outside in

one of the best things about my marriage is the way that mitchell and i see eye to eye on most of the big stuff, but we have such different approaches to things small and large, which makes each of us better. he often comes up with solutions that i would never think of, and vice versa. when consulting each other on challenges we're facing, we often stare incredulously at one another's suggestions, as if to say "i never would have thought of that." it makes for good teamwork and the occasional "spirited debate."

so this weekend, i plan to employ one of mitchell's strategies for cleaning and organizing...my closet is more or less verbally asking to be organized so i must oblige. i think some of the items you see above literally threw themselves onto the floor our of frustration. it's a multi-part process, for sure, and i've been inspired by these great closet photos (minus the atrocious one directly above) from nicole of making it lovely, so i'm using them as my driving force. i'm thinking if she can do this all with a freestanding ikea wardrobe, i can make sense out of my small walk-in closet.


mitchell's smart idea is to remove everything and then organize and purge as you bring things back in and place them neatly where you want them. here's what i mean kids - i never would have thought of that. i would have been crammed in the closet with barely a foot to move around, sweating, cursing, wishing i had never started this damn project.

mitchell's plan makes a bit of a mess of the room temporarily, but overall is a much more effective strategy, i've found. it also forces you to assess the ways you're storing things and all the tools bought over the years - special hangers, boxes and bags and forces you to consider a new formula. to start, i've stocked up on hot pink bins and baskets on heavy sale at bed, bath and beyond and i'm ready to strike.

and now that i've seen nicole's lovely little chestnut of a plan (above), i'm cooking up my own. i love me a good plan.

what are your weekend plans?

images from making it lovely