Thursday, March 30, 2006

a break from our regularly scheduled caribbean blogging

We have BIIIIGGGG news around here peeps. Big big news.

This weekend and during the first half of this week, Josh finished my closet. My new and improved Elfa Closet. And I think I'm in love. If I could, I'd make sweet love to the closet. In fact, I spent so much time in there that Josh shoved me aside to see what all the fuss was about, and in a muffled voice from inside, I heard him sigh and say, "Oh, I have closet envy."

Let's look back on the day that I cleaned out my closet here. If you'll notice, the date that I cleaned out my closet and purchased the Elfa closet materials from the Container Store was February 15, 2006. Now, I'm not bitter or anything, just stating a fact. A February 15th fact.

Regardless, this weekend Josh finally tackled the mess that was our guest room, since he told me to empty out my closet in preparation for the new organizational structure. On February 15th. Somehow I think this might have to do with the fact that his parents are coming to visit for Passover, and our guest room looks like this:



Maybe I'm too cynical. What do you think?








Let's get some perspective before we tackle this mess. This is what my closet looked like when we started.


The problem with the original closet was that it was actually an L shaped closet, with the door at one end of the L (see Josh's arm? That is the rest of the L shape). That meant that in order for me to reach all of my clothes, I'd have to duck under clothing and get pelted in the head by hangers, while stepping over shoes and maneuvering between purses. It wasn't the ideal situation so I'd been protesting for a few months over the poor setup. Josh wasn't convinced that we could make it any better, but armed with measurements and my own crafty plans, I got the Container Store to plan out a closet that would allow me to utilize the whole L shape, while also allowing me to get into the closet and view all of my clothes. Keep in mind, of course, that the closet is small. We're not talking walk-in style.

Josh tore down the wooden structure that was there, and I patched holes, sanded, and painted the entire closet a gleaming clean white. Even the ceiling! Without the long bar inside, it looked so much bigger than I'd imagined. Then he hung the brackets upon which the Elfa system hangs.


Then we hung the bars from the brackets, and attached the different shelves or rods, according to the organizational plan.









The Container Store crew came up with some good solutions, even with the small size.







When you are looking in through the closet door, we have a double rod for hanging clothes, and two shelves. On the right hand side is enough space for me to walk into the closet, and turn to see the rest of the L shape and those shelves.




View from outside of the closet looking in.












The rest of the L shape has another double bar, one long hanging bar for dresses and long skirts, and then a row of 5 shelves for sweaters and shirts.




This is at the opening of the closet, looking into the rest of the L shape, but you can't see around the curve yet.
















Do you see the prettiness? Don't you love how the white shelves and brackets match the gleaming white walls?









I'm in LUURRVVEEE folks. Head over heels. For the past year, I've had clothes scattered throughout the house. Some hanging in a closet in the basement, some hanging in the closet that I hope will someday be a nursery, some in an armoire in the guest room, and already I was able to empty two closets out to consolidate the clothes in my one closet. And I still have room! The difference is unbelievable!




Standing in the middle of the closet, looking into the bend.









It is a struggle to come to work in the morning these days, because I have to part with my beautiful closet. But getting dressed has been a pleasure, and once I line my gorgeous shelves with my flowery smelling new shelf liners, I may have to take some personal days off. That, and I need to figure out where my shoes will go, because we didn't so much take that into consideration. Suggestions?

Now please free to tell me you have closet envy and want to make sweet love to the closet too. I'm surprised I haven't named it yet.

11 comments:

Phantom Scribbler said...

I promise that when I finish laughing I will definitely want to make sweet love to your closet! You're killing me, Halloweenlover!

Girl said...

J.E.A.L.O.U.S!!!!!

I have a walk in with a similar shelving system. I actually don't have a dresser because I am able to fit ALL of my clothes in the closet. I have two clear drawers from Target for socks, underwear, bras, etc. that sit on one of the shelves. As far as shoes go, I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to have all clear shoeboxes for all of my shoes, but that isn't in my budget, so instead, I have all of my shoes in their shoe boxes. That way I can stack them on and under the bottom shelf. (This also comes in handy when I move; I just stack the shoe boxes, tie them up with twine and put them in the car.)

Hope that helps!

Maribeth said...

Oh I am simply green with envy! I love your closet too! If I come to visit I want to stay in THERE! LOL!

susan said...

Sorry, I can't come make sweet love to your closet, Halloweenlover, because that would mean cheating on my new closet, and we're still so new in our relationship here that I don't want to risk it by having a fling, even with the beautiful Elfa. Our Lowe's shelves and hanging systems might get into a snit about it, and then all the drywall dust we've endured as our new bedrooms got added would have been for naught. So I'm sticking with my own new closet. But maybe we can double date sometime?

Liz Miller said...

Sigh....that is gorgeous.

purple_kangaroo said...

Very nice closet. LOL, it's fun to see you so excited about it.

Joke said...

I exhibit much covetousness. This place has JACK for closet space.

-J.

Notes from the Trenches said...

Oh the jealousy!!!!

It is SOOOOOOOO beautiful. and organized.

It makes me want to organize my closet and but all new clothes to that wuld look cute in a closet like that :-)

K said...

I have closet envy too. One day ... one day ...

Anonymous said...

i heart Elfa too.

my inlaws got us an 'elfa' system for our closets when we first moved into our house. it was a wonderful gift...and the future owners of our home...will appreciate it.

bless the elfa gods.

~s

Anonymous said...

for me, this is like looking at porn at work w/o any of the stigma and getting fired at such. Nice centerfolds!