I recently partnered up with The Stow Company to completely makeover my master closet and pantry with custom closet solutions, a dream come true! The Stow Company supplied the product and Nashville ORG dealer Closets & More provided the installation services. This week I will be sharing the whole process from beginning to end.

This is it the moment I have been waiting for! Isn’t it beautiful? I am like a kid in a candy store. I thought my closet looked so much better when I got my wood hangers for Christmas last year but this is beautiful!

We chose the Chateau color and brushed nickel hardware to match the rest of the hardware in the house. I didn’t want a color so dark that dust will show up but I wanted it to still have some character. I have said it once and I will say it again, I love to organize not clean! My empty closet shelves will not always be perfectly dusted! Since we are giving our master bedroom an update we are also putting up a fresh coat of paint in the bathroom and these three spaces will look fabulous together!

We have shelves for everything I can imagine plus shoes! It’s been noted on national TV that I only have 10 pairs of shoes… and I have bought another pair since then, but yes you can see it here for yourself, 10 pairs all in boxes + my tennis shoes. I don’t like to dust my shoes either so I keep them contained!

The hamper has two bags that can be pulled out and hauled to the laundry room. Super helpful! One bag is a little larger, perfect for the dark clothes and the smaller side for the whites.

I love that we were able to incorporate an island of drawers in the closet to replace our dressers in the bedroom. Everything fits snug as a bug. And my favorite part… Oh yes, the jewelry organizer! I even gave Hubby (ok, he took it) a side for his “pocket stuff” he normally keeps out on top of his dresser. I guess it’s better that having it laying all over the place! This unit is also a nice place for Hubby to sit his gym bag on without it taking up floor space.

I mentioned my apprehension about the space previously. Due to the layout of the closet I was worried how everything would fit. However, I was pleasantly surprised! I am truly amazed at how much more space we did get including full use of the corners.

On one shelf I have boxes to store things like sewing supplies, shoe shine items, and even bathing suits because I didn’t want them taking up precious drawer space!

Since we already had everything out of the closet while the makeover was underway, it was time to purge. I did not want anything that I did not love to come back in there and take up space. If you are totally frustrated with your closet I suggest you do the same. Take it all out, clean it all up and put things back that pass approval. Ask yourself these questions…

Do I love it?

Do I wear it?

Does it fit/feel good?

(Or was it a bargain buy that didn’t fit great but you couldn’t pass up the deal?)

Is it worth the space it is taking up?

Do I have something that serves the same purpose?

(Do you really need 15 pairs of black slacks?)

Here’s to a happy organized closet! A big Thank You to The Stow Company and Closets & More in Nashville!

Stay tuned tomorrow to check out the new pantry!

I recently partnered up with The Stow Company to completely makeover my master closet and pantry with custom closet solutions, a dream come true! The Stow Company supplied the product and Nashville ORG dealer Closets & More provided the installation services. This week I will be sharing the whole process from beginning to end.

Normally a couple of days before an installation, arrangements will be made to set up portable clothing rods in order to hang your clothes and clear out the closet. We were out of town the week leading up to our big makeover so the installers helped me remove everything from the closet and pantry before they got started. All of the wire shelves were removed and the holes were filled and painted over. Then piece, by piece, by piece the installation began!

Now let me take a moment to explain a little more about The Stow Company’s ORG products and why I chose them. I have always been impressed with our local ORG dealer, Closets & More. They are more affordable than many of the other options available, plus their customer service goes above and beyond. From my dealings with The Stow Company’s staff I can tell the exceptional customer service is not just something that is happening on a local level but the company as a whole.

The system is completely customizable and has tons of options to match your style. They have 20 laminate finishes and 8 wood finishes, including the ability to custom order different veneers. The shelving is adjustable so if your needs change you can easily accommodate them.

ORG is dedicated to sustainability and  the core of ORG panels are made of 100% recycled and/or recovered wood fiber. This is a custom solution I feel good about putting in my home. I could have bought bins and organizers and things to go with my wire shelves to make things look more aesthetically pleasing but eventually this stuff ends up in our landfills. Our new closet will last forever and even add value to the house!

