One Last Closet Update

Wouldn't it figure that the two rooms I consider "done" aren't really rooms? The laundry room is more of a pass through from the garage into the house and the closet is...well...a closet. I still do have a few little things I'd like to do (over the laundry sorter could use some kind of art-what art works for a closet? And I'd like to get a small bowl or two to put collar stays for Husband's dress shirts in.) Anyway, here's the final projects:

As you walk into the closet, the immediate right. I got the original idea from iHeartOrganizing. I loved the idea of the mix of knobs and made a trip to Hobby Lobby to see what they had.

Then I took some scrap plywood from my laundry sorter project (roughly 1x8) and cut it into 2 1/2 foot lengths. After a coat of white primer and then a semi gloss paint (Sherwin Williams snow-something color matched by Lowe's), I was ready to attach. Oh! And I decided I could use a shelf to store my small, skinny purses that could fall through the slats of our actual closet shelves. A couple of them would look better plumped up like in stores, but I've got a few touch up areas anyway.

Attaching was a little crazy. Of course the exact middle was the only stud my boards had, so I had to drill and put in wall anchors. The bottom one was almost the end of me trying to make sure everything stayed lined up properly.

I also just drilled through the wood to attach the knobs and towel bar (which was repurposed from the "toilet room" area of the bathroom). It wasn't much of a problem.

I also attached these hooks for whatever. They're currently holding bags. See what I mean about some touch ups? The silver screws need to go white and the hooks may get a coat of spray paint...haven't decided just yet.

The thing I like best about these two storage spots is the amount of storage without sacrificing room. As I mentioned in the previous post, I thought about moving my shoe collection to there, but was worried the over all feel would be too small like when I still had the wire shelf there. The shelf doesn't stick out too far (and stays up higher) and everything else stays close to the wall, so there's still plenty of room.

On the other side of the closet, I picked up a couple of shoe shelves from Home Depot (just under $10 each). Sorry about the crazy reflection from my tennis shoes.

I really like them, but could probably use a third unit. The shelves fit all of my shoes, but wouldn't fit any new pairs. And I have to do that alternating thing to actually get them all to fit. I'm pretty lazy when it comes to putting things away, especially my shoes and there's no way I'll maintain that--first rule of organizing: it's pointless if it's not easy to maintain. Luckily, I rearranged a few things hanging above, so a third rack will totally fit. I just have to get by Home Depot.

So there's my closet re-do. One day, if we decide to make this our forever home, I'll change out the lights, but they serve their purpose for now and I have many other projects much higher on my priority list :)

Mirrors and Closets

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! Just wanted to share a couple of small projects I've been working on. First, in the entry way:

The pictures were already there, but I rearranged them around the new mirror.

Speaking of the mirror, Target. $19.99. That's pretty fabulous. Especially since quatrefoils are pretty important to Phi Mu. I love the subtle nod it gives. I technically hung it "wrong" but that's the direction our quatrefoils go. Nothing a picture hanging kit couldn't fix. I also love how it looks slightly like a compass, pointing to the different directions in our lives. Whoa! Heavy stuff!

The entry way is on my list of projects for 2012. I want an umbrella stand (since Mister gets walked rain, sleet, snow, or shine) to corral the giant golf-sized umbrella I use. I also want to make this boot tray as a permanent home for my rain boots and the shoes Husband keeps by the front door. Finally, we want some kind of bench to put right in the entry way. Makes putting our shoes on much easier. I also would LIKE a skinny console table, to store things like iPod running equipment and Mister's walking paraphernalia) on the opposite wall, but I'm concerned that would make the space feel too narrow and closed off. I've been Pinning a few alternate ideas, so we'll see what ends up happening. Not only is style ever evolving, these small projects change as I go, too.

Speaking of project evolution, here's another one that changed from my original inspiration:

Ever since painting the master closet, I wanted to do something with the narrow space between the two shelves. I finally got myself in gear and cut, painted, and hung 5 shelves for sweater storage. Now everything in the closet hangs properly and everything else has a real home.

Since my original idea board, I've changed up all kinds of things :) I decided to forgo the shoe cubby in favor of a couple of basic shoe racks (like these). Since I don't really wear long dresses, I have plenty of space under that hanging storage. Plus, since relocating the hanging shelf from the door wall, I was worried that several of my other ideas for shoe storage would close that space off again. I have another great idea for that wall though. It's already required a trip to Hobby Lobby, so hopefully that will get done this coming week. That takes care of my second focus area of 2012 projects :)

"If you don't like the weather..."

It seems that no matter where one lives, long time residents will utter the phrase, "If you don't like the weather here in (insert name of town/state), just wait five minutes!" While I'm sure many places have their temperature swings or sudden change in weather, I'm willing to bet my lunch (which was leftover BBQ Shake and Bake pork chops...pretty tasty) that no where else can boast the polarity of Kentucky's weather the past couple of days.

Today is Tuesday, March 6. The forecasted high is 60 degrees. That should be warm enough to melt the THREE TO FOUR INCHES of snow that fell overnight Sunday/Monday morning. Almost every school in the area had a snow day Monday. This gave schools an even longer long weekend, as they also dismissed school 2 hours early on Friday, March 2 in anticipation of tornadoes.

The temperature on Friday? 70. How many places not only have enough of a temperature change to go from skirts to snow boots and back within 5 days, but also through in tornadoes, hail, and blizzards within that same time period?

This picture has been floating around on Facebook. Full disclosure: the first picture is not actually from March 2nd's tornado weather. The comments say it's actually Iowa, circa 2008. However, this picture:

(photo from Kim)

was taken about a mile from our house. We were incredibly blessed with the storms. We didn't have so much as one branch out of place. Communities not terribly far away have been wiped off the map. Of course, we are not the only state to be slammed with the tornadoes and I ask your prayers for those in Indiana, Tennessee, and Alabama in particular, as this is the second time in less than a year for many residents to lose everything.

If you don't like the weather in Kentucky, you better go somewhere else 'cause you'll get it all in a week.

Hopefully I'll get a post together about what's been going in the house. Not much, but a mini-project or two. That is, I'll get it together if I'm not in the hospital with pneumonia like the rest of the city!