Thursday, December 13, 2012

A very budget-friendly coat closet update.

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OK, winter is officially here now! Even though the past two days weren't very cold but we still have snow on the ground and our gas bill was $20 higher this month.

   So a few days ago I realized that I don't even know where our winter hats are. Or, should I say, I do know where they are hiding but finding one is what the problem is. And all because until today our shelf in our coat closet looked like this:

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To my defense...nah, there is no defense! It was just a mess. We haven't really needed anything on this shelf since last March, I think. But now that I actually tried to find something...well, I was DONE. I needed to organize this place. ASAP! The only thing is that I didn't want to spend money on it. And I didn't! I used what we already had in the house.

A few months ago I stumbled upon a sale at a local Lowes for these fabric storage bins:

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Honestly, when I bought them, I didn't know how I was going to use them. Do you ever buy things when you don't know what you will do with them? I rarely (and I mean, rarely) do this but it was one of those times. I guess, I just couldn't pass a price tag of $1.50/a piece. I got three of them.

And when I started to think of a possible storage, I knew they would be perfect in this space. I added tags to each box (made from scraps of my favorite linen fabric and Sharpie):

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And that's how it looks right now- TADA:

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I love it, love it, love it! Now I know where everything goes. Winter, I'm not afraid of you any more...Umm, maybe, I shouldn't have said that... I still can't stand cold... But here's my little project of the day. I actually added just a little more storage by re-purposing a shower caddy, that was sitting in our garage, to store kid's things that we use all the time and for storing baseball hats:

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So here is one more picture of a finished project using what I already had on hand:

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Doesn't it look so much better? I'm really happy with a difference just a few simple changes made. And I'm one step closer to having our life more organized. Now I can't wait to finish our master closet. Stay tuned...


19 comments:

  1. Home made storage bins was so cool! Because you can make your own design and you can make your own sizes where you can place it.

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  2. Great idea and so darn cute!!!I do pick up things on sale for a great price to repurpose for gifts and such.

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  3. What a satisfying activity you must have had--I always love it when I can organize something that has been a mess. Can the kids reach the hats and things they wear all of the time?

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    1. No, they are still half-pints :) It's a little too high for them.

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  4. You are such a wonderful organizing Genie. Come to live with me in Canada ! xx

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    1. :) If my husband could find a great job there...

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  5. Love it! I just love knowing exactly where somethings is supposed to be. Like the shower caddy repurpose! I would put a coat hook (or pretty nail) in the wall to the right and hang the caddy from that once you decide you will continue using it - should provide a little more vertical space & make the caddy lay straight.

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    1. That's what I was thinking of doing :) I'm not sure if I want to keep a caddy yet. I still need to buy a hook if I decide that it will say. Thank you for a suggestion :)

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  6. Looks perfect!! Your "before" is ours... only ours is worse. lol!!

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    1. Ours was like this for a while :) Too bad I can't buy and send you a few of these storage bins :) The sale is already over :(

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  7. Lena! I LOVE this idea! LOVE the labels! You did a great job with the sharpies!!

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  8. That was a great price for those bins. I would have bought a few also! Nice organization :)

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  9. Looks good. I live in a old farm house. My kitchen is the farm's original log cabin. My living room is the "newest" part of the house, built in the 1870s! There are no closets, so I am a wee bit jealous of yours!

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    1. But I bet your house has lots of charm that mine is lacking :) But honestly, all the storage was one of the selling points for us when we were looking for a house.

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  10. Love the re-purposed shower caddy - what a good idea! You are amazing.

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  11. I am all about organizing and storing stuff so that little hands can get stuff for themselves, so am loving the repurposed shower caddy!

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  12. A place for everything and everything in it's place.... for now anyway. LOL! Looks so tidy. Nicely done. :)

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  13. Lena you are amazing! Such an inspiration to me!!! Great job on that closet!

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