The master closet plan
February 10, 2014
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Onto my next big project. The closet (dun dun DUUUUUUN). It is about TIME. You know how someone says, Oh my house is such a mess, or my closet or my room, whatever? And you see it and you’re like, THIS is a mess? You don’t know mess. Yeah, so when I say our closet was a disaster I truly, deeply mean disaster. I will not be sharing before before pictures if that tells you anything.
It is the only spot in our house that is always out of control. I feel like I’ve gotten a decent hold on the rest of the house -- the closet is another story. It was OK the first year or two we lived here but something happened along the way and I don’t know what it was. I know the biggest issue is we’ve never had a good system in there. Our closet is HUGE so we don’t keep our clothes in a dresser in our room, just in there. But we have a cheap Goodwill dresser that’s falling apart and wire shelving – that’s pretty much it to hold folded items and it doesn’t work. AND we’ve been really bad about purging clothes so that didn’t help at all. Too many clothes and no organization = a disaster.
SO…I’ve been trying to figure out a new system that wouldn’t cost thousands of dollars. I’m determined to make the back wall way more functional for us. (Again, it’s not quite ready for decent before shots just yet so bear with me.) I would love a closet system and honestly we could probably do it if we planned for it, but I really want to do this myself and try to do it spending a little less money.
The other night I was laying in bed and an idea came to me – finally. And you’ll never guess what it involves. Or maybe you will. :)
Kitchen cabinets of course!:
I know, I have a problem, I own it. I use them a lot. But I kept thinking about what I wanted and I don’t want open storage like many closet systems have. (The drawers cost so much more.) I want to be able to throw things in a drawer or cabinet and shut. the. door.
So the cabinet idea may just work. I measured the width of the room and six pieces will fit perfectly. I’m also including a couple of these:
It’s a pantry but it will be awesome (closed) shelving for shoes and clothes.
I don’t have Photoshop but I threw something together in my photo program to show you my vision:
Originally I wanted the taller cabinets against the walls, but we have an access panel we need to be able to get to, so instead I moved them in a bit. It actually worked because my plan is to put some exposed shelving between those and the wall. I figure I can use it for purses or shoes or whatever.
The middle section will be a vanity-type area. I doubt I’ll put a chair there because of the drawers, but we’ll see. At the very least I plan to hang a mirror and display my jewelry and perfume, stuff like that.
I cannot even tell you how excited I am do this! Now that I have a vision I’m chomping at the bit to get going, hence all the laundry and purging. I’m about halfway done with that part and then I’ll get moving on installing these.
So do you see my vision? Am I the crazy cabinet lady? Maybe. I WANT ALL THE CABINETS. But I think this will work and it will be a fraction of the cost of a closet system.
It won’t be this:
But it will be great, I think so anyway.
Now, I’m off to fold more clothes. :) Do you have a closet system that works? Do tell.
You have to give us a before pic! Have to! :) And you have me wanting to install cabinets all over my house!
ReplyDeleteI will! I just want to get it in a decent state first. It's looking MUCH better already.
DeleteLOVE your blog--check it almost every day! Have you posted an update on your new grandbaby? I keep hoping you'll post! :)
ReplyDeleteNo I haven't but I will -- my stepdaughter is OK with a picture or two on here so I'll share him soon. He is the SWEETEST.
DeleteYes, I could see how should could feel a little "weird". ;) Thanks for responding!!
DeleteI have never photographed my closet either. Another big jungle mess. I also want to get rid of the wire shelving in there, but it's not on my plans right now. Can't wait to see what you do!
ReplyDeleteI think this wall is going to be fabulous and the cabinets sound perfect. Hugs, Marty
ReplyDeleteIn my TX house we used the pieces you can get at Tar-jay ( Closetmaid) and they were the best.
ReplyDeleteOur closets were separate, so we each got the pieces that would work well for us.
Here in SoCal, our closets are so SMALL, you have to have a system in order to fit anything in them!
