Before & After: A Little Girl's Closet

A recent client needed help organizing her daughter's closet.....too many bows, shoes, toys, blankets, coats, clothes, and a few odds & ends too.

 

We moved out-of-season clothes into under-bed boxes, which made room for relocated dress-up clothes & accessories from the playroom. The client also purchased these large hinge-top canvas boxes that we designated for keepsake items.

These large pink bins were causing havoc too - they were just too big and her daughter created a mess every time she had to look through them. We moved socks into the dresser (in the bedroom) and lined up her shoes on the shelves (as a trial run. If those become a mess, the next option is a hanging shoe organizer for the back of the door).

The left side shelves needed some TLC too! And some purging :) We made bins for hair bows, purses, blankets, and winter gear (gloves, hats, etc). And placed a large bin on top for sleeping bags.

 And this little wall on the right was not being utilized at all!! The client wanted a good bit of her daughter's toys & books moved from the bedroom to the closet. This cube organizer did the trick, and we re-used a few bins the client already had. Now this little girl has organized bins with doll accessories and dress-up accessories/shoes.

 Happy organizing!

Before & After: A Closet Fit For a Princess

I had a pregnant client who was in full-on nesting mode, but just need a little extra help getting her soon-to-be daughter's closet ready for the big day. Nothing makes me happier than organizing itty bitty pink clothes, baby blankets, and tiny socks!!

All the clothes were put in size order, we moved the toys into a toy basket in the baby's room, and I went with a mint & pink theme for the bins and baskets, to match her nursery.

 The stroller was relocated to the garage, the highchair went to the attic until it was needed, and we stored odds & end in baskets and bins.

 A hanging organizer with pull-out drawers was used to store linens, carriers, bibs, and extra wipes. And of course, my all-time favorite label that I use with every client I can: the mini-hanging chalkboard! I love the look of the pink ribbon we used to attach them.

 Another transformation in the books!

Peek Inside: A Professional Organizer's House {More Bathrooms}

Part two of my Bathroom Reveal...

 

1. Our one & only bathroom on the main floor. Luckily, it's a full bath in case we have a ton of overnight guests, or if one of the kids comes inside & is super muddy :)

 

 The top two drawers of the storage tower are empty, in case an overnight guest needs to stash some of their toiletries. And, as you can see, the other drawers are as follows:

-extra hand towel & washcloths

-spare hairdryer

-extra toilet paper & kleenex

 2. Upstairs, my son Nate has his own bathroom. Well, that is until overnight guests arrive. This is the closest bathroom to the guest room, so it does double duty then. (So, he doesn't mind the chandelier for now, but he might when he's older!)

 The storage tower holds many of the same things as the downstairs one - extra toilet paper, soap, and Kleenex.

 

The linen closet is located behind the bathroom door, and was super hard to get things in & out of. So, we removed the door and I lined each shelf with contact paper. I covered two diaper boxes with wrapping power, and they now hold all of our guest towels.

I love these boxes from TJ Maxx; they are super durable and the perfect size to hold medicine, first aid items, and miscellaneous items. I used my absolute favorite labels, these hanging chalkboards. I cut off the loop at the top, and attached the chalkboard with Velcro.

 

The bucket on the far right (well, actually, it's a flower pot from IKEA!) holds extra toothbrushes & toothpastes. I just used a simple chalkboard label on the front.

And can we talk about this darling little mirrored tray!? I fixed this up recently, so our guests will feel welcomed, and have a spot all their own when they come to visit.

 

 3. My daughter Abby lucked out and got her own bathroom attached to her room. As a 5 year old, she doesn't appreciate this. But when she's 16 and spending countless hours in there primping, I think the whole family will be happy about this decision! :)

 I refurbished this old cabinet by painting it, removing the glass panes & adding chicken wire, and attaching new hardware. Each little basket holds my daughter's nail polish, headbands, hair elastics, combs, barrettes, and some smaller clip bows.

 The storage chest in between the toilet & sink holds all of Abby's larger toiletry items, as well as her travel case, extra toilet paper, and hair dryer.

Her bedroom is decorated in a "bird" theme, and I just
wanted to show you her adorable bird shower curtain!

 That concludes the thrilling tour of my house's 4 bathrooms. I hope you picked up a few organizing tips; let me know if so!

Peek Inside: A Professional Organizer's House... {Abby's Room}

I got an overwhelming response last month when I had my first "Peek Inside" post. As a result, I've decided to go room-by-room in my house, and give you the specifics on what organizing methods I use. Today, my daughter's room is featured!

 

{Now, let me just give you a little background on Abby first. She is 5, going on 15. She's full of sass & personality, and has the most infectious laugh I've ever heard. She loves anything pink, dancing & singing in her room, playing dress-up, coloring, and pestering her older brother....}

The diva herself

Growing up, I was a huge tomboy - and still kinda am! - so the word "princess," and the color pink was just not in my vocabulary. It still isn't. But oh the things you will do for your daughter....

 

Zone 1: The Bed & Nightstands. I store a few space bags under Abby's bed, filled with clothes she has outgrown and I need to consign. As for the nightstands, I wanted them to have lots of storage, so each has a drawer and cabinet.

 The top right picture is Abby's "junk drawer".....I let her put whatever she wants in there, as long as it fits in that little bin. The top left picture has a container for all her bookmarks, and the purple case holds her Pokémon cards. (Yes, her brother is rubbing off on her a little bit!) The bird pillow is her Tooth Fairy pillow....haven't had to use it yet though. The books on the bottom left are ones we have been reading lately, and the picture on the bottom right holds her piggy bank, wallet, and cds (her clock doubles as a cd player/radio.)

