Top Decoration

We've spent the first week of the New Year with our hands in a project.

Owen's closet is getting a major overhaul!

I couldn't be more thrilled, and honestly...

I'm still pretty shocked that I convinced Will to go along with the idea.

Why?

Because we're taking a standard home builder closet with bi-fold doors and wire shelving and turning it into one big doorless, bookcase.

I know. I'm sure some of you are thinking "why?"

That's what Will had said too.

Well, there are a couple things you must know about Owen to grasp the reasoning behind this project.

1. Owen doesn't care about clothes.
He's the kid that would be more than happy to wear sweats and a ratty, old, too small T-shirt every day of the week, if I would let him. He wears a uniform to school and that alone keeps his wardrobe pretty limited. The need for a large, open closet for hanging clothing is a complete waste in Owen's room.

2. Owen's prized possessions are made up of many, many, many pieces.
He loves his marble tracks (all 3 of them), his race tracks (two of those), his train set, his two big bins of legos, his remote control helicopters and all of his books. Unfortunately for me, this makes for one big messy bedroom.

Here's a little Owen logic that he gave to me a few weeks ago during a conversation we were having in his bedroom:

Me: Owen...why do you keep your room so messy?
(said in a pleading tone)

Owen: Because.

Me: Because why??

Owen: I just...like it this way.

Me: Why would you possibly like to have it a mess all of the time?
Can't you just put your toys away at night before you go to bed?

Owen: (he looks up at me from the floor with big, convincing eyes)

Mom...this way I just don't have to get them all out again.

Me: (as a smile slowly spreads over my face)

Well, you have a point.


You've got to love the way a 6 year old brain thinks!


Now here's some of my logic...

Since toys are the main focus in Owen's life right now at the ripe old age of 6, and clothing falls waaaaay down on the list below...well, almost everything else, I've decided that it would be much easier to accommodate Owen's needs (and mine) and make his room much more toy storage friendly.

Think this:

and this...

or even this...

Nice!

(Except for the thousand dollar price tag!)


It is my dream to give Owen's room the ability to be that organized!

(Notice that I said the "ability". I am not delusional enough to believe it will look that organized all of the time. BUT, at least it will be able to!)


So, as soon as the boys left for school, we got to work.

We cleared out his closet, which up until Tuesday, looked like a bomb had gone off in it. It held his dresser, two hanging cubby storage systems, sleeping bags, extra shoes, an assortment of random items and all of our families board games. The way it was set up was a terrible waste of space and did not function well at all.

So we took everything out, including the wire shelving that the builder had installed.

We patched the holes, tested the color that the closet would become and made marks on the wall to get a feel for where the new shelves would go.

Ellison wanted to help paint...

Luckily, she was content to pretend with a dry brush.


After a coat of my favorite color

(Benjamin Moore - Wedgewood Gray)...

we tacked up the laser level and drew out the lines for our shelves.

Will installed the first piece of ripped down MDF that would serve as the back bracket for our shelves...

Once all of the brackets were installed along the back and sides, I painted them to blend in with the wall. Will cut the shelves to size and the new bookcase closet started to take shape...

The closet is 6' wide and 2' deep, so it's a good size and will be able to hold all of Owen's prized posessions.

We're still working out a few minor details before I can start painting it all the same blue. Then the pine trim will be added to the fronts of all of the shelves, and that will get painted the same white as the trim around the closet.

I cannot wait to get all of Owen's things put back in!

Not only do I think it is going to look great, but I know that the new found organization will be a huge asset in this room.


And I must say...I'm a bit jealous.

How great would this be for a bedroom closet turned craft room?

Maybe someday!




P.S. I am posting this at:

Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
Finding Fabulous for Frugalicious Friday
Between Naps On The Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Make It For Monday at Cottage Instincts
Make Your Monday at Twice Remembered
DIY Day at A Soft Place To Land
Show And Tell at Blue Cricket Designs