Thursday, June 5, 2014

My Closet | A.Co est. 1984


My closet - office room is just about complete and I'd love to share some photos with you if you'd like to see.

Come on in...


More photos after the jump...

The whole closet is a customizable Stolmen system from Ikea, which can be removed and will be taken with us when we move to the next place.  I knew I needed two bars for hanging tops, and one larger hanging area for dresses.  We decided to get shelves and put them in the centre to store folded pants and various accessories that I can grab quickly in the morning while getting ready.

Initially, we had two large drawers in place of the three cubbies, but unfortunately, mid-build, the drawers were too deep and wouldn't fit.  It was somewhat bad planning on our part, so Marco and I hashed out what the other options could be.  Since I don't have a dresser or drawers of any kind anywhere, I wanted something that would replicate that as best it could.  The cubbies seemed to be the best fit for the space, and would in turn ofter me the next best option to drawers.  I had the three faux leather storage boxes which by fluke fit perfectly into the cubbies which I keep undies & workout clothes.

On the other side of the room, I purchased a simple white desk so I would have somewhere to work from instead of the dining room table, which has been my blogging, editing and sewing spot for the past few years.   

The chair belonged to Marco and we kept it when we moved in together for the room, which is awesome.  Behind the desk I keep my sewing machine, a few boxes that will eventually go, some vintage lamps--not sure what to do with these--and a bookshelf/armoir that came with the condo and I used to store nail polish, books, clutches and a few decorative items.  

Inside the 'real' closet I keep jackets, skirts and folded sweats & hoodies.  There are also several boxes stuffed underneath filled with leggings, tights, fabric for sewing, random purses, etc.

As you can see, I have several pairs of boots lined up on the floor--not ideal, but shoe storage is a slight issue.  I currently have a shoe rack housing several pairs but am selling that as it's a bit of an eye-sore out in the open.  That said, anywhere I can shove shoes, they are shoved.

Behind one of the closet doors I've created a hidden storage solution for my necklaces with simple towel hooks from Dollarama.

This is the first time I am hanging my skirts as I've always kept them folded in drawers or piled on a shelf.  I wanted to use skirt hangers but they were pricey and everywhere I went seemed to only have a few packs available. I stumbled upon these ones at Ikea for 99 cents each.  I purchased about 45 of them and doubled up the skirts. 

As far as the other hangers for everything else, they are basic white plastic hangers from Walmart that I have been using (and adding to) over the years.  I would like to potentially make the switch to those velvety huggable hangers, but as it's a bit of a pricey venture to switch over, I might hold off on that for a bit.

I saw this really cool idea on Pinterest for the shoes.  These matte silver towel racks are from Ikea and cost under $3 a piece.  This is hidden behind the (open) closet door, but also looks kind of neat if it's exposed as well.  The only downfall is certain pairs of shoes are too top heavy and they don't want to stay (note the pairs near the bottom that are hooked in, versus resting on the bar).

Two of the five shelves are used for accessories--bracelets, perfume, watches and a few fun decor items.  The clock is vintage from my Grandparents, the shoe was a gift from a friend, the bottle with the turquoise sand in the cap is thrifted, as are the glass dishes, I made the cake stand and the feather clutch is from Asos a few years back.

Lastly, I have jam-packed the top shelf with shoes, and stowed away boots underneath the tops on the left.  I folded shorts and put them on the shelf under the cubbies and have narrowed down my now-small flats collection which sit underneath.
  


Thanks for reading along.  

See the before photos and how the room looked empty and post move-in (aka a huge disastrous mess).

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11 comments

Wayboda said...

Looking great, Amanda! Just to let you know that those velvet hangers are great but more importantly, you will find you can almost double your closet size cause they are so much thinner. I was shocked when I made the switch and I think you can get them at Dollarama now. Thanks for posting! xo Jen

Chelsea said...

I find that the velvety hangers are really great for hanging things like tank tops, other sleeveless tops or dresses, and basically anything that has straps...but they're not great for hanging t-shirts or sweaters since they don't slide onto the material that well. You can't just slip the t-shirt on the velvety hanger as easily as you can with a plastic or wire hanger - just something to keep in mind!

Anonymous said...

I'm pretty sure you can get those huggable hangers at Costco for a much better price than that. Might be worth checking out.

Katie West said...

I use the black velvet hangers and I love them! Nothing ever slips or falls off, and I bought them at Costco. They were $17 for 30 or 50. A great deal and I have had them for years!

spiffykerms said...

Love the closet (ahem, room)!! All I think you need to do now is add some kind of rug, and maybe a tall greenery/tree from Ikea? :) :)

Anonymous said...

Love how crisp and clean it looks (closet envy haha). I agree a rug and some greenery would look great!

AA said...

This looks really great! I have a tiny bedroom in my house that I've been thinking about converting into a closet/makeup room and this is great inspiration!

Anonymous said...

I bought my velvet hangers at JYSK in Orleans! They were $20 for a pack of 50 I believe. A pretty good bargain if you ask me! And definitely worth it. Like someone else posted, they are not as easy to use for sweaters and things, but not impossible either. And they definitely look nicer and let you have a ton more closet space. So worth it!

Amanda @ Life with A.Co said...

@Chelsea: great tip--never thought about that, thank you!

@Anon & Kate W: Costco! Brilliant, thanks!

@Nancy & Anon: thanks ladies & nice suggestion--Marco agrees I need a rug... I love those shaggy white ones, but... will it get too dirty too quickly? Where could I find one of good size (but good price too? :P )

@AA: Yes! You Should! I'd love to see pictures if you take this on :)

@Anon: Thank you! $20 for 50 is a great price, I will check out Jysk next time I'm in Orleans!! Woohoo, great tip!

Anonymous said...

Try ikea for the rug or Walmart, there's also a JSYK open on Hunt Club across from Costco!

Unknown said...

Amanda, what a fantastic closet/office!

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