Random post today friends! A little garage progress and the start of some closet organization going on around here. So the garage. {Sigh} Otherwise known as the never ending organizing project on my list that will never be checked off. Ha! Only feeling slightly deflated. ;) The last time I shared progress we had done more purging, more cleaning and had new built-ins installed! I started putting things away in the cabinets and the space was looking really good. Then I started organizing/purging other areas of our home and before long.. piles started popping up all over the garage again. Mostly black sacks and other random large items that needed to go to Goodwill.
That’s the tricky part about the garage isn’t it!? It always becomes the catch all. This stuff sat in our garage for months until we finally found a free Saturday morning to do something about it.
Did you know that you can rent a truck for just a few hours from Home Depot? I didn’t! Until we called and asked and picked one up to get rid of all the stuff accumulating in the garage. I can’t remember what we paid, but it wasn’t much. So nice to finally have a way to move a lot of items quickly!
Kenny loaded the truck. I took pictures.
Because I wanted to help. ;)
It was crazy how much we were able to haul at one time. We took two loads to Goodwill and it made a huge difference! Now we just have a couple of things left to take to Utah for family on our next trip and then I can finally finish the garage this summer. At least that’s the plan. At some point I will finish this garage! I needed to post this update as a pep talk to myself more than anything. ;) But also to let you all know about the Home Depot truck renting option! In case any of you are doing some major purging and don’t have access to a truck or time for a yard sale, etc.
Next little update! Last week in this post I shared the fun new galvanized bins from PB I got for Kole’s closet.
(affiliate links used)
Perfect for organizing random items like swim suits and clothes that are too small and need to be saved for cousins. Finally finding bins for Kole’s closet shelves inspired me to go through his clothes, do some purging and organize his new closet! I say new because he has been using the guest room the past three years and we are finally moving him into his real bedroom. (Guest room update post here.)
I’ve only moved the clothes at this point and still need to bring in his toys from the playroom. This closet is clearly quite an upgrade from his closet in our previous house that was halfway filled with my scrapbook supplies. ;)
This is how I’ve been organizing Kole’s clothes (in both closets). Dressier shirts and ties for church on the top. Next to that are all of his long sleeved shirts. Not a huge collection since he only wears them for a few months each year. The bottom row holds all of his t-shirts that he lives in. Yes I loosely color coordinate them. For two reasons. One because it makes it easier when I’m grabbing an outfit for him to wear. I always pick out his shorts first and then I can quickly find the color of top that coordinates. (Quite a bit simpler than the elaborate way we prepped my girls clothes when they were his age.. ha!). Two because I can. I still have control of this closet (which won’t last forever) so I get to do fun things like color coordinate his shirts. Which makes me happy. :)
His drawers are pretty simple. Underwear not pictured in the top drawer. Btw if you have small boys, these underwear are my all time favorites! Good quality, great fit. PJ’s are next. Which he hardly wears because he likes to sleep in his clothes. So yes.. I pick out the shorts and coordinating top the night before while he’s showering and then he sleeps in his clothes and wakes up ready to go. How’s that for making our mornings simple? Ha! His idea – not mine, but I’ll take it. ;)
Shorts in the next drawer.
Pants on the bottom. Boys are TOO easy! At least when it comes to clothes. :)
On a side note.. this closet is painted ONE color. Crazy how the lighting changed the way the paint looks on the top of the closet vs. the bottom in these pictures! The bottom is the true color of his closet and bedroom and I’ll share that paint color in his new room update. Because I can’t remember it and I’m too tired to go hunt it down right now. ;) There are still a lot of things I plan on storing in his closet, but for now it feels nice to have only the clothes that fit and he wears organized in this happy space.
So there you go! Not huge garage and closet progress, but progress none the less. And considering it’s May and I’m running non stop all day, I’ll take any progress around here I can get!
