Closet Cleanout

    Oh yes.  The Dreaded Closet.  For those of you who do not know anything about me and what my occupation was before I became a mom,  I was a visual merchandiser for a clothing company.  Basically I made sure that everything was neatly folded, hung and steamed and ensured strategic placement of each article of clothing as per business needs.  So WHY, you may ask, am I afraid of cleaning my own little closet space, compared to a huge store?
    Wwwwwellllll.  Our closet is not only a closet but a laundry room + nursery + storage room.  In my closet there is MY wardrobe PLUS my common-law hubby's wardrobe!!!  And 1 washing machine, and 1 dryer.  And a crib...... and a rocking chair, plus foot stool. There are suitcases and towels, bedding, and shoes.  There's an ironing board and step ladder, toys and documents.......  *sigh*
    So far in all my 3 posts I have mentioned the closet.  I think it is this part of the condo that bothers me the most, simply because it's not being used to it's full potential.  OH the things I could do  if I had the whole space to work with.  ( I get goosebumps just thinking about it).  It would be the dressing rooms of all dressing rooms complete with a hanging chandelier,  And backlit shelving to showcase all my shoes........  However there are too many other things that need a home right now so it will have to share its space.
    I'm posting a picture of what it looked like before I started cleaning and I just want to clarify that I do indeed clean out the closet quite often, and yet in 1 or 2 days it looks like this again. Why?

Half the time I think it's because we are always in so much of a rush during the day.  What with having to stick to the baby's schedule as closely as possible, if we need to go out it's a big scramble to get the three of us ready before her nap so that she can sleep in the car.  This will usually result in strewn clothes, spilled makeup, and wet towels on the floor.  Other times I think it's just pure laziness after a tiring day.
   I wanted to come up with a solution that would be easy to maintain. Something that would lighten the "jammed out to there" hanging bar. And a tool I could use to keep all my shoes with me instead of banning half of them to the storage cage down in the parking garage.  (Because you never know when you will need those bright fushia pink stilettos in the middle of winter)!
   Where did I find these things?  The dollar store!  God I love the dollar store!  Is that weird?  I can literally find everything I need at the dollar store.  and the great thing about it?  Everything is a DOLLAR (well a 1.25 with tax).
     I really wanted to switch out our old tired white plastic hangers for wooden ones.  Just to give it a more unified high end look.  I was being stupid really.  One wooden hanger would equal 3 white plastic ones that we were already using.  And I was trying to save space not diminsh it.  My dream was crushed when I realized that I would be stuck with these god awful bent, white plastic hangers.  And then I saw them.  Staring down at me from the storage section at the dollar giant.  Chrome finished sleek clothing hangers.  I'm not talking about a coat hanger that you can untwist at the top so you can unclog the hairball out of your bathtub drain.  I'm talking sleek, modern, chrome finshed, steel hangers that make a lovely windchime-like *ping* when they clink together....... AHEM....  2 of these hangers were equivalent to 1 plastic hanger.  My heart skipped a beat.  I bought 60 hangers for a mere 20 $  (they were 3 for a dollar)  and created precious space in our closet.  I went about the same way I did our pantry.  Banishing things I hadnt worn or didnt fit.  (Okay so I actually didnt throw any of my things away, but Simon ended up donating a full garbage bag)!  I designated spots for folding. Compacted the suitcases together.  And yes I am using one of those dang over - the -door shoe caddys!  I also decided to use the space under the crib as storage  I simply placed a flat bed sheet under the mattress and down over the side to hide what was underneath.  With  the space I saved by doing these simple things, I was able to get rid of the change table that was in our bedroom.  I think I accomplished what I set out to do.  Here is what it looks like now.  It's not my dream closet, but it's a little less chaotic.  Who knows maybe the baby will sleep even better!  *Tip* When re-organinzing your closet keep your like colors together.  Whites with whites pinks with pinks and so on and hang them lightest to darkest.  not only is it more pleasing to the eye,  it's easier to find the item you are looking for when things are color coded.

Is your home overweight?

  My significant other and I are preparing to put our condo back on the market in hopes of being able to purchase a bigger house and get our daughter out of the closet!

