As part of my Happiness Project, I have spent much of the last year organizing my house. I finished all of the rooms except the primary closet several months ago. I’m a pretty organized person to begin with, so it wasn’t bad. But once I knew I was going to re-organize the closet, I gave up on it. So for months, I threw clothes on the floor, destroyed my once organized shelves and let the Goodwill pile get out of control.
I knew it seemed like an easy job, but in reality it would take several days, so I set Labor Day weekend as the weekend to overhaul the master closet. I’ve been pinning images on Pinterest for a while, so the first step was looking through the pins to figure out what would work in our closet. I knew most items would be purchased at Ikea or Target, as they both have amazing things to organize your life without breaking the bank.
I wanted to be prepared so we didn’t spend mindless hours roaming Ikea {oh, you know what I’m talking about} so I got online, looked up the items I wanted, made a list and hit the stores. We originally wanted to paint the closet, but it would be a tedious task and I wasn’t sure what the result would look like.
A friend suggested we paint just the ceiling. Done! We chose a light blue color to match the master bedroom, and it also mimics a blue sky.
We got rid of the fluorescent tube lights which never worked properly and every time we turned them on, it felt more like the basement in Saw than a master closet. To fix that, we got the Possini Euro Jolie Sheer Silver Shade Crystal Ceiling Light from Lamps Plus {similar here}.
Kind of ironic since the Jolie-Pitt’s got married last weekend, but I really picked it for its beauty and its price, not it’s name. I promise.
At Ikea, we purchased 2 Bitrade Shelving Units {each has four cubes.} These were placed on a high shelf to hold jeans, leggings, shorts, sweaters and sweatshirts. We purchased two Skubb Laundry Baskets in black for dirty clothes, and one in white for ironing. They are slim and tall and fit perfectly under a shelf in the corner.
We also purchased a Jall Laundry Basket {it only comes in white} for dry cleaning and items needing repair {missing buttons, holes repaired, etc.} This basket has a metal frame which is perfect for hanging those pesky dry cleaning hangers while they wait to be returned for recycling. It is also easy to transport so you can throw it in the back of your car and head to the cleaners.
The HYFS boxes are perfect for loose items. I purchased a large single box for clutches and wallets. This box is adjustable, so you can make it smaller or larger as needed. I then got the HYFS Box set, which includes a larger square box and two smaller ones. I put small scarves in the larger box and odds and ends {Girl Scout patches waiting for sash application, cell phone cases, etc.}, and bracelets in the smaller boxes.
I already had some boxes purchased from Ikea several months ago which I used for Seasonal Clothing {winter gear which isn’t really used in Phoenix, but we still need}, Costumes {you know, ugly sweaters, 80’s gear, ect.}, and Goodwill {the goal being when the box is full, get rid of it}. We also had an Ikea dresser which was purchased years ago but is still hanging in there.
Ikea was out of clothes covers, so I headed to Target for those, as well as hangers {I’ll be replacing all the hangers over time, but we got a good start}, two shoe racks {one for my husband, one for me. These are also extendable, so you can add more shoes as needed}, and an ottoman.
I also purchased pool noodles from the Dollar Store for my tall boots. Just cut the noodle in half and slid one into each boot to prevent them from slouching or falling over.
I’m very happy with the end result, and I hope it inspires my husband to pick his clothes up off the floor. But I doubt it. We were also able to stay within our $300 budget, which is something else to be happy about! And now instead of feeling like I’m stepping into a dingy basement, I feel like I’m stepping into a fancy hotel.
What does your primary closet look like? Is it in need of a make-over?
See below for all links and product information.
- Possini Euro Jolie Ceiling Lamp
- Bitrade Shelving Unit in White {this product is not online, but was in stores. The Kallax seems to be replacing it}
- Skubb Laundry Basket
- Jall Laundry Basket
- HYFS Box Set
- HYFS Extendable Box
- Clothes Covers 2-pack
- Joy Mangano Huggable Hangers 10-pack Suit Hangers
- Joy Mangano Huggable Hangers Tie and Belt Hangers 2-pack
- Whitmor Wood and Chrome Shoe Rack in Natural
- RE Cube Ottoman in Blue
Christine says
I feel the need to reorganize my closest every other year. I go through my clothes and donate what I haven’t worn in forever (so I can make room for new things – duh!!) but I also find new ways to store items. In fact, just last week I had my hubby put in new hooks for bags and purses 🙂 I love to be organized. It just makes me feel 100% better! #blogger52project
Zoe says
Hi, Angela! I’m loving your blog! I love the photos and everything. Keep it up! It was so nice meeting you at the event today xx
Zoe
http://thatszoe.blogspot.com
Angela says
Thank you Zoe! I love your blog, too, and we both love Rachel Zoe:)