For more closet organization you can check out Addison’s organized closet here. Like I said, my girls’ systems are a bit more elaborate than Kole’s. Although I think we should all take a page out of his book and start sleeping in our clothes for the next day. Talk about streamlined mornings! ;)
Thanks for sharing the tip on the rental. I knew you could rent them, but never thought about doing so to haul stuff to the Goodwill. I’m sure you helped someone today with your psa. :) I’m sure it felt so darn good to finally get that stuff out. I’m sure the garage felt a little bigger, too. You’ll get there! I have faith! Kole is very clever. Talk about coming up with a great way to elmininate steps to getting ready in the morning. Haha! I find it fascinating, actually. And you are so right, if everyone did that, mornings would be a breeze! Thanks for taking the time to share when you are so very busy! You can do it. One day…or minute at a time. :)
Thank you so much Jeanne! Ha! Can you imagine how easy mornings would be!? Although we might all look a bit wrinkled. ;) Kole cracks me up. He is so funny about clothes! He’ll wear anything as long as it’s short. HATES long sleeves and pants of any kind. Thank goodness we live in San Diego and he can do that most days or we’d be in big trouble! :) xo
did it tug at your heart strings to give away the play kitchen *sniff*. my youngest is only 2.5, so we have a bit of time yet, but I’m already imagining giving away some of the well-loved toys and although I’m not *that* sentimental, it does tear me up a bit :)
YES! It really did Wilma. In fact my kids haven’t played with that kitchen for years and I just couldn’t part with it! My kids’ beloved toys and things they used when they were little are the hardest for me to part with! But it’s time. :( xo
Erin – I love these types of posts! Thanks for throwing quick updates together for us :) It helps me stay motivated to clean out my garage and closets too. Ha!
So sweet of you Michele! That made me so happy to hear! Thank you! And I know.. staying motivated is half the battle, right? ;) xo
Oh man, I can’t believe he’s still sleeping in his clothes! That is too funny! Jensen is the opposite and would live in his pajamas if he could. He stays in them until he HAS to get dressed to go someonewhere. So I buy him way too many pjs!
So true about the garage being such a catch all, but you should know that even with your goodwill bags and piles, your garage is a million times cleaner than most people’s! Plus it should make us feel good to see all those sacks we’ve filled from the house, right?! I currently have two DI sacks sitting at the top of my stairs and several boxes full of things in my garage waiting for a DI run!
It kinda makes me sad though when I spot things from your old house! What did you decide to do with your cute red couches?
And farewell to the treadmill?!
I so wish I could get him to sleep in his pj’s more! I’m such a pajama person that it kills me! Ha ha.. :) He’s funny about clothes. Hates anything long! Choose your battles, right? We are giving the red couches to Kenny’s mom! As soon as can figure out how to get them to Utah. And we loved our treadmill but it hasn’t been working great for a while now. Trying to decide if we should get a new one or not since we both go to the gym, but it was so nice to have for days when I only had 20 minutes to exercise! Hope you’re doing well cutie! Miss you! xo
Can’t wait to see the garage inspiration when you finish! I am in the middle of purging for a big garage sale in June. So much to go through and price! AHHH! I color coordinate our closets too. It just looks so nice and so easy to find what you are looking for.
Love that Home Depot has rental trucks too. So handy when you have lots to move. Hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day! Big plans or big surprise?? xxoo
Garage sales are so much work Pam! But kind of fun too. :) We don’t have a free weekend for months or I would have thought about having one! No plans yet! I told Kenny as long as I didn’t have to clean or cook on Sunday I’ll be a happy girl. ;) I hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day cutie! xo
Did you put felt under the metal baskets in Kole’s room? Seems like they’d scratch your paint otherwise…and those built-ins look too good for that!
Hi Jess! I haven’t yet but was planning on it! :)
I love the built-ins! I’m working on the plans for our future build, and would love to incorporate some similar drawers and shelves in our boys’ closets. I’m assuming your cabinet guy custom made them for you? Could you share the closet floor dimensions (I know you’re in Maui right now, so feel free to wait until you are relaxing at home with nothing to do before you think about answering this!). :)
Hi cute Jenny! For some reason this older comment just popped up in my dashboard! So sorry I didn’t see it before! Yes – the closet shelves/drawers were custom made. Shoot me an e-mail if you still need info. on the closet floor! xo
Would love to have dimensions of your closets, throughout the house. We are in the process of getting ready to build and I LOVE the layout and function of your closets. Since we are building I want to make sure we have enough closet space, not an area I want to skimp on!
Thanks
Hi Paula! Thank you! So exciting you are building! I don’t have the dimensions for each closet and would have to go through and measure. Are there specific closets you are most interested in?