Some time around the new year after I got the common plumbing mistakes of our washroom fixed, it got it into my head that we should have a family closet. One space for all our clothes, nicely organized, easy to access and, most importantly, close to our washer and dryer. Inspired by the Duggars, I set to work planning such a space in our house. Fortunately for me, we hired custom home builders and had a bit of space that would be perfect- the back corner of our basement, currently being used as a storage room. Unfortunately for me, the room was a) not a ‘finished’ room and b) was full of ‘storage’.

We spent the first few months of the year discussing and dreaming and researching the idea of a family closet. There’s not a whole lot out there on the topic, but we did find this site as well as checking out photos of the Duggar’s closet. We don’t need to store as many clothes as they do, but I’m sure you get the idea!

As we researched we brainstormed reasons that we wanted to rethink our current clothes storage situation

• Our bedrooms are small and the bureaus are taking up precious space better used for other purposes
• Getting clean clothes put away was bothersome due to varied sleeping schedules and distance from the laundry area
• Collecting up dirty clothes was tedious
• Clothes were disorganized and hard to access in too small closets and too dark bedrooms
• Laundry for four people was multiplying and taking over, we had no clear plan to manage the piles.

In May we took the plunge and started the remodel. We took everything out of the storage room and piled it in the living room. It was an embarrassing amount of stuff. Over the next week or two we went through each and every box and pile and consolidated, freecycled, donated, tossed, or moved to the attic every last bit of it. Phew! We generated some home remodeling ideas how to make our home more functional and more beautiful

My Dad and Corey came at the beginning of June and put drywall on the wall that needed it, put down subflooring and flooring and cut and installed the baseboard trim. Peter and Catherine primed and painted the room white. I served as forewoman making important decisions and making helpful comments like, “I would sure help with all that heavy lifting, but, darn, I have this baby to nurse and this backyard wading pool to lifeguard…”

We’ve just finished moving everything in. The storage items that made the cut have been put back on the shelving unit just inside the door, we have added locks thanks to the locksmith near me option. Paint and other tools and such are tucked under the staircase. The two bureaus from the bedrooms have been tucked into their own corners and filled with our, recently sorted, clothes. There’s a rack (and a pipe in the ceiling) for our hanging clothes and some other organizers here and there. With the addition of a braided rug from my parent’s attic, we now have a cozy little place to get dressed and fold laundry.

Though we’re still in the honeymoon phase, we’re optimistic about our new setup. Some of the benefits we’re hoping to reap from the change

• Dirty laundry all in one place
• Quick and easy transfer of clean laundry from line or dryer to drawers
• Brightly lit room means it’s easier to find what you want
• Peter can dress in the morning without waking anyone else
• We can see all of our stuff clearly which means we won’t buy duplicates and can easily purge what we aren’t wearing
• Room upstairs to shuffle some other furniture around and some ‘breathing space’ in our bedrooms

There are a few more photos of the room and it’s progression in this gallery. Check them out and come back here with your questions and comments. We love a good discussion here at World Wide Wood!