Makeover my closet.... on a budget

I posted a previous blog about closet systems  and listed several companies that  can help you achieve the perfect closet, unfortunately that perfect closet comes with a hefty price in most cases.

If you are more of a do- it - your selfer, then follow along with me while I walk you through the Makeover  I was able to do  in my Master bedroom closet.

Master Closet before photos:

1.  The first thing I did was  PURGE!!!!!.  I forgot to take photos before the purge, so these photos reflect a purged closet.  I took about 3 large garbage bags of clothes to GoodWill.

2.  Now I can begin the organizing and space planning based on the items I have left.  I made a list of all the items my husband and I  have (purses, bags, luggage, hats, belts, ties, etc and took measurements of the clothing items to better space plan for the length of each item.

Check out the  Storage Websites page  on my blog for a list of my favorite storage websites and stores.

Storage options  I considered for hats, purses, ties and belts:  



I also took inventory of how many pairs of shoes and flip flops I now have after the GREAT PURGE!!!

Storage options I considered for shoes:




3.  Next, I took all the clothes out of my closet and did a thorough cleaning of the entire closet as it was a bit dusty.  Then I organized the clothes by type on my bed( shirts, skirts, pants, etc.) to give me a better idea of how much of each item I had and then created a space plan for the best  storage solution.  I really threw my husband for a loop as I ended up changing sides of the closet with him to better utilize the space.  He is still a bit lost in there...... but it looks really nice!!!!


Here are the results and choices I made........

Before                                                               After

PURSES ~ HATS ~ SWEATERS

I used the large  tan canvas totes (Kohls new organization line) to hold purses, bags and hats.  I did not have the extra wall or door space to use the hat or purse hanger I originally considered.  These helped contain and reduce the visible clutter of all the bags and purses.

I used clear front storage boxes (Kohls) to store and organize our sweaters and large sweatshirts.  I had been using large -clear plastic containers before, but they were bulky and hard to get down as well as there was just so much visibly exposed that it always looked very cluttered up top.   I really liked these because I can visually see what is in each box sweater box and since they are pretty high up I have to get a stool to reach them but know exactly which one to take down since I can see in them.   I also like that they are sealed to keep out dust and protect them a little better.

SHOES ~ SHOES ~ SHOES ~

I had shoes all over the floor of my closet plus on this small rack, after purging a few pair, I then counted my shoes and flip flops(as I live in these) as well as my husbands larger work shoes and came up with a plan to store them in 3 different ways:  1. Door hanger  2.  Shoe divider shelf  3.  Large shoe box


Before:

all over the floor

After:                                 

1. Door hanger

2. Shoe divider shelf (holds 16 pair)

For all you "SHOE  DIVAS" that have way mores shoes than this, you can add a second divider beside this one for more storage.

                                                     

3. Large shoe boxes

I used these large shoe boxes with clear windows to hold my husband's work-dress shoes.  We also found this dresser that was the perfect width and depth (Target) to hold my husbands socks, underwear, t-shirts, etc.  We just removed the lower clothes rod and slid the dresser in.  We needed space for folded things(dresser) and not the additional hanging space, so this worked for our specific needs.  This is why it is important to really plan and take inventory of what you have and the space you will need to hang or store each item.  

TIES: 

 I hung the tie rack in the space behind the closet door, it also holds belts!  A great use of  dead space!!!

HANGERS:

I almost forgot to tell you about the hangers!!!  I changed out all the white plastic hangers for the space saving velvet hangers that not only take up less space but also keep clothes from sliding off.  You used to only be able to find these at The Container Store, but now they can be found just about anywhere. (Walmart,Bed Bath & Beyond, Target, Marshalls and even Big Lots sometimes)

LUGGAGE:

I have a big collection of  bags but I did not want to see the clutter of all of them, so I picked  one of my favorite Vera Bradley bags and 1 piece of larger luggage and stored the rest of my collection inside these bags to give a cleaner, more organized feel.  We store all our our large luggage pieces in the attic(sealed in a large garbage bag.  Another idea is to use those large Christmas tree or wreath storage bags to protect and contain them in the attic or basement.  

Ahhhhh.......... an organized closet

Now lets keep it that way ~ honey!!!