Closet Overhaul

There's something about a new year that makes me(and most everyone in blogland) think about organizing and purging.  I dream of having a gorgeous organized closet like this one that I've seen all over the blogosphere.

I don't know if it's the shoes or the fun, vibrant color used in that closet, but I just love that image.  If you remember my shoe closet that I posted about here, you know I love both shoes and color.

my own shoe closet

You can't talk about closets without thinking about Carrie's iconic closet.

How great would it be to have space for a fainting couch and chandelier?

Image via

Or what about this gorgeous quatrefoil pendant and large mirror topped island?

Image via

And wouldn't it be a dream to have all your purses lined up and on display?

Image via

It'd be nice to have one of those giant sized closets that could double as a chichi boutique,

Image via

but the reality is that I have a wall of reach-in closets and it's time to purge.  I don't work outside of the home and haven't since SB was born.  Why do I need a dozen blazers?  It's time to get rid of the just-in-case I lose the weight clothes, too.  I will never be a size 0 again, and it's ok to accept that and move on.  And yes, even the purses, could use a hard look.  Wish me luck, I'm going through my purses next.

Thanks for popping in and purging with me.

Organized Chaos

I know all over the country kids are already back in school, but in NY, students don't go back until the Wednesday after Labor Day.  Every year we receive the school supply list and it's usually a full page of items including a pencil box.  If you buy a pencil box in the back to school section of the store it'll most likely look something like this and cost about $2-3 for an empty plastic box with a weak hinge.

Within 1 week of school your kids supplies will be a jumbled mess, and end up dumped inside their desk to find stuff.  No?  Just my kids?  Instead of buying the cheap pencil box guaranteed to be a mess and have the top broken off, I venture over to the fishing department and grab a small tackle box.  They have customizable compartments that make it easy to find that elusive eraser or pencil sharpener.

As an added bonus, the tops are smooth, and can be personalized with stickers.  You can buy these tackle boxes for $3-5, and they're so sturdy that you can reuse them year after year, just changing out the stickers and moving the little plastic compartment separators.  This box even has a carrying handle.

For more ways to use tackle boxes check out this post where I put together a go anywhere Med Kit.

Thanks for popping in and organizing with me.  I'm linking this up to Domestically Speaking's Countdown to Autumn Party and Home Stories of A to Z's Tips and Tutorials Tuesdays.

Making Lists & Checking them Twice

I've mentioned before that we eat gluten-free to help with Whirling Dervish's ADHD.  The diet has really helped a lot with the hyperactivity, impulsivity, and combativeness.  But I know the college years are looming, and he needs to be able to function even when he's had a beer or eaten an oreo.  One of the ways that I stay on track(the ADHD apple didn't fall far from this never diagnosed tree) is making lists.  I write daily to-do lists, party to-do lists, DIY task lists, and keep spreadsheets on everything.  My camping spreadsheet is the stuff of legend.

Everybody who has ever camped with us laughs at the list, but when someone needs q-tips or clorox wipes or a dustpan, I have them.  With our annual Memorial Day weekend camping trip coming up, it was time to pull out the list.  I take an inventory of everything, and restock boxes.

Everything gets a good scrub, and the cast iron pans get reseasoned.

You'll see MedKit under HBA on the camplist, but the MedKit actually has it's own separate list.  We like to be ready for everything.  Cuts, burns, hayfever, indegestion, ankle sprain - check, check, check, check, check - we've got you covered.

This tacklebox MedKit goes with us everywhere, not just camping.  You never want to rely on your host or the hotel having children dosages of allergy meds or fever reducers.  With 2 active boys, you never know when you might need a finger splinted or some topical lidocaine, and here in the northeast having a tick remover handy is always a good idea.  Here's some of the things you can't see packed in the bottom of the tackle box.

Thanks for popping in and organizing with me.  Am I alone in list-making?  Do you guys wing it on trips, or do you have a system for remembering everything?  Let me know how you handle going out of town.  And don't forget to come back Thursday for my Before Blogging Party.

Chilling Part II

Part of organizing a refrigerator, is maximizing the space inside of it.  Our new frig has nice big door bins that can fit a couple gallon sized jugs, and a nifty can dispenser that can be used in conjunction with a 12-pk of sodas.

That's a pretty nifty organizing tool that keeps beverages right in the door for easy access.  Unfortunately it led to a bit of wasted space on the left side of the can dispenser.

I moved one of the full bins down to the bottom of the door, and tried to move the can dispenser up to the top. (We don't generally keep soda in the house, but we do drink beer.)  I say try, because it was a no-go.  Do you see where the sidewall thickness narrows towards the bottom of the door?  It's subtle, but definitely narrower.  Here's a closeup.

Why?  Who knows.  All I know is that I wanted that can organizer at the top.  So out came the Dremel.  We used a cutting wheel and a sanding cone.  Those would be CG's manly, but well manicured, hands.

And here's the new look to the door with no wasted space.  Much better.

Thanks for popping in and DIYing with me.  I'm linking this up to Between Naps on the Porch's Metamorphosis Monday.

DIY Cookbook Shelves

While not a complete cookbook addict like some, I've collected a respectable number of cookbooks throughout the years.

One of the things that we failed to plan for in our new kitchen was cookbook storage.  I was staring at the big blank expanse of cherry on the side of our pullout pantry(my baking pantry,) and a light went off in my head.  You can't tell in this pick, but there was a couple of inches to work with before the end of the wall.  Semi-custom cabinetry comes in standard sizes in 3" increments, you can customize the sizes, but it'll cost you.  So we just ordered our cabs short of the wall.

I quickly drew up a plan for Computer Genius, created a cut sheet, and we headed off to Lowe's to buy the wood.  We chose to build this out of poplar, because it has a clearer grain then pine, but is much cheaper than maple.  This was basically built like a ladder with doweling used to connect it all together.  CG forgot to take pics of the construction process, but it was pretty basic.  One of the quirks of this assembly, though, was that the right side needed to be a narrower depth to account for the face frame of the cabinet.

Poplar is a soft wood, and like pine will take a stain with some blotchiness.  To avoid that CG used Minwax Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner applied with a sponge brush.

CG then applied 2 coats of Minwax stain in walnut also with a sponge brush.

Once the shelves were dry, he clamped it in place using spare pieces of wood to keep from getting clamp marks on the soft poplar.

He removed the upper door, and the items from the pullout pantry, and attached the shelf unit from inside the cabinet.

While my arms are ridiculously long, I can't actually touch the ceiling from the floor, so the top section of the bookcase was built with a 10" header.

Perfect for showcasing my "Boulangerie" sign.  I picked this up years ago for just a few dollars at TJ Maxx, and it hung over the entrance to our previous kitchen.  It's been in storage since we finished the new kitchen.  A boulangerie is a bread bakery, not to be confused with a patisserie(regular bakery.)  Kind of funny in a gluten-free household.

And here's the whole cookbook display.  Not a bad way to use up the last couple of inches on a cabinet run.

Wondering why the walnut stain?  Here's why.  Our cherry cabs have walnut pegs in the corner.  I fell in love with this door style and had to have it.  This is the Lynchburg Mission door available from Kraftmaid through Lowe's.

Thanks for popping in and DIYing with CG.  I'm linking this up to Between Naps on the Porch's Metamorphosis Monday and Just Between Friends is hosting a Point of View linky.