WFMW: {Almost} Custom Closet Makeover BIG REVEAL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I Heart Organizing along with Jen and IKEA shoe cupboards and expedite bookcases are what Works-for-Me this Wednesday as I share and link-up my {Almost} Custom Closet makeover with you all today.

Here's a reminder of what the BEFORE looked like...

And now...drumroll please...the AFTER!

It's just so hard to get a good full view through this tiny door and I don't have a wide angle lens...not that I'd know how to use it even if I did have one!  So bear with me as I give you all the delicious details in several photos.  Because I'm just thrilled that in a matter of two days...I was able to get all of this back into this space...pictures don't like and I'm so doing the happy dance right now ;}

Now everything is either hung up (no more dragging on the floor) or folded neatly and everything has a place.

We removed the wire shelves (holding the blue canvas bins),  raised the top wire shelf by 10-inches and shortened and moved the shorter hanging shelf.  ALL the boxes on the top shelf were removed, along with the hanging shoe organizer.

To make room for these two IKEA expedite bookcases...these were re-purposed from my studio desk and stacked on top of each other.  Yesterday I made a quick {wink...it's 6 hours round trip ;} trip to IKEA in Charlotte to purchase the eight baskets and new shoe organizers (soon to be revealed :)

It was a sweet surprise to see that the baskets matched my stool when I got home...hard to believe that I didn't plan this!  But I didn't...my decision was based on having (almost) solid fronts to keep the dust at bay.  That and having sturdy baskets with easy pulls (here that would be the hole in the middle) for DH to grab onto.  NOT have a label area was an issue...but I found an adequate solution ;)

I simply attached the laminated labels to the back of the inside of the baskets with a piece of ribbon that I slipped through the rush basket and tied in a bow.

The purses have been purged and all of these boxes have been kicked to the curb (literally ;)

AND now the blue canvas bins have been re-purposed and sorted. 

Now the ones on the top shelf hold seasonal items and some of my smaller bags.

The larger bags went into the IKEA baskets and new bins...THE REST are history!  I only kept the ones that I truly love and that fit my new lifestyle.  I'll talk about this more in a future post ;)

Even after having to cut 6-inches off the second shelf to make room for the IKEA bookcases, we still had plenty of room to hang DH shorts and jeans.  Previously these were folded into four of the blue canvas bins...but DH tended to only wear the ones on top...imagine that?

Directly under DH's shorts and jeans there is plenty of room to re-purpose a white shelf and black basket.  The white shelf now holds DH's work shoes...which he only uses one every three months when he has to go into the office (tough job...I know ;)  While the black basket that use to be under the bed...NOW fits here and it holds my long summer "day" dresses.  I use to hang the dresses on the back of the bedroom door...since we don't have any LONG hanging space down in the closet...but they got in the way there.  AND since they don't require ironing...I simply placed them in this basket along with their coordinating sweaters.

OH BOY...now for the other wall...here's a photo of the two IKEA mirrors that I had hung there before.

TA DAAAAA....now I've re-purposed the mirrors and added some realy cool IKEA shoe storage ;)

When we first moved into the Love Shack and I was trying to set up the foyer...I looked long and hard at these shoe cupboards at IKEA.  Especially the more formal, wooden ones that they offer like the one featured in Jen's blog post.  However, for my closet, I needed one that was less than 7-inches deep and was black to match the bookcases...these black plastic ones worked out perfectly. 

Can you say...shoe, bag and valet...all in one!  Now DH has a handy place to empty his pockets when he's getting undressed in the closet.  We also got rid of our rod-iron, laundry basket to make room for the stool so that you'd have a place to sit down and put your shoes on...something our foyer just doesn't have room for.

The concern for the depth was multi-faceted!  First and foremost...there are two doors coming into this closet...so even though it's a "walk-in" closet...it is actually a "walk-through" closet ;)  SO we really did not want anything that stuck out further that the bedroom door set when it was open or that we would walk into as we came out of the bathroom pocket door.  Secondly...what ever we put on this wall cannot interfere with the attic, pull-down stairs...oh yeah!

The mirrors were great for brightening up the closet and they offered great storage for DH's ties and my scarves. BUT the reality was that my scarves had hung there for an entire year and I couldn't remember wearing any of them during that time.  So for now, I've folded them up and have put them away in one of the canvas bins until I'm emotionally ready to purge them as well ;)

Right now I've got bigger fish to fry...because I've disassembled my studio desk.  It just wasn't working for me the way I wanted it to.  So two of the bookcases went into my closet and the third went by the foyer...in our "library" area. 

AND now I've got another HOT MESS to clean up...so stay tuned!!

In the meantime, be sure to hop on over to see Kristen's spring cleaning tips this Wednesday.  AND then hop on over to Jen's blog to check out everyone else's shoe storage solutions and the fantastic giveaway hosted by  Report Footwear...now that makes purging worth it!

Fondly, Roberta

 

Comments

[Randy]

I love your Ikea shoe organizers with the fabulous mirrors! Would you mind if I saved the photo for my own reference? I don't know how to pin something to Pinterest, but if this were there, I'd pin it in a heartbeat. My closet has one odd small angled wall by the bifold door, that can't have anything deep. But it's screaming for something useful. This would be so cool!
Thanks for the wonderful ideas and beautiful photos. You have a great knack for display as well as organizing.

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[Cortney Lyon]

Love the new closet especially the thin show rack. I also looked at those when I went to IKEA a few times but they were too tall for the space I had. Your closet looks even bigger now. I look forward to seeing your new desk now.

[Alyssa]

Great job! Love the shoe, bag, and valet cabinet! Good luck to you as well Roberta!

[Wayna]

What a wonderful job! You have a beautiful closet! TFS

[Michelle]

Loving the organisation. Looks like a lot of work but well worth it to find what you're looking for now :)

[Donnie]

Your closet looks wonderful and all your hard work looks so stylish.

[Leah@behindthestonewall]

ABSOLUTELY JEALOUS! Love the shoe organizers...but I didn't see a link? Where did you get them? I have been sweating the wood ones from Ikea forever, and may just succumb to temptation soon.

[June Houck]

Yep, this solidifies you as the #1 Organization-is-chic-classy-and-practical GODDESS!!! Even the guy with the moveable walls has to bow down to you :)

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[Bonnie]

oh my, wonderful job! It all looks super neat and organized now. You really are the Queen of organizing!

[Denyse@Crazy Beautiful Life]

I can not believe you drove all the way to Charlotte to go to IKEA to get those baskets...you kill me...LOL!!I have the same baskets and love them they are so sturdy but I love how you used them in the closet (mental note)...Only you could take your lil "Love Shack" closet and make it look so good "LOVE IT"!!!

I really like the shelf at your foyer, and that area has seen alot of changes...this is by far the best!!

I also know all too well about letting things go and not being ready...but, if I keep moving like I do it will be easy to let go...I'm tired of toting it around...This move in the end is going to be a big purge ;-)

One more thing....NICE DESK!!! LMAO