one of those built-in, fold down ironing board stations.  A girl can dream.

COMMERCIAL BREAK:  Love these skirt/pant hangers!  So compact and organized.  Who says you can’t keep the skirts you wore in high school until they'll fit again?

COMMERCIAL BREAK:  I love this tie hanger I found at Bed, Bath, and Beyond.  Any of the other tie hangers I found never really held the ties.  They would fall all over and drive me crazy.  On this one, the ties hang on little plastic holders like the kind at the stores, and they snap onto a bar.  The organization is thrilling!!!! (And it only takes one really big tantrum to motivate your husband to put his ties back on the little plastic holders.)
I am not lying when I say that our closet and room is so much more clean and organized since the makeover.  Everything just needs a place!  The end.