  So I decided to have a plan of action to ensure that this time around we are successful in selling.
I began to prepare a list of To Do's, including the ever popular decluttering tactic.  Instead of diving right in (which is something I normally do)  I searched online for some really great and unique decluttering steps, and storage solutions for small spaces.......  I'm not sure that these people who write the articles quite get the concept of "small spaces" since when showing photos of storage solutions for "small spaces" they show sprawling bathrooms with beautiful cabinets and dressers that will allow you to "house all your pretty toiletries",  and grand living rooms with built in bookcases for all your "extra knick knacks"!  Or how about those ginormous walk in closets equipped with a lovely window suggesting that you add an over the door shoe caddy to house all your shoes........ Ummmm ookkaaaaayyy!

   So in the real world how many of us need tips for REAL small spaces? Let me be the first to raise my hand.  Our 1 main bathroom doesnt even have enough space for you to change your mind let alone to add a "beautiful built in storage bench".  So  After some disappointing  and unhelpful suggestions I decided to do what I do best.......  Dive in head first.



before

    I tried to think of our condo as overweight (which is how one editor from style at home put it), and I was going to be the personal trainor who would guide and push it to shed those last 15 pounds.  I was going to be ruthless.


after

    Where do I start?  Why the kitchen of course.  Our pantry had become a space where I was even afraid to open the door in fear that an avalanche of cereal boxes and brooms and mops would suffocate me. I cleared everything out.  EVERYTHING.  Until it was bare.  I threw away 5 big plastic bags that were just stuffed up on the top shelf.  I threw away empty boxes of pasta.  I transferred big bulky boxes of crackers and cookies into more compact jars that could stack nicely on top of one another.  I banished anything that hadnt been used in the last 3 months to the trash can.  I consolidated the three large cooler bags that were just taking up space all together one inside the other. Then I set about organizing the shelves into their designated zones,  Box shelf, can shelf, jar shelf.  I left the very top shelf for cleaning things like paper towel and sponges and dish cloths, and the very bottom space for tools and the mop bucket.  I know it doesnt sound like much but it actually took me a whole hour to clean up a space the size of a walnut.  But the result was...... like a breath of fresh air and was the encouragment I needed to keep going.  5 pounds lost!  Next on the list, the closet!!  Yikes......

And A New Adventure Awaits...

       What ever posessed me to begin a blog?  I can't really be sure.  Maybe it was all the repetitive days of following schedules and routines for my now 8 month old daughter, (who is the love of my life) that was beginning to turn my brain to mush.  Maybe it was the overload of jumbled thoughts and ideas jumping around in my noggin.  Or maybe it was because I just finished watching The Social Network and thought perhaps there is some sort of rare opportunity here, that I should grasp.  Maybe MY Blog will be the next BIG thing!!   HA!! Fat Chance!
        However I did know what it is that I wanted my blog to be about.  Since having my daughter last May,  I've seem to have made quite a few new friends.  Steven and Chris for starters,  Nate berkus,  David Bromstad.  Just to name a few.  I had become quite involved in DIY projects that it was starting to become a bit of an obsessive compulsive behavior.  I swear, every time hubby would come home from work he would be stepping in to a totally new, redesigned space! (Poor guy).  He never knew what to expect when he walked through the door.  Whether  it be our massive walk in closet that is now housing our beautiful daughter, or using the space under the stairs for his new "office".  Oh maybe I should mention to you that we currently live in a 1 bedroom LOFT apartment in the heart of Calgary.
         Now for those of you who are not familiar with the term LOFT, let me explain.   It is a wonderfully, beautifully, architectually interesting space to live in........ When you are the ONLY one occupying the space!  However throw in another adult,  an 8 month old baby, a couple grandparents every now and then, AND a chihuahua!! Well you have yourself a nice little sardine can you can call home!!  There are no "rooms" just "spaces".Everything is open concept, so if you want some privacy, just lock yourself in the bathroom for an hour or two with a glass of red wine and your laptop, and then you have your own little oasis!  Dont get me wrong.  I'm not really complaining.  It could be much worse.  At least it has challenged me to come up with some pretty good ideas for storage and has tested my capability of being a true diy designer.
         So until we have sold our little nest, and move to a more accomodating abode,  I guess I will just have to suck it up and make it as enjoyable as possible.  And along the way I will be posting the oodles and oodles of budget friendly DIY and redesign projects, just in case you have an itching to do some yourself and need ideas, or if like me, you need something else to do besides pureeing baby-food, and making babbling sounds for 8 hours a day.