We moved into our house 2 weeks before I was due to be induced to deliver our son. I was ecstatic to finally be moving into our new home (which we were supposed to have moved into a month prior). But I was also stressed that we would end up dumping things randomly around the house and cramming them in closets without taking the time to really think about where they belonged or would best serve us, just to have things “moved in.” For the most part, we were good about not doing this. In part because I had given it a lot of thought (ok, I obsessed over it) and also because we had a lot of help from family.
My closet, however, suffered a different fate. Extra pillow inserts, which seemed to multiply in the move, were stashed in my closet. A pile of picture frames that will probably never find a home here, were stacked on a shelf. Countless empty space saver bags, luggage, if it didn’t have an obvious home I said “just put it in my closet.” And there it stayed.
My son is now 6 months old and during nap times and Hubs’ late nights at work, I’ve watched the whole first season of The Home Edit, and enough Marie Kondo to be seriously chomping at the bit to take back my closet. Think of my closet as Anne Hathaway in the first half of The Princess Diaries — virgin brows, unruly hair, and fresh faced — and I’m Paolo, ready to tweeze, tame, primp, and polish until she shines like the princess I know she is.
Design:
This is one area of the house that we didn’t design from scratch. Our builder presented us with a proposed layout for the master closets and we approved the plans with minimal changes. We had never had a closet of this size, much less two this big, and we didn’t know what we were going to need. It was also late in the build process and we had decision fatigue. Ultimately, we made out pretty well. I think the closet will function great for us and I only have a two regrets:
- Not putting any statement lighting in them, and
- Not intentionally planning a space for a floor length mirror.
Statement lighting would have added a little more sophistication and interest in a space that I now realize I can enjoy. And I really need a full length mirror. The place in which I get dressed is an obvious place to keep said mirror so I can make sure I don’t look like a total quack. But it’s too late. When I figure out how I’m going to address this issue, you can bet I’ll let you know.
Organization:
I am in the unusual position of having more room in my closet than I need for my clothes and accessories. I plan to use just over half of my closet for those things and the other half as a hobby hideout where I can store my sewing machine, yarn (I love to knit and crochet), photo printer, and supplies for the myriad of other projects I’ve tried my hand at.
On the clothing side, I did not clear everything out and start from scratch. I so didn’t have time. I do, however, highly recommend purging when you organize or re-organize. We all know that good advice: if we don’t believe or know it to be useful or beautiful, chuck it! I had done a fair amount of this before our move so, I skipped this step this time.
Next, I had to decide what I wanted to go where. Initially, I stacked up my t-shirts, jeans, and workout clothes on the shelves you see when you first enter the closet. It afforded me easy access to these everyday items. But it wasn’t pretty. Not that the stacks weren’t neat or well organized. They just weren’t particularly exciting or inspiring. Carry Bradshaw didn’t have an entire closet for her t-shirts and jeans. She had an entire closet for her shoes. I don’t know about you, but a hot pair of heels gets me a lot more excited than my pile of old t-shirts. So, I swapped the two. Now the stuff that has the most utility is on the shelves behind the door. They’re still very easy for me to access, but they’re not the focal point of the closet.
You know what else I get excited about? Jewelry! Inspired by The Home Edit, I went online shopping at The Container Store and planned to curbside pick up some acrylic display pieces to help me organize my jewelry in a way that allows me to see it and it to adorn my space. Why hide away in a drawer or box such beautiful things that bring me such joy when I see them? But have you seen how expensive those acrylic organizers are??? So, I re-thought how I was going to do this. The necklace tree I already had was too tall for the jewelry nook I had created, so I raised the shelf and moved some flats to that narrower space above the jewelry nook. I similarly decided to try out my earring tree in the space and, to my surprise, I loved it. But my largest earrings didn’t fit on it very well so I laid them out in front of the tree. Some of my less worn studs and a few rings I dropped in my glass bee hive box, which I moved to the closet from our dresser in our bedroom. Voila! I achieved my jewelry organization goals without having to purchase anything new!
As for organizing the rest of the closet, I hung my dresses and jumpsuits in the space next to my shoes. In part, I did this because it was where one of my long hanging spaces was but also because they make me happy. I feel put together in those clothes and seeing them reminds me of that feeling. This all contributes to creating a space that makes me feel great as soon as I walk into it.
Along the side wall I hung my button downs, sweaters, and suiting. Also inspired by The Home Edit, I organized these pieces by type, then by color (ROYGBIV). Once I’ve worked my way through ROYGBIV, I do neutrals, grays, then blacks. This color organization helps me find what I need quickly and makes my closet visually appealing.
You can go crazy trying to micro organize each color from lightest to darkest. If that satisfies you, go for it. For me, that’s a bridge too far. I have a toddler and an infant and I’m lucky to get my clothes hung back up in the closet, much less in order from lightest to darkest. This is definitely one place where we can say “good enough is good enough.”
Decor:
This is also one place where a little decor goes a long way. I bought the beveled edge scalloped mirror for my jewelry nook on Amazon for $36 (available here). I originally found it on Kirklands’ website for $56 but when it went out of stock I went searching for it elsewhere (I should have done this even when it was in stock…I know better). I found the tufted ottoman on Wayfair on a short-term sale for $135 (available here). The ottoman adds sophistication and warmth to the space as well as provides a place for me to sit when I get to wondering how I could possibly have so many clothes and, for yet another day, nothing to wear. I want to put an area rug in here eventually but wasn’t ready to slash out for one. I’m trying to decide between a long shag or a neutral oriental. I want to be consistent with the feeling I’m trying to achieve throughout the rest of the house but the shag just seems so luxurious (and even a little glam)! I’ll let you know what I decide!
Sources:
- Necklace rack: Container Store (no longer available) (similar available here)
- Mirror: Amazon
- Earring stand: Gift (other available here)
- The acrylic display pieces I was eyeing: The Container Store – Customizable Jewelry Drawers, Bracelet Stands
- Ottoman (color – cream): Wayfair (went on sale for approx. $135)
Spit & Polish 