I may not make it back out for a few hours… at least. This is item #12 on my 30 Before Thirty list: organize the catch-all closet in my office. Don’t you love how you can’t even see the floor? Wish me luck.
Notable contents:
- giant styrofoam ball
- argyle dog sweater vest
- every issue of Domino and Blueprint
- IKEA catalogs dating back to 2002
- five rolls of vintage wallpaper
- acoustic guitar
- my wedding dress
- empty boxes to be recycled
- embroidered Serge Gainsbourg pillow
- vintage 50s fur coat that was given to me over a decade ago but that I have never, ever worn and probably never will because I feel weird in it
Sarah S
July 14, 2010 at 12:48 pmGood luck! If the dog sweater vest is an XS and by any chance needs a new home, let me know!
alecia
July 14, 2010 at 12:50 pmAny interest in unloading your copies of Blueprint? I’d be very interested! PS: You’re an inspiration. I should take a picture of my under-the-stairs closet and post it. It makes yours look totally organized!
Cindy
July 14, 2010 at 12:50 pmOh my… Good luck organizing the closet!
lori
July 14, 2010 at 12:51 pmit’s actually nice to see that every single spot in your house isn’t perfect! ;)
elisabeth
July 14, 2010 at 7:18 pmI second that!
Design Milk
July 16, 2010 at 10:53 amTHIRD!
Ana
July 14, 2010 at 12:53 pmI’ll take you’re copies of Domino if you want to unload those!
alison
July 14, 2010 at 1:00 pmjust did this myself – good luck, hope you make it out in time for dinner…i didn’t :)
Jessibee
July 14, 2010 at 1:02 pmGood Luck! I cannot wait to see what it looks like! I get very excited about closet organization! I hope thats not disturbingly strange…perhaps I should pursue it professionally and make it more respectable.
Rebecca
July 14, 2010 at 1:02 pmGood luck! I’m off to the basement to sort and bag through piles of clothing to give to good will. It sucks to get started, but once you do it’ll be good to get it done!
Michele
July 14, 2010 at 1:03 pmGood luck! Can’t wait to see how it turns out! I have a closet like that and I would love to steal some organizational tips:)
Danielle
July 14, 2010 at 1:04 pmDon’t forget your pick axe and minors helmet with strobe light! I hate organizing closets! How can such a small space contain so much?!?!
cindy at jtlt
July 14, 2010 at 1:04 pmGood luck! I haven’t figured out what to do with old magazine issues as well – but those are a keeper!
Valerie
July 14, 2010 at 1:05 pmDo they still make blueprint?
I’m from canada so I never know if something’s discontinued everywhere or just here! :(
Amanda
July 14, 2010 at 1:06 pmI was also given a lovely vintage fur coat a few years back but never wore it because it just felt weird. After sitting in my tiny apartment closet for a few years I finally donated it to Coats for Cubs through the Humane society! I highly reccomend it. It’s tax deductible, you get to help out some tiny orphaned animals and you’re left with more closet space :)
http://www.hsus.org/furfree/campaigns/c4c/
AbraCat
July 14, 2010 at 1:11 pmWow, that’s rather impressive! I have a closet like that, but I have no ambitions to do anything about it. Good luck!
live a colorful life
July 14, 2010 at 1:20 pmI love organizing closets, like Jessibee above. My husband and I did this to our pantry and master closet–it was my Mother’s Day gift (really. How lame is that?) Anyway, it was (a) more work than I thought it would be and (b) totally worthwhile because every time I open the door I can actually breathe. so nice…
juco
July 14, 2010 at 1:26 pmYeah – I hear ya. I cleaned out our catch-all spare bedroom last weekend. Good luck with your closet!
Jessica
July 14, 2010 at 1:31 pmbest of luck to the closet organization! can’t wait to see how it turns out. how many issues of blueprint were there?
Sara
July 14, 2010 at 1:32 pmI can not wait to see the finished product! Seriously, I love organizing & I have to do my closet soon. I might steal, uh hum, borrow, some ideas.
Katie
July 14, 2010 at 1:32 pmYou are going to feel sooo much better once it’s all finished! And I also think it’s nice to know that someone else shoves miscellaneous items in closets so they don’t have to be dealt with lol ;-) Good luck!
