Simpson
Our coat closet has been a complete embarrassment since the first day we moved into this house. Coats, mittens…the vacuum cleaner. You get it. It was so bad in fact that I refuse to show you a “before” shot. (oh the cat fur alone!) Here it is after I cleaned it out:
It wasn’t a huge project, (the closet is SUPER TINY) but it was definitely something that needed to be done. My holiday house guests always *think* that’s where they should put their coats in the winter and I’m just at a point where I need to be able to let them do that. (HA!)
I started by painting the inside. For those of you who don’t want to take the time (or money) to paint the inside of your closets, trust me, I get it. Many of mine remain unpainted. But the stuff builders finish walls with? It doesn’t hold up to the constant beating that high use closets take.
I painted this closet the same color as the hall walls. Took no time at all. (Although I’m still trying to figure out why someone thought 9 foot ceilings in closets was a good idea.) I scrubbed the trim with a Magic Eraser and that saved some painting as well. I did mop the floor too. (Who knows when that will happen again right?) These are the little things that make a difference!
I always do my best organizing work when I find an inspiring piece to get me going. My mom and I discovered this three tier hanging magazine basket. It really got me thinking! It was the perfect storage for our gloves, scarves and hats.
I labeled each person’s bin with some stickers and gift tags left from other projects.
So cute and useful right?
Everything stacked up in there nicely. By the way, this project also made me get rid of the stuff we NEVER use. Be realistic about your stuff. I heard someone say once that they had a two year rule. If they didn’t wear it in two years – they gave it away. I’m not sure my rule is two years, but I do notice if something goes unworn for awhile.
For the shelf I wanted bins like the one I made for my sister (see here) but I couldn’t find any to fix up.
NOTE: This is a BUY vs. DIY moment. If I had made these bins, it would have ended up costing me FAR MORE. Always do research on these projects before you start!
Were these totally cheap?
No. But would the DIY have cost me more? Yes.
In the end, the coats got back in with room for guests to hang things. I went with wooden hangers for uniformity and function. They are NOT as expensive as you might think. Again, shop around – I bought a pack of 24 for $14!
Not bad for a couple hours work.
The best part? All that’s left on the floor is the vacuum in the back corner. And I’m ok with that!
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