I’m an organized woman…more or less. I generally have a place for (almost) everything, and I prefer things in their place. I’m not anal-retentive about it, it’s just easier to find things when they’re where they’re supposed to be. Especially since I’m a little more forgetful than I used to be!  The one place I have been completely unable to impose any  real order is in my bedroom closet!  Just so you know what I’m calling order,  take a look at my “I’ve-died-and-gone-to-heaven”  dream closet:

 
My closet doesn’t look anything like this!  The only thing they have in common is that they are both walk-in closets with four walls, a ceiling, some shelves, lights and a floor.   

I have spent a lot of time over the last few years lusting over photos of other women’s closets in magazines. Some have attained an unbelieveable level of perfection, but I wonder if they look that way all of the time, or if they are “staged” for the photo-shoot?  Personal stylist, Laura Saenz (http://laurasaenz.com/) pointed out to me that  “organization that fits YOUR lifestyle is key. It takes things from okay, to phenomenal!”    Phenomenal would be good…and a place to sit down.  And I must admit, this closet IS NOT my lifestyle (I have cowboy boots, motorcycle boots, and colorful clothes).  I know that a beautiful closet, with everything visible, would be a very sexy way to start each day!  It will make it easy to plan outfits when I can see what I have, which would save me time, and could even save me money when I don’t replace something I can’t find because I think I’ve given it to Goodwill!

There are two types of closet, walk-in and reach-in. Both can be artfully organized, and there seem to be a few things you need  in both:

1. A dresser, or drawers of some sort
2. A mirror, full-length if possible (you need to know what you look like from the side and back. Really!)
3. Your ironing board (unless it’s in your laundry room)
4. Laundry hamper
5. Step stool for reaching top shelves
6. For a walk-in closet (since you have the room),  a chair or bench to sit on
7. Decent lighting…experts recommend flourescent light for it’s evenness

I’m obsessed with this right now, because we are finally having the countertops replaced in our bathroom, after living with teal-colored Corian for nine years.  I know!  For the last four days, the contents of my under-sink cabinet, and vanity drawers are sitting in the floor of my closet. This mess, added to my pile of ironing, my summer clothes in boxes, and my inability to find even the simplest of things (where the hell is my dental floss? Where are my jeans?) has motivated me to reorganize.  Or maybe organize, finally. We often overlook our closet because it’s behind a closed door, guests don’t generally see it, and we don’t spend much time in there.  I found this “before and after” at HGTV for what I’d be able to (realistically) have my closet look like.    Announcing my first reader participation:                   I’m going to take “before and after” photos of my closet make-over. Please send me a photo, or two, of your closet to be shared in a blog! Let me know how you did it; was it all by yourself, or with the help of a designer? Where did you buy your favorite storage items? Do you have any unique storage solutions?   Please send your photos to my email address: donna.oklock@gmail.com by Sunday, March 10. Thank you!

XODonna