Licia
July 14, 2010 at 1:41 pmOh! Good luck. I hope you will post your “after” picture so it will inspire and motivate me to tackle my garage.
Kate @ Twenty-Six To Life
July 14, 2010 at 1:52 pmGood luck! I’ve been meaning to do this myself but keep putting it off – I know it’s so worth it though in the end.
Momnivore
July 14, 2010 at 1:56 pmTake baby steps and lots of breaks. Java before…
I just did this to the walk-in in my bedroom. What a hot mess.
Ludmila {creamylife.com}
July 14, 2010 at 1:57 pmGood luck, Nicole. there will a lot of work for you!
Michele
July 14, 2010 at 1:58 pmMy mom uses vintage fur coats to upholster vintage ottomans. Looks luxurious and cozy when finished.
Elaine
July 14, 2010 at 2:02 pmIs it mean that I’m happy to see that you have a crazy, disorganized spot in your lovely home?
Carly
July 14, 2010 at 2:04 pmI’m currently doing the exact same thing!!
http://honeyandthemoondesign.blogspot.com/2010/07/i-have-confession.html
Good luck! x
Erika
July 14, 2010 at 2:07 pmGood luck! The process won’t be fun, but the results will be worth it!
Zauna
July 14, 2010 at 2:25 pmI had a vintage fur coat as well. When I was expecting, my mom had it made into the most adorable teddy bears. (I had given her permission to give it away)
One of my favorite baby presents!
Two Lovely Spaces
July 14, 2010 at 2:28 pmI am about to do the same. Clean the closets! Thanks for the motivation. I almost cried when you mentioned Blueprint and Domino. Do you think that magazines as lovely as those can be stored on bookshelves? My old Dominos are also hidden and I’d like them to live on our family room bookshelves. Hmmm…
Amy K
July 14, 2010 at 2:31 pmYeah you clean that closet!!! Good luck. I’m tackling my bedroom (aka everything I own since I am a student) one tiny section at a time.
Also, don’t get rid of those magazines! They are just too good.
tammy
July 14, 2010 at 2:46 pmThank you, because this post just made my day. So good to be reminded that I’m not the only one harboring weird junk!
molly
July 14, 2010 at 2:53 pmI’m sure the after will be spectacular.
As for the argyle dog vest… perhaps it will make it into a fall style post?
sunny
July 14, 2010 at 3:00 pmYou can DO IT!! Good luck!!!
(Thought at first you had a photo of my bedroom closet. It looks pretty similar. If you can post the photo, so an I. Maybe.)
Valentina
July 14, 2010 at 3:09 pmGood Luck! Organizing is such a difficult thing to me. I have a very small room in my apartment (it’s almost like a closet, ’cause I can’t even put a bed in there) full with things that can be usefull some day (yeah, right). I should do my own 30 before 30 list…
deanna
July 14, 2010 at 3:51 pmWow! But, you know most everybody has a space like that …
Regarding your wedding dress, consider this:
http://www.bridesagainstbreastcancer.org/
rachel lc
July 14, 2010 at 3:58 pmoh thank you so much for have one showing that you,my organisation role model, also have a crazy junk closet!
(although i have a crazy junk room!)
Christine
July 14, 2010 at 4:18 pmGood luck! My office closet is similar right now. Dreading cleaning it, but at the same time, looking forward to finding some hidden treasures!
yvonne v
July 14, 2010 at 4:30 pmyou’re so brave :) can’t wait to see the pics.
Tracey
July 14, 2010 at 4:55 pmGreat cupboard! Can’t wait to see what it looks like soon.
cristina
July 14, 2010 at 5:02 pmit will you expect a horrible job, do you want see mine?
here: http://pentapata.blogspot.com/2010/07/ogni-cosa-ha-un-posto-e-ogni-cosa-al.html
organizing, decluttering in Italy is “un lavoro di merda”
buona fortuna
cristina
Courtney
July 14, 2010 at 5:04 pmI am so excited that I am not the only person with a closet that looks like that. However, if you have any suggestions on how to clean it up, let me know! Are you gonna paint?
Katherine
July 14, 2010 at 6:51 pmI wish you would post your wedding pictures! You’ve mentioned your wedding or your dress in a few posts now and I’m so curious to see how it looked!
Brandie
July 14, 2010 at 7:30 pmI’ll buy that Serge pillow off of you if you’re looking to lighten the load! ;)
I’ve been lusting after it for years, ever since I first saw it on your sofa.
