Reader Space: A Crazy Cool Craft Closet

Anyone looking for motivation to clean out a closet?  Any closet? 

Well, look no further, today's reader really did a smashing job cleaning out and organizing her closet, and I know I was left feeling over the top inspired so hopefully you will feel some of that too!

Lindsi wrote:

Hi Jen,

My name is Lindsi, I am a mom of 4 kids {including a set of twins}, a former nurse turned stay-at-home mom and love my job! I have been loving your site for quite some time now and I wanted to share my recent organization project with you. We have a closet in our front room that slowly became our "crap closet" much like a junk drawer except with a lot more room to hide things. My craft and sewing supplies had been stored in several boxes in my basement since we moved to our new home {December 2010} and I decided that it was high time I revived them. I am so excited to share the before and after photos with you and hope you will enjoy them as well! My total cost for this whole thing was $3.19!!! The only thing I purchased for the entire closet was three pink bins in the dollar area at Target.  With 4 kids I had loads of boxes from diapers, wipes, and other baby supplies. I borrowed my husband's box cutter and started cutting the boxes into rectangle shapes so that I could bolt my fabrics to it. I placed them in the middle shelf because I am an avid sewer and wanted easy access to my pretty fabric. I used clear plastic tubs {that I already} had on hand and got to work organizing them and using my label makers to keep things clean, neat and pretty. I used two glass cookie jars that I had on hand to store my thread and rick rack. I took two soup cans from last nights dinner and wrapped them in paper and cut the top off of a Goldfish Cracker carton and covered that as well for my paints. Lastly, I used two plastic bins from my college dorm days for yarn storage and pattern storage.

Thanks so much Jen for your inspiration and work! I truly hope you like what YOU have inspired me to do!

Lindsi {http://www.toysinthedryer.com/}

Let's take a look at the before picture first:

I giggled out loud when she said, "Crap closet, much like a junk drawer except with a lot more room to hide things".  Because it's SO true.  I have had those and I bet we are not the only ones!

But it's all about finding that bit of motivation inside of us and doing something about it.  Ready to see what that motivation got Lindsi?

Giving her a before and after story truly worth smiling about!

• The closet actually holds a solid {positive} purpose now.  Before, it was just a catch all, that was the purpose.  And when you have a closet that doesn't have a purpose, that is what happens.
• By making these changes, she is going to be much more apt to actually craft and sew!  How easy is it to go downstairs and dig in boxes and bins when you want to work on a project?  I would think that it is much easier to go into this nice and tidy closet!
• She brought in pink.  I know I know, I am a nerd, but I LOVE pink and I never get to use it with all these boys running around.  So I really get excited over it!  The point is the closet is colorful and happy and PRETTY!
• She only spent $3 on bins!  WHAT?!  Isn't it amazing how resourceful she was?  It looks like a million organizing dollars.  And I get that she had invested in those pieces over time so she had them on hand for this project... but the point is, she used what she had, bought a couple extra inexpensive bins and then DIY'd the rest!  Covering soup cans and boxes and using cardboard to wrap fabric.  GENIUS!
• Labels labels labels.  That will ensure that everything finds its way back to the correct bin so it can stay nice and organized for years to come.  And if any happy little hands find their way into the closet, they should know right where everything belongs as well!

Thank you Lindsi for writing and sharing your success story and providing us with some fabulous closet organizing inspiration!

I would love to hear more stories like Lindsi's!  Who else out there has a "crap" closet that is going to get some love after seeing today's post?  Or how about a great organizing success story that came in under $3?

ATTENTION!!  Want to be featured in a Reader Space edition?  Have an awesome organizing story to share?  I am looking for projects that have made a positive impact to your life.  Please send your story and photos to iheartorganizing@gmail.com and I would heart to feature them right here, on the blog!!  Photos should be high resolution and unedited.  Please include a description of the project, including any costs, inspiration, and how it has changed your life and routine for the better!  Oh, and no worries my friends, we will NEVER judge "before" pictures because that just wouldn't be nice!  Only love goes on at this blog!  More info HERE.