I’ll admit it, I watched Tidying Up with Marie Kondo on Netflix. While part of me aspires to throw away nearly everything I own and have a magical home full of only items that spark joy, the other part of me wants to punch the t.v., embrace all of my things and tell her to shove it. However, I feel like neither of these is realistic. I do enjoy having less things and an uncluttered house, BUT I have more than once been glad I didn’t throw something out right away because I found a perfect purpose for it later. Because I know that I like things, but that I also like my things organized, I’m trying to find a balance for myself somewhere between Konmari and full-blown hoarder.
This is the embarrassing before This is the after.
When I reorganized my closet this summer, I did start by getting rid of some things. I think I filled up at least a full trash bag of items to donate. But I also repurposed things that I had kept around from previous projects to spruce up and reorganize. The best part of this project, for me, is that I only bought one thing (these really fun dresser handles). Luckily, this one thing actually sparked joy. So, I sort of feel like I’m half-embracing the Konmari method.
Five tips for a budget closet makeover
- Purse hangers with Giant 3M hooks—I love these! They don’t leave marks on the walls, and the heavy duty ones can hold up to five pounds. I used them to display my purses on the wall and to hang up my scarf holder.
- Clothing dividers using Old CDs—I had some old CDs and some of those printable labels (god knows how long I’ve had them, because I don’t remember the last time I burned a CD for anyone) and I used them to create dividers between my clothing. I find it helpful to have labels to keep my closet organized and it helps me to remember my organization system.
- Dresser makeover with Contact paper—I can’t get enough of this contact paper! I used it for my IKEA nightstand makeover and on my DIY desk organizers, I just really like it. I just cut it to size and put it on the front of the dresser.
- Earring holder using Old Canvas—I covered an old canvas with fabric to create an earring holder. This fabric is perfect as the weave is loose enough that it is easy to slide the earrings in and out.
- Necklace holder with hooks and a drawer front—I found some wood in my basement from our previous owners. I think it was intended to be a drawer front at some point, but I added some cup hooks and drunk octopus hooks (I don’t know what they are really called) and it is now a fantastic necklace holder.
Earring holder created from fabric and canvas frame. Necklace holder from old board and hooks
My closet is much more functional now, and I love being able to see my earrings, purses, and necklaces on display. I also love my dresser makeover. It seems to brighten up the space and it has inspired me to be better at fully closing my drawers, which means I need to make sure the clothes in the drawers are reasonably organized. While I may not have achieved full Konmari status, I think I have put some serious bumps in the road for my hoarder tendencies. I’m feeling like I may need to purge a few more items to ensure that my closet remains a tidy oasis for me to view all my lovely things.