DIY: Spacers in the Closet

So, I went from Hibernation to Hyperventilation about one hour after I last posted. Suddenly, I had a lunch date with an honest-to-god adult--during which I had to step out to make one of my day's three Craigslist sales (cuz I'm still an annoying adolescent)--loads of friends phoning, and a hubby back at home.

Such rapid social and economic opportunities made my heart race in a way that reminded me why regular trips to the gym are essential. And today, a good mama friend and I did our time on the treadmill.

When I got home, I felt curiously awake, a rare feeling during this dull, icy winter. I had to DO SOMETHING...and this is it:

This Old House magazine had an interesting article on closet organization. Their suggestions seemed reasonable, especially one for setting up permanent separators on upper shelves between piles of sweaters. TOH suggested wooden shelf supports.
  Isn't that CUTE? Who the heck has only two bags and six shirts?

Fine, fine: but when I dragged the kids down to the Home Despot, I was turned off by the $10+ price per piece and went home empty-handed. Yes, I do have that kind of self-control--occasionally, I am awed by myself, too.

Ikea, on the other hand, has me in its thrall. After dropping off The Man at Newark Airport, I popped in to the nearest Ikea that I could find (this means Paramus rather than Elizabeth; given NJ traffic flow, it was easier to go 10 miles away than to figure out how to cross the street from the airport). 25 minutes later, I walked out with $100 of frozen meatballs, drink syrup (so very good on freshly fallen snow), gingersnaps, and die-cut metal shelf brackets, a steal at 2/$5.
EKBY MANS, baby, 2/$5.


According to tradition, I should not have completed this project until August, but as I noted above, I was feeling wakey-wakey today.

IF YOU WANT TO TAKE ON THIS PROJECT, YOU WILL NEED:

*    several shelf supporters/brackets
*    a ruler
*    a pencil or marker
*    drywall screws
*    a screwdriver

Step 1:
Hold one shelf support up to the back wall of the closet. I started in the middle. Jab dots onto the wall through the screw holes...try to hold the bracket vertical.

 See the tiny dots? I changed my mind and decided that 14" spacing made more sense than 16" for my closet

 

Step 2:
Measure 12-16 inches and repeat Step 1. Then do it again. And again and again and again, if you are so inclined.

Step 3:

 

Hold a bracket/supporter against the wall so that you see the dots through the screw holes. Now, jam a drywall screw into the wall and screw it in. Repeat for the lower hole (do you really need me to spell this out?), then repeat for each bracket.


Step 4:
Blow off the drywall dust.

Step 5:
Put your clothes back in neat piles.

If you are like me, this is a great opportunity to do the following:
1.  put away summer clothes;
2.  flip all your sweaters and shirts right side out;
3.  toss about a third of these shirts and sweaters into a bag to sell or donate. So glad the 90s look is hot with today's young people.

Step 6:
Take a picture! Let's see if these brackets will help maintain The Pretty...

 BEFORE The Pretty was The Not Pretty...

Copyright 2014, Tanya Monier