Simply Done: New Closets…Party of 3

Feb 16

Recently I had the pleasure of re-designing three closets in one home. This sweet little family was struggling with closet systems that weren’t set up to truly utilize and maximize the entire space. And the closets in the girls’ bedrooms weren’t set up for the way the put their clothing away. One of my absolute favorite parts of my job? Making people happy by helping them re-design a closet or set up new simple systems that work. I wish you could all be there with me at the end of a job to see those smiles and hears those squeals! It’s the best! I couldn’t wait to help this family…especially since all three closets belong to the three ladies of the house.

When it comes to closet re-design, I try my best to first work with what we have. I mean, why ruin a good thing? It’s not always the closet system that isn’t working for you…it’s the way you’re using it. Or not using it, I suppose. All you may need is a little tweaking to get it just right. So it was perfect when 2 of the 3 closets already had elfa systems installed.

(pssst…I’m not getting paid to talk about elfa. It’s really a system I’ve used time and again and it works. That’s all!)

I LOVE elfa because it grows and adapts with you. You can update or change as needed. You can even tear it down and re-use it in a totally different space in your home. The family decided to stick with elfa for all 3 closets, so I simply re-designed the 2 existing elfa closets and added a brand new 3rd system for mom.

My favorite day? When the materials are here and installation gets going…

Let’s start in the office. I think we all have one of these “catch-all” closets. In this room dad was keeping his cooking smocks, overflow work clothes, cooking magazines, heavy work books and luggage / travel related items. Mom was keeping work-out gear, camera equipment, office supplies and home decor items. What she was lacking was a spot in the house for linens and towels because the house doesn’t have a linen closet.

At first glance I knew exactly what I wanted to create for her…

Out with the old. You can see just how much wasted space there is in here when you aren’t using that entire wall…

Yep, everything out…

And in with the shiny new…

 

Have a look at their newly organized office / linen closet…

This transformation took a matter of 2-3 hours. Yes, no joke. How? By keeping it simple! She didn’t need drawers or want fancy containers. Just a place where everything could be neatly put away. And she had the space for it…it was just a matter of putting her ideas / habits into action.

All of the swim towels, overflow towels, extra bedding and cleaning rags are on the left. In the middle, the elfa shelf baskets contain her husband’s hat collection, camera equipment, extra work bags and books, and I used magazine files to contain his cooking magazine collection and extra office supplies…

 

Why stuff office supplies in a drawer or stack them in piles when you can get them upright into magazine files?…

And dad still has plenty of room in here for his overflow work clothes, jerseys and cooking smocks…

As you’ll see, these 2 precious sisters couldn’t be more different in terms of hobbies / interests. In M’s sporty room, we went from this…

 

Why didn’t those standard’s go all the way down?? Don’t waste your vertical space this way, friends…

 

To this…

 

She isn’t the kid to hang items – instead she loves drawers. So we added more drawers and even a built-in laundry hamper to keep her floor space free to play ball.

I also had time to freshen up a corner of her room…

You guys know me, I’ll find any way to re-use an organization solution. I used the old elfa free-standing drawer unit to organize some of her school supplies, stuffed animals, nerf guns and balls…

And in our dancer’s room, we went from this…

To this…

Don’t think for a second I wasn’t in heaven in this pink room. Love!…

Using simple chalkboard labels (from Avery and I found them at The Container Store) helps R know exactly what’s inside each of her pretty pink bins…

I refreshed her corner of the bedroom too by using her old elfa drawer system to contain her dance bags, purses, stuffed animals and desk supplies…

I spy an iDBeadz

This project was too much fun to be called work!

Some before and afters…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before you ditch the closet system you currently own, think about how you can instead tweak it to make it work better for you. You’ll save money too!

Have a great day guys!

 

comments +

  1. Trina O'Neil says:

    Can you give us links to where you got the system for the pink room. I love it and my daughter currently shares her room with her 6 month old who has taken over the room. We want to do something like this with her closet.

  2. Niina S. says:

    Great work! Oh, the pink room looks absolutely stunning.

  3. Leslie B. says:

    I use magazine holders from Ikea for my office supplies too! Printer paper, large manila envelopes and specialty paper all have home now.

  4. Looks great, Sam. I'll bet that family is thrilled with their new closets!

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