The best advice I can give is to purge as many of ones "things" as possible.
That makes it easy to keep any closet under control. Oh and if you are a "piler" like my hubby, do yourself a favor and don't have too many flat surfaces where stuff can accumulate.
Reading here is good too-http://www.becomingminimalist.com/
( because we all just need less "stuff").
I can't wait to see what you do Sarah! I've had closets in my mind lately too, particularly our master closet, but really want to use the ones IKEA has and want display glass storage for my collection of bags and shoes, I want to see how you do it dear, I'm sure it will be fabulous! Good job on the ledge! I loved doing that too!
ReplyDeleteIf it's the PAX system at IKEA that you are referring to they had the KOMPLEMENT components that go inside the PAX on sale a little over a week ago. Might be worth checking out to see if they are still on sale; down in the warehouse section. I also want to change out our current closet system with the PAX and I picked up some of the drawers, shelves and hanging rods at a fraction of the original price.
DeleteKitchen cabinets are genius!!! Off to do some measuring of my own:-)
ReplyDelete3 words...brilliant, good luck!
ReplyDeleteOk this will sound nutty, but have you ever watched the TV show Rev Run's Renovation? It is on the DIY Network. Anyway, they did their son's room and his closet had an electrical access panel in it. So they built a bench under that so there was somewhere to sit down in the closet and put on socks, shoes, whatever. I thought it turned out great! If you can, check out the show where they did Diggy's room! Here is a link:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.diynetwork.com/rev-runs-renovation/a-suite-of-his-own/index.html
Ohh I'm supposed to be me meeting my friend in Chicago in a few months and I can not wait!!!
ReplyDeleteOur friends used easyclosets.com for their master and i'm planning on using them as well. they have a great online building tool so I hope it works out to be pretty easy. i haven't done a cost comparison with other sites though.
Go on, show us your 'real' before photo!! We won't run screaming, I promise! ha ha. Oh, and going out on that glass floor? NOT ON YOUR LIFE!
ReplyDeleteI love The Container Store's Elfa stuff. Stylish and easy to DIY (although only buy it during their biannual Elfa 30% off sale).
ReplyDeleteFantastic idea! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited to see how this turns out! We have just decided to use Expedit bookshelves from Ikea and attach hanging rods to them because we don't want to ruin our plaster walls. Such a great idea to use cabinets!
ReplyDeleteNo, my only closet system has been ruthless clutter-clearing and purging. I do need a solution for my husband, who has gained little weight since college and still has the suit he wore to his first job..
ReplyDeleteWe have used several Malm dressers from Ikea in ours. Still hoping to fit one more in. Love the idea of using kitchen cabinets!!!
ReplyDeleteNot a crazy idea about the cabinets. That's what we did. Two tall cabinets w/a drawer unit between and shelves over the drawer unit. BEST. THING. EVER! Part if making it work for us was a huge purge before we put everything away. What made it easier was when hubby saw how much stuff HE had when it was all out!
ReplyDeleteI love your use of cabinets and fabulous trim! Have you ever thought of looking at your local salvage yard (possibly a Habitat ReStore even?) for kitchen cabinets? Can find them on the cheap and have added character. If not for anything else you may even get different ideas by looking at the salvage yard! Either way, I look forward to future posts about the closet!
ReplyDeleteHi there. I'm currently planning the master closet in our bedroom and I LOVE your idea of using these cabinets. I'm using them in our mudroom as well as the utility so this wouldn't be a stretch. I am painting the others Simply White but I know my husband would rather have these stained. Thanks for the input.
ReplyDeleteOh, this will be wonderful! Our master closet is HORRIBLE It is so small so I am CONSTANTLY cleaning it up, rearranging etc. I HATE IT. I couldn't even do what you are doing. It is 10 feet long but only 4 feet deep. Can't wait to see what you do!
