Closet Organization

I recently followed Mrs. Limestone's Conquered Closet series and so many of the pictures inspired me to get creative and organize my own closet!  So, over the weekend I painted my coat closet.... it has been transformed from a space we hang coats, aimlessly toss hats and scarves on a shelf and throw shoes on the floor to an organized closet..... an organized black closet!  The new paint color, Benjamin Moore's Black Beauty, is perfect for the closet walls... it completely hides all those shoe scuff marks and brings a little style to the small space!

I started with a double-door closet that is tucked in a hallway toward the back of our house by two bedrooms and a laundry room.

Over time came the closet came to look like this.... no good!

It needed organization.... so I took everything out, cleaned the shelves, baseboards etc...

 

.... and then began the hard work.... squeezing myself inside the closet for a few hours, especially up on the top shelf to paint all the walls black.

Once the paint was dry, I brought most of our coats, shoes, hats, etc back inside the closet (the rest is being donated), plus a few extra goodies.

I bought matching gray suede hangers from Home Goods...

... and two galvanized bins to store our scarves, gloves and hats on the top shelf.  I printed labels and attached them to the bins, just like in our playroom (free printable here).

In an open area, I hung a gold frame with one of my new prints (free printable here).

I put my husbands shoes back in the closet (mine are now in the master bedroom closet- another area that needs to be cleaned and organized!).  The husband's shoes are stored on a make-shift bench of plastic bed risers and an old piece of wood.

And finally, what I love most, a good before and after photo....

 

Now that this closet is organized, it's given me the motivation to organize the rest of the closets in our house (and some drawers).  My mind feels more organized when my closets and drawers are organized.... think spring cleaning over here!

Black Walls

I've been admiring black walls for a while (just check my Pinterest boards).  Whether it's one wall, an entire room, a wall lined with black bookcases or even a simple display area, I love it!  The deep, bold color makes a room feel so cozy and intimate...

Windsor Smith via House Beautiful

Lonny

House Beautiful

Apologies, Source Unknown

 
High Gloss

Apologies, Source Unknown

 

Apologies, Source Unknown

 
House and Home

 
House and Home

 
Style at Home

While I don't think I'm daring enough (yet) to paint an entire room black, I am beginning a small project that includes a gallon (or more) of black paint...... Benjamin Moore's Black Beauty.

I've used this same paint color here on my back door, but this time I'll be painting the inside of my hall closet....

The hall closet is actually our coat closet which is a bit odd since it isn't anywhere near the front (or back) door.  The closet is tucked between my son's bedroom, the master bedroom and the laundry room.... you might remember the hallway from here with the pink chevron chair (the chair has been moved, but the painting is still on the wall).

I open this closet a few times a day and I think it's about time to make a change, a bold change..... wouldn't you say?

So, this week I'll be making a few updates to the closet, beginning with painting the walls black and ending with some organization.  My hope is to finish painting this weekend (in between going to the local rodeo where I'll be wearing my old boots!) and show you the after pictures next week!

What are your big weekend plans?  Any fun painting projects?

A Month of Thankfulness

This month has been crazy busy.... the crazy-super-fun-kinda-busy.  It's hard to believe we're half way through November and only 39 days until Christmas (and it's still in the 80s here)!  I have a few moments to share some of the small additions around the house just in time for Thanksgiving.  It's quiet here....the husband is out of town, the kids are in bed (sleeping, I hope) and I'm on the couch with a scoop of ice cream, a bag a chocolate chips and a glass of wine with the dog at my feet.  What more could a girl ask for on a Tuesday night, right?  So, here's to 30 minutes of blogging before I need to clean the kitchen....

Earlier this Fall, a sweet friend of mine gave me the book One Thousand Gifts.  The book is amazing.... it's so enticing that I wanted to read page after page, all in one night.  Ann Voskamp's writing style is very poetic, so beautifully written.... she speaks from the heart and her words truly made me think.  They challenged me.  They still challenge me.  The book is about the incredible power of gratitude, a life of gratitude.  It was a perfect read as Thanksgiving approaches and since reading the book I have tried to make an effort to take notice of the gifts He has blessed me with and say "Thank You" with a continuous voice of thanks.

Here's a few of our Thanksgiving decorations and reminders for me to sing of praise and thanksgiving...

Grateful Tree:  my daughter helped me make this tree (I was inspired here).... we pulled out a few colorful sheets of scrapbook paper, she punched out the circles while I trimmed the branches and wrapped washi tape around an old glass jar.  We've been adding circles to the branches every day this month and what makes the tree so special are the notes of thanksgiving written on each hanging, paper circle.

Thanksgiving Banner:  I created a banner out of scrapbook paper (can you tell I used to scrapbook?) to hang across the mantel using twine and clothes pins.  I used a mini scrapbook pad, cut different shapes and layered the papers, then placed a sticker on each card to spell "thankful".  These are the tools I used...

And here's the banner....

Chalkboard Thanks: ok, this one is totally copied from here (I've had it pinned for a while!).  I love the saying and it fits so incredibly well with this time of year.  So, I painted a scrap board with black chalkboard paint and created big, bold letters with white chalk, "Give Thanks, Be Joyful".  I love it!

It hangs in the hallway right around the corner from the living room... you could say it's a continuation of the gallery wall.

Oh, and I finally hung my daughters coloring of "I Am A Child of God".... can you see it?

And of course, there are pumpkins, mostly white, scattered around the house just like here in the entry way....

I hope you treasure this month as a time of true gratefulness for many blessings.  Happy early Thanksgiving!

Welcome Stripes

I've been craving stripes in my house, remember here?  Well, as of this week I have stripes!!!  They're in the entry way....

And no I do not have the patience to paint those stripes, nor the budget for wallpaper.... that is tape!  It's Japanese Washi Tape from Cute Tape and I love it.  It's easy to put on and easy to take off.... there's absolutely no mess (I'm not paid for this..... there's really NO mess).  I could remove it tomorrow and my wall would be just as it was before I added the tape.  Here was my process....

I measured how far apart I wanted the stripes and made a tiny mark on the wall, then pointed my laser level at the wall, stretched out the tape and pressed it against the wall....

Once all the stripes (tape) were on the wall, I used an exacto knife to trim the edges on the top and bottom for a clean cut....

In the end, I have a wall of stripes that cost me less than $30 (and definitely doesn't look like tape)!!!

I placed a few books, a lamp recovered with fabric (Gazebo Cloud from Tonic Living) and a few frames, including the key art I gave to the husband for Valentine's Day, all on the blue desk (that was originally in this room, then moved to this room).

And now for the best part..... the before and after.  Here's a picture of the entry way when we purchased the house.....

And now.....

Such an easy (and inexpensive) way to update a wall!  So, how have you used Washi Tape?  Any projects planned?

Linking up to I Heart Naptime and Between Naps on the Porch.