Hopeless Chest
July 14, 2010 at 9:53 pmIf you would like to get rid of any of your Domino issues, PLEASE let me know. Pretty pretty please! I only found Domino about two issues before they closed it down. I was devastated.
Good luck with your closet project. I had one just like that, full of housewares I had been collecting before I moved. I found some burried treasures.
caroline
July 14, 2010 at 11:29 pmWow! I have complete faith that it will turn out lovely. Good luck!
pianka
July 15, 2010 at 1:44 amShow us your wedding dress! :)
Sarah A.
July 15, 2010 at 7:56 amI’m glad I’m not the only one that holds onto my old Dominos for dear life! My husband thinks I’m crazy. Have fun organizing!
Alicia
July 15, 2010 at 8:43 amCan’t wait to see after pics!!I’m sure if will be gorgeous! ;)
Clair
July 15, 2010 at 9:22 amGood Luck! Tackling that project will feel so good!
adrienne
July 15, 2010 at 9:33 amSigh, Domino and Blueprint, how I miss you both! :(
Debra
July 15, 2010 at 9:38 amNicole you’re so funny! I hope you eventually emerged! I am sure when next we see your “catch all” it will be beautifully arranged as is every other part of your home. Those catch-all beasts need taming or they can get so out of hand. I know!
Making it Lovely | Transforming the so-so. » Blog Archive » Still Organizing the Closet
July 15, 2010 at 10:16 am[…] « I’m Going In […]
Grace
July 15, 2010 at 10:19 amoooooo! Organizing closets is my favorite household chore. I am moving back to my hometown this month and I am planning on re-organizing two of my moms closets. I can’t wait. I look forward to seeing the after photos. That coat sounds awesome!
Lisa
July 15, 2010 at 10:50 amOh my God, I am so happy to see that you do have spaces in your home like this. Gives me hope!
Robin
July 15, 2010 at 12:19 pmI wish I had known there was a market for Domino and Blueprint, I gave all mine to Goodwill in a fit of spring cleaning. :-(
Sabrina
July 15, 2010 at 1:55 pmI, too, have saved all of my Domino and Blueprint magazines. I didn’t have every issue as you do, though. *sigh* Its so sad they both went under! If you’re anything like me, you’ll hold onto them so you can flip through them whenever you have “magazine sorrow”.
http://brinaland.blogspot.com/2010/06/magazine-sorrow.html
alana
July 15, 2010 at 6:29 pmi PINE for that pillow. please tell me you’re going to clean out your closet and put it on ebay?
Christine
July 15, 2010 at 6:58 pmMy mom had some old furs of my grandmothers. She had someone turn them into teddy bears. They are decorative. You may want to think about reusing your old furs that way.
Condo Blues
July 15, 2010 at 9:22 pmI got a relative’s vintage fur. I wore it once as part of my Mommy Dearest Halloween costume and caught all sorts of trouble for wearing fur. I haven’t worn it since.
Bonnie
July 16, 2010 at 7:12 amIt’s no competition–my closet is far, far messier than yours. Not only can you not see the floor, you can’t see the walls or the ceiling!! I’m hacking away at it.
Best,
Bonnie
Making it Lovely | Transforming the so-so. » Blog Archive » My Wedding Dress
July 16, 2010 at 10:48 am[…] a few of you have asked to see my wedding dress because I mentioned that it was hanging in the closet I’ve been organizing. Not being one to disappoint, here it […]
Béa
July 16, 2010 at 11:39 amfeeling less alone and ashamed all of a sudden :-)
Rorie
July 17, 2010 at 3:21 pmI will totally take that serge pillow off your hands. Name your price, girl! ;-)
Lauren
July 18, 2010 at 2:33 pmThis reminds me of Monica’s ‘secret closet’ on Friends! How much worse did it have to get before it got better? Well done!
Holyoke Home
July 21, 2010 at 12:54 pmWhoa. I’m feeling a little better about the precarious pile of clothes I leave on any surface upstairs. Don’t throw away the Dominos or Blueprints!!!!
Making it Lovely | Transforming the so-so. » Blog Archive » My Organized Office Closet
July 23, 2010 at 10:05 pm[…] the catch-all closet in my office was one of the tasks on my 30 Before Thirty list (item number […]