The Kids' Closet Update

Leah: Before
This project wasn't even on my list ... not even on my radar.

Then, last week at work I was thinking about the kids' closets (both semi-walk-ins) and how there's all this unused space -- and I just hate when I'm not optimizing every bit of space in this house.

I thought, wouldn't it be great if I added a few more shelves and get better use of those closets?

Leah: After (Not All the Clothes)
And the idea was buzzing around my head like a gnat all day, so I stopped at Ace Hardware on the way home and picked up two 4-foot closet shelves before giving it a second thought.

I started with Leah, where I had envisioned the shelf going along the left wall (the wall I'm facing in the "before" picture). Then, I could stack boxes of toys and stuffed animals -- hiding all that clutter away.

Here's the problem with not planning ahead: I didn't measure the wall. I purchased the shelves before I was even back at the house! So, guess what, the shelf didn't fit. And only by mere centimeters. Doh!



So, New Plan! I attached it to the wall you see as you open the door (in both pictures, the door is on the left). But then, it made less sense for toys and more sense to hang skirts and short dresses. So, the closet looks more organized, that's for sure. But not my original plan.

Alice: After (Needs Sorting)
In Alice's room, I wanted the shelf to go along the wall directly across from the door to hide away clutter -- and again I was thwarted by not planning ahead. The shelf was too long by several inches.

New Plan! I put the shelf on the angled wall on the left -- making it more convient for toys. I even moved the stuffed animal hammock below it. The play clothes (princess dresses) even got their own (lower) space. And the school dresses are the first thing you see, which might help a short-attention-spanned 4-year-old to pick her outfits quicker. (A Mom can dream.)

So, a very quick project. And not a very well thought-out one. But for $40 total (cost of two 4-ft shelves), a good one. And, hey, when this house goes on the market, these closets now have "organization systems."

Viola!

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