ReplyDeleteI recognize one of those friends :) Glad you girls had fun! And, you are brave… I can barely bring myself to stand on that sky deck… it freaks me out! Wish I could give you some closet advice, but I'm afraid my system is to keep a chair in there, so I can toss a couple weeks' worth of outfits on it. Then, when my husband needs the chair and dumps the clothes on the ground, I start putting them away. Sometimes. Or I just put them back on the chair. Good luck with the project. I know it'll be fabulous!!
ReplyDeleteUmm, girl's weekend?! Awesomesauce. Sitting in that death trap? Not so much. I would have peed myself. Literally.
ReplyDeleteYes, after being in our house for 2 years, we had professionally installed closet organizers. The have been a life saver.... Less to dust. We have our bed, two night stands, a skinny table for the DVD player and a side table, which I will be removing today since the real estate photographer is coming by.After living in what we thought is our "forever home" the high cost of living expenses is forcing us out, But this gives us the opportunity to move closer to my peanut granddaughter, :)
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see what you do with your closet. I finally cleaned mine up. Getting rid of half my clothes and shoes really helped make it look cleaner. I do have a closet system, but I want to add a few drawers, shelves and a built in hamper. Oh, and a huge mirror!
ReplyDeleteOhhhh We were in Chicago too this past weekend. My daughter competed at the Gymnastics Meet at Navy Pier. We had a fantastic time with all our gym moms. We managed to go to the Hancock Observatory and to take handstand pics in front of the Bean (The Cloudgate). Love that city!!!
ReplyDeleteLiz VanKirk
Michigan
Ok, I just noticed that the Ballard Designs picture you used is for the Sarah Storage System. Funny. I think your Sarah Storage System will be even better!
ReplyDeleteI haven't read all the comments so someone may have already mentioned this. Through a series of links I came upon this post today and when I read yours I thought I was seeing double. You need to look at it! The designs are so similar!!http://megandmartinmen.blogspot.com/2013/01/ikea-pax-wardrobe-hack.html
ReplyDeleteThat is just creepy, scary. I mean, the bottom glass thing you were sitting on. No, no way. That is all.
ReplyDeleteWhere do you find unfinished cabinet? I can think of tons of projects I could use them for.
ReplyDeleteI just recently purged my closet, we are talking like over two years worth of my clothes, kids clothes, and all my Pure Romance stuff. I was a consultant for a couple of years and would put most of my things in the closet away from the kids. And with me having cleaned up and mostly organized my son's room, I needed space to organize my clothes as well as theirs. So essentially since I didn't have any budget to work with. I simply rearranged things and luckily had a cheap pressed wood dresser in the shed in my backyard, score! My closet is an L shape with a small bifold door for access. I simply put the dresser in the smaller portion of the closet, and am using it as a vignette area for my jewelery in my antique teacups. Then the shelf above is for the few purses I own and lol don't use. Then the other side of the closet is for hung clothes. My only two goals left is to paint the inside it's an ugly shade of beige with no natural light, and add a bit more organization to it via shelf dividers or something so I can stack clothes on shelves.
ReplyDeleteSarah, I found your blog doing a search on "convert dining room to office" and saw your library conversion - it blew me away! I am shamelessly copying you. I just went to Lowes and bought 3 36" wide unfinished kitchen uppers and some lumber and it's all being delivered tomorrow. I can't wait to get started. (Although I'm hoping my project goes a *little* faster than yours. LOL)
ReplyDeleteBut what cracked me up and made me have to comment is this: I was folding laundry this afternoon, day-dreaming about my delivery tomorrow when I thought to myself "Hmmmm ... I'll bet I could use kitchen cabinets to redo my master closet, too, couldn't I? I wonder if they have bases with drawers!" And then the next thing you know I'm catching up on your recent posts and found this one! :D
So if you have a kitchen cabinet problem, well ... now so do I. And I blame you entirely. :) Thank you for sharing your "problem" with me.