Check Out My Closet!

So, back in the day, Mr. Sweetie and I added a closet to the back end of the house. The logical thinking at the time was that the back door would be the most used entrance to the house, since the (detached) garage is in the back.

(Doesn't "detached garage" sound like maybe the garage isn't emotionally invested? Like it's trying to stay impartial?)

ANYWAY--we then promptly filled the old garage with the salvageable remains of our reconstruction projects, and proceeded to park our cars in front of the house, and use the front closet. Thus, the back closet turned into a place to store a bunch of stuff that we didn't use everyday, but used frequently enough to need at hand. It's most recent incarnation involved stashing all the Target storage cubes and drawers from the Bunny's room, and using it to hold the many, copious, voluminous, varied, and messy art supplies.

With the building of the new garage, however, plus the advent of MY STUDIO!!! (I love getting to say that!), and the entry of the kidlets into the homework laden adventures of middle school, it was time to redesign the closet.

TA DAAAAA!

Here you see what God and California Closets hath wrought. The closet is roughly divided in half so each kidlet gets a locker-type area with hooks, for jackets and backpacks. Pony, on the left, has a large vertical storage area (partially obscured by the folding door) for storing her violin, plus a number of vertical spaces for holding class materials. Bunny, on the right side, also has vertical dividers, plus some horizontal spaces above, for her flute and music.

Down the center, between the hooks are shelves and two pull out drawers for hats, gloves, and miscellaneous materials The large center area above, plus the space at the very top (which you can't see, due to the closet itself) are for off-season storage.

We didn't build a particular storage spot for shoes or boots--I still have to pick up some trays for that. Plus, we planned to add some small boxes/baskets/storage units for on the shelves, once we realize what exactly needs to be stored back there.

The hope is that we can end a couple of bad habits--walking in the door and dropping piles of crud all over the floor and furniture, and the roaming homework problem, where a kidlet will do German in the kitchen, math in the dining room, English in the playroom, and independent reading in the parlor, and then be unable to find any it before leaving for school in the morning.

Will this work? Well. . . . .the closet has been installed for 3 1/2 weeks now, and it is only as full as you see it. Hard to teach middle schoolers new tricks I guess.