Closet Makeover

Do you have something in your home that just isn’t functioning to the best that it could? So frustrating, eh? We had ‘that closet’ in our kitchen.  And finally, 4 + years later, I fixed it!!

Our kitchen has a broom closet worked into the end of the cabinetry, beside the pantry cupboard.  It stored the central vac hose.  And the broom, swiffer, some cleaning supplies, the potatoes and the bag of flour.  And stored none of it well.  It wasted so much space, meanwhile other cupboards were overflowing and things I used regularly were a pain to access.

Brace yourself for crappy ‘Before’ pictures!

 

I had drawn up plans probably at least a year ago, if not longer.  I knew what I wanted to do.  Leave the top shelf, divide the lower portion in half, keep the hose and broom, swiffer, etc on the one side and then add shelves to the other half for more dedicated storage of small appliances, cleaning supplies,  potatoes and flour with worrying about the dirt falling off the broom into the flour bin.  It just needed to function better for me.

I also wanted to paint it all white.  It was old paneling and  a wooden shelf.  I mapped out my plan, bought the wood.  Then I primed it all way back in November…  And then progress came to a grinding halt.  I did nothing.  Well, I complained about wanting to do the closet over, I complained about how useless the space was and I moved those boards around my studio, out of my way, multiple times.

Then I listened to a podcast that made me think about the way I was storing things.  Of course, it came in January, with all the tidying rage that took place…not at my house but in general.  Every time I wanted the crockpot, I had to get the stool, climb up to the top cupboard, get it down and do the reverse when it was time to put it away.  And with the oven being broken { long story, long wait } we used the crockpot more than usual which meant up and down a whole bunch more, too.

After listening to that podcast, I put the last coats of paint on the boards and the inside of the closet.  I was on a roll! Annnnnnd, then nothing. Grinding halt. Again.

But then yesterday I reached that point where enough was enough.  I have lots of other things I want to do around the house but I wouldn’t let myself start anything new until I finally. Got. That. Closet. Done.  So, after supper, I took my final measurements, my little drawing and I went out to the garage.  Safety glasses on, the handsome Mr. Byrne to guide me on using our lovely new compounding mitre saw so I didn’t lose any fingers….I cut that wood into the exact sizes I needed and pre-drilled the holes!!  And I still have my fingers, so there’s that, as well!  All the wood and the tools I needed went into the kitchen and I got to work.

Guys, 4 plus years of wanting this closet changed and it took me maybe 3 hours altogether between painting and putting that darn thing together.  It isn’t pretty.  I mean, it’s shelving inside a closet.  But, boy, does it look good to me!!! Also, this closet is so hard to photograph, the stove is in the way, the lighting sucks, but here’s the best I could do!

Having this shelving meant I got to organize a few others spaces, too, as stuff that made more sense in this closet moved in.  It means the girls can reach the towels to have a shower without having to grab a stool or an adult.  Seriously.  4 plus years!

I hope if you have those annoying projects you want to get down around your house, this motivates you to just go and do it!!!  Stop putting it off!  You’ll be so thankful you did.  Granted, it might mean that once you finish that one, there may be 10 other jobs to be done, but, trust me, it’s worth it!!

Well, this isn’t the best post I ever posted, but I’m excited to share this bit of progress with you.  Closets are tricky to photograph!

Colourfully yours,

Lori