The Great Closet Clean-Out is Complete!

The closet is done!  Woo hoo!  Well...as done as it's gonna get for a while.  Do you ever "finish" a project only to think of a hundred more things you'd like to do?  I've got a voice in my head telling me to paint the walls, replace the florescent light, stencil the dresser...

While I have a chat with the voices in my head, please enjoy some Before and After shots of my once-tragic and now-terrific closet!

What you see when you open the closet door.

Turning to the left...

...and turning to the right.

The back corner, formerly known as the graveyard for hangers.

Here's what I did:  

First, I purged clothing.  I mentioned here that I took almost half of my clothing to a consignment store (actually two different stores).  This included jackets, suits and bridesmaid dresses, and I am hopeful I'll get back a couple hundred bucks.  If you are going to do this, you should be prepared to clean, iron, and mend your heart out...but to me, it is so worth it to both earn money and jettison stuff I don't need.  By the way, I specifically searched for stores which did not require dry cleaning...just for the clothes to be cleaned and pressed.

Second, I removed anything that didn't belong in the closet and found a new home for it.  The vacuum went to the hall closet.  Extra toys went to the boys' rooms.  Extra toiletries went in the bathroom or hall closet.  My wedding dress went under the guest bed.

Third, I made a space plan and discussed it with the Hubs.  This had to be a plan that worked for both of us, so I needed to know: can I move your ties?  No?  Okay.  And he needed to know I can't share horizontal space with him because his stuff migrates and crowds me out.  So we created a plan that would keep us both happy with our new system.

Fourth, I made a list of needs and wants.  Needs were things like hangers and other storage for my husband's clothing.  Wants included paint for the dresser (got it) and a new light fixture (didn't).  This kept me really focused when my mom took me shopping for stuff. Yay for Mom!  She takes me shopping for my birthday--isn't that sweet?  This year we bought closet stuff and Hubs thought I was crazy.  But that's what I wanted...and if you are still reading I know you get it.

Finally, I had fun.  Fun for me is moving all the new stuff in and bringing in some pretty stuff.    

So that's how we got here!  Now here are some more pics for ya: 

Our carry-ons are now stored on this super-high shelf.  They used to be kept
on the floor of the hall closet.  Now, they've traded spaces with the vacuum and
everyone is happier.

In case you are wondering where the wall of shoes went,
some to consignment and some moved to the door.  In our
house, our most frequently-worn shoes live in the garage.

I invested in identical hangers for Hubs's shirts.  It looks better and it makes things easier.

But...since this was a frugal makeover...my shirts live on old plastic hangers,
which are all the same shape but come in a rainbow of colors.  Yes, I arranged both the
shirts and the hangers by color.  I clearly have a disorder.

Also got new hangers for my husband's pants, because that
was a disaster zone.

Not only do I have room for some of my jewelry, I can actually
make things a little prettier.  I am so happy to have this surface to work with.

My small version of the framed jewelry organizers you see all
over the place.  I'm so happy with it!

Cheap Ikea boxes give me enough storage that my shelves aren't even full right now.
Heaven!

I even have some room for some sentimental things.

Dry cleaning used to be strewn on the floor or in the huge blue bag
featured prominently in the "Before" pics.  Now it goes in this basket which
sits happily underneath Hubs's hanging clothes.

The best part about this makeover is that it was CHEAP.  Less than $100 to make this transformation, and by the time I collect checks from the consignment stores this might in fact be a money-makin' project.  Here's what I spent:

What do you think?  Is it 100% better for less than a hundred bucks?  I think so.  No, it's not a new Elfa storage system.  It's not Mariah Carey's closet.  But it is a responsible, doable update and I bet you can do it too!  Be sure to let me know when you do;)

P.S. Lovin' the Linky's at:

The Shabby Nest

Finding Fabulous

Fingerprints on the Fridge

Designer Garden

Beyond the Picket Fence