 Zone 2: The Dresser. I'm pretty proud of this beauty, because I refinished it with a friend. (She even did a fabulous stencil on the side; look 2 pictures up!) We painted it a light gray with white hardware, and then I purchased the glass knobs at Hobby Lobby.

 I lined the drawers with metallic wrapping paper, just because I thought it was pretty! (And my daughter loves all things shiny.) I glued it on with a spray-on adhesive, like this one. The bins are from IKEA, and help to organize socks, leotards, underwear, and tights.

 This bow organizer was another DIY project of mine. I bought an old frame from Goodwill, spray- painted it, removed the glass, and hot glued pieces of thick white ribbon on the back. (The reason I used hot glue was because the frame is plastic. If you have a wood frame, I would recommend using a staple gun.)

 Zone 3: The Kitchen & Art Wall. I feel like this kitchen is a bit of an eyesore (Thanks Nanny!), but Abby loves it and plays with it constantly. When she outgrows it in another year or two, I'm picturing a white desk or maybe even a vanity in it's place.

Abby is pretty good about keeping the kitchen organized, so this is what it looks like on a good day! All the white bins are from The Dollar Store, and do a great job containing all of her "food."

 I created an Art Wall for Abby because she is constantly drawing pictures for her family, friends, and strangers on the street :) These are some of her current favorites, and the frames are super easy to change out at a moment's notice. Another great IKEA purchase! (Or you could get similar ones at Michael's when they are on sale.)

I purchased the watercolor in the middle from a friend...
let me know if you want her contact information!

 

Zone 4: The Closet. Wow, that's a lot of pink! I have Abby's dresses, and out-of-season short-sleeve shirts on the top bar, since she can't reach that high. Down below, I have her dress-up clothes (tucked in the left corner) and her long-sleeve shirts. She insists on picking out her clothes each day (and it's always a very colorful ensemble to say the least!), so it's important that she can reach the clothes herself. I also think *every* kids' closet needs a hanging organizer (far right). Abby's holds extra hangers, large & small blankets, and an extra set of sheets.

 The pink bins on the middle shelf are a lifesaver. In fact, I blogged about them a few months ago, in my "Tuesday Tip" post.  I've found that the easiest way to deal with the constant influx of clothes is to designate two bins in Abby's closet as follows: "Too Big" and "Too Small." Since I am a mom that loves to shop at consignment sales, as well as sell/consign my kids' clothes, these bins are a tremendous help with in those two areas! For example: when I buy something for the next season, it goes in the "Too Big" bin. And when I've decided those shorts are just toooo short, they go in the "Too Small" bin. (I previously mentioned that I have space bags under Abby's bed with out-of-season clothes. The pink bins will eventually be emptied into those; they just serve as a temporary holding spot when I'm in a rush.)

 

If you're wondering, I got the canvas bins from Target. And I created the labels using these name badges, Microsoft Word, and some scrapbook paper!

 

The first bin on the left is labeled "Summer," and holds swim suits & sandals.

 Looking up into Abby's closet, you will see a box labeled "cards", a basket for "quilts," and then the one on the far right is a memory box I gave to Abby on her first birthday. It holds a few special pictures, my hankie from my wedding, and a lock of hair from her first haircut.

 As previously mentioned, my daughter loooooves to play dress-up! I have her costumes tucked away into the left corner of her closet. She loves the easy access, but we are still working on her being able to correctly hang them back up. (Right now, I just ask her to put them in a pile when she's done with them.)

And here are her two bins - one has miscellaneous items like wands, boas, tiaras, etc. And the white bin holds all of her dress-up shoes. These she can definitely pick up & put back on her own.

 Zone 5: Bookshelf & Table Set. On the top shelf, I have hardback books of Abby's that are keepsakes or gifts (translation: she's not allowed to mess with them!). The bottom shelf holds the rest of her books, and her jewelry box. (Oh, how my girl loves to accessorize!) Again, these are right at her level and provide easy access.

The cabinet underneath holds her Legos. The two white bins are from The Dollar Tree, and I just cut up part of the boxes from each set so they could be easily identified. (If you've already thrown away the original packaging, just stick a chalkboard label on there with the name of the set, or print a picture off the internet.) The two clear bins inside the gray box hold Lego sets as well, just smaller ones.

 

Now, I know a lot of people tend to store Legos by color, but I have found that my kids prefer to store them in sets, so they don't have to go hunting around for pieces. To each his own! (When I feature my son's room, you will see that it was more of a challenge to create his Lego storage, since he has a gazillion sets!)

 Abby's table & chair set was a present from "Santa" this year, so we are still getting used to it. Right now, she's using it to display (& play with) her Lego sets after she assembles them. In the future, I see her using this for tea parties as well.

 

And the large basket in the corner holds all of Abby's "friends." Whenever the basket reaches capacity (which it pretty much is right now!), I tell her we have to donate a few or find a new home for them.

 Zone 6: The Bathroom. I told you my daughter was a diva, and she a bathroom attached to her room. (It was put in by the previous owners, right before we moved in 2 years ago. Score!)

 

I refinished the cabinet on the right, by painting it white and then giving the interior cabinet a coat of sea foam blue. I removed the glass from the cabinet doors and added chicken wire. And 300 cuts on my hands later, it was complete! :) The baskets are mostly used for extra hair accessories, nail polish, and combs/brushes.

And that concludes the tour of Abby's room. Stay tuned for more rooms in the upcoming months!


**I want to make it clear that - for the most part - these are staged pictures. My daughter is five years old, so her room is not this spotless all of the time! The main things I have her do to stay organized is to make her bed every morning, and then clean up her toys/dress-up clothes before bedtime. I'm happy with just those two chores, and I don't feel like it's asking too much of a five year old. So please just keep that in mind when you're viewing these pictures!**

If you'd like to share how your kids' keep their rooms clean, please leave a comment below. I'd love to hear from you!