One Thing Leads to Another

I started another project this week:



Another fug dresser...this one completely particle board and laminate by way of IKEA. I gave my oldest daughter a room makeover for her birthday this past March. Fresh paint, new bedding, a few new accessories splashed in, and a fab desk chair. The dresser's just not doing it for me. Because her color palatte is deep pink, black, and white, I think a mirrored dresser would look WONDERFUL. I love the mirrored furniture - they have this glamourous appeal, yet could become incredibly tacky in the wrong scenario. Unfortunately, not in the budget. I want something different and fun. That's the great thing about kids' rooms - you can unleash your inner gaudy and it just reads "fun."

I know where I'm going with it, just not quite ready to show you yet...

Anyway, I had to take all the clothes out of the dresser and store them temporarily, which led to a series of events. The baskets I used to store A's clothing during her dresser makeover were unavailable because I've since spray painted them white and am using them for toy storage. I knew better than to run out and buy new containers because I was sure I had something. And I did - a closet sweater hanger with compartments. Unfortunately, it was in the guest room closet, storing tons of crap. Which led to me dragging things out of the guest room closet, filling 2 more bags up for Goodwill (I really should get store credit there or something for all the stuff I take) and then shoving S's clothes into it. BTW...the yucky black plastic basket in the corner is not usually there. It's another temporary storage solution while the dresser gets transformed. Just didn't want you to think I rolled like that. :)

In the middle of all the madness, I started to think about MY closet and how it could use a purging. Not a purging of clothing, mind you, I did that a couple of months ago when I got rid of my fattest clothes. Now I can only get as fat as my medium fat clothes. Clothes were the least of my worries in the closet. It's all the stuff I shove in there when I'm being lazy that can really pile up. M doesn't like me to pile things, and although I dislike piles, I'm a piler by nature. Descended from a long line of pilers. I have to really fight it, which is why my closet can easily become my secret dumping ground.

I first took anything work related out of my closet and transferred it to the office. (I travel for work part-time and lots of stuff ends up in my closet after a trip). Then I went through the secret basket of crap that I shove on the top shelf. Eek! Lots of crap! I condensed it down to only the sweetest cards from M and a few Mother's Day trinkets from throughout the years. In a nice large shoebox (for now) with room for more. Shelves were cleared, bags were placed, etc. etc...then I found a cork board I bought a couple of months ago that I meant to hang for jewelry. Which led to me getting out M's toolbox for nails and a hammer. I saw this idea in Real Simple :



I got the cork boards at Target (around $5 each) and some cute wood grain push pins from The Container Store (around $4).



Still going through jewelry, but love it! I had so much fun with the hammer, that I hung up my cross and Jesus fish. (Is it disrespectful to say "Jesus fish"? That's just what pops into my head whenever I see one). Found 'em on my top shelf and never really knew what I wanted to do with them. But what an awesome reminder for myself everytime I walk into my closet now! The fish says...In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path (Proverbs3:6). Isn't that a great verse to think about as your start your day?

I'm not crazy about the light switch being in the middle of the 2 boards, but maybe if I had a cuter light switch I wouldn't mind...

Boy, nailing into walls is fun! I remembered how the closet in the laundry room bugs me because brooms and mops always fall out everytime I open it. That thought led to more nails.




I even hung the umbrellas up inside the closet. Yippee! I think I'll get a shoe cubby to go in the bottom of the closet now. Won't that be nice? Now, the whole time I'm throwing nails into doors and walls, I'm thinking...sure glad M isn't here! I don't think he'd like this! I knew just what he would say when I 'fessed up: Did you measure?(Ummm...no). Why didn't you use hooks? (Because I didn't want to run to Lowe's and nails were handy). But...hello! You can't even SEE the nails. I wouldn't have done it otherwise. He's free to replace with hooks and measure whenever he likes. But this is the man who wouldn't hang up a third hook in the laundry room for coats and backpacks because he couldn't find a matching one. Does it really matter if it matches if no one can tell because OUR CRAP IS HANGING ON IT??? Love that man! :) I decided to go rogue...what's that saying? Oh, yeah. It's easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission. M didn't disappoint. When I spoke with him on the phone, he asked...did you measure or eyeball? He knows me well!

Here's the day's tally:
Guest room closet - partially purged.
Personal closet - completely purged and organized
Broom closet - ongoing problem solved
At this point, I'm thinking to myself...what am I supposed to be doing? Ahhhh...the dresser.

Anyone else have trouble staying on task? Sometimes I live my life in stream of thought. The dresser will get done, as soon as I get off this computer and quit letting one thing lead to another!