The whole process for the closet and pantry took 2 days and a couple of “touch up” hours on the third day.  Once the installation was done the installers cleaned up after themselves so much in fact, I tried to talk them into doing the rest of the house! No such luck, but I was thrilled with the attention to detail that was given. In the pantry a piece of the floor board had to be removed for the installation but they replaced it and caulked it! Job well done guys!

The time has finally come!…Up next it’s time to see the all new closet and pantry!

I recently partnered up with The Stow Company to completely makeover my master closet and pantry with custom closet solutions, a dream come true! The Stow Company supplied the product and Nashville ORG dealer Closets & More provided the installation services. This week I will be sharing the whole process from beginning to end.

The Consultation

Closets & More, a Nashville based dealer for The Stow Company’s ORG products came out to my house for our consultation and ultimately did the install. When my clients are in need of a custom closet, Closets & More owners Tom and Betty Anne are my go to resource!

When Betty Anne came to do our consultation I got a brand new appreciation for how my clients feel when I am coming in to examine their clutter. While my space is not bad the imperfections really stood out in my mind as I showed Betty Anne around. A great reminder that organization does not = perfect! Betty Anne comes in with her non-judgmental approach just like organizer’s do and is focused on the end result. How to turn the space into what the client is envisioning in the most functional way possible.

After showing Betty Anne around we sat down and explained our needs and she shared ideas with us. Then measurements were taken of every nook and cranny in the closet and pantry.

The Plan

The Master Closet

The Pantry

It was amazing to see our ideas unfold before our eyes. I am a very visual person so when you hand me a blueprint with measurements it takes me a while  to put all the pieces together. I so love that we were able to see the 3D renderings of our space and make any necessary changes we saw fit.

Betty Anne met with us again to go over our plan and make sure we were happy with where things were. We moved shelves and drawers and changed colors. We picked out finishes and what knobs we wanted on the drawers. This all took place just about a week after our initial consultation.

I was really impressed with how much we could fit into one space but I have to admit I was still worried about whether the corner spaces could be fully utilized or not. From the pictures I couldn’t imagine there being enough space in the corners to hang the clothes and still be able to get to them. But I would soon be proven wrong!

Up next… I will give you a sneak peek into the installation process and then the final reveal!

I don’t know about you but when I got my first place it was always so thrilling to do little projects around the house on my own. Yes, I might have had to try a few times and perhaps patch a few holes as a result but try, try again! I never gave up. Last week I got to meet Scott Roewer of Solutions by Scott at the NAPO conference. Last year Scott did a fabulous series about organizing your closet and I want to share it here with you. He takes you step by step not only through the clutter but installing new elfa shelving! These videos are very helpful if you are the do-it-yourself type! You can watch the first video above and check out the rest of the series at MonkeySee.com.

So what does your closet look like right now? Do you have anything jumping out at you when you open the door?

I am in love with this new glossy! Have you seen it? Fresh Home Magazine is at the moment a quarterly, wonderful glossy for DIY enthusiasts everywhere. I really hope they start publishing monthly. They have some great organizing tips as well!

So when I was contacted a couple of months ago for a few tips to go in the winter issue I was elated to say the least. So there it is my shoe storage tip. Right there among other tips from one of my favorite blogging organizer’s. I know it is too small to read so I’ll share the tip.

“A lot of people overlook the space beneath where your clothes are hanging. That space is perfect for shoes,” says Tanna Clark of Complete Organizing Solutions in Nashville. “Don’t sit them on the floor, but get clear, stackable containers so you can see your shoes at a glance.”

I love all of the fabulous photos in this magazine especially the rows and rows of open shelves with shoes lining them. For me though I am not about to have to dust my shoes, so I put them in clear shoe boxes. The picture above is my closet. :)

So how do you store your shoes? Are they piled up on the floor, on open shelves or boxed up?