One Shoe Can Change Your Life

Before we started on the kitchen this past November, I left off on the blog with our Mater Bedroom and Master Bathroom renovations, found here and here.  This is the story of our Master Walk-in Closet….

In 2005 we turned our 4 bedroom home into a three bedroom home by knocking out a wall between a guest room and our Master.  The majority of the guest room had the destiny to become our new walk-in closet.  This is what the bedroom looked like before it became closet central:

Once we tore out the carpet and took out the wall we were left with a blank canvas.

We ended up building a new wall about 5 feet left of  the existing wall between the two rooms.  After a few studs, electrical, and a bunch of drywall we had a nice little closet space.

Rather than putting in a “California Closet” or the standard wire closet system at Lowes we decided that  custom built shelving was our best option.  Ryan is a skilled wood worker with access to metals, so there was  no reason to pay a third party to put together something we could do ourselves (imagine that!).  Ryan measured, cut, and nailed while I performed the task of sanding, staining, and polyurethaning every piece of wood.  Every single shelf and hanging rod was carefully measured to fit each of our wardrobes.

The specs:  two rows of metal rods on each side for hanging cloths.  Shelves in the middle with baskets for folded items.  One wrap around shelf above everything to store pillows, etc.  Also,  because we attend a good amount of black tie events I needed a large section for hanging full length ballgowns which Ryan so graciously fit into the plans.  Most importantly I needed a space for shoes, let’s face it who doesn’t?  I probably have way more the same amount of heels, pumps, and flats as a normal person.  Ryan so graciously built me an absurd 6 foot by 8 foot shoe shelf to give my collect a home.

That shoe shelf Ryan spent hours building, became one of the most special places in our home for me.  On June 25, 2005 Ryan proposed to me by using that space.  It was the most surprising and awesome day ever.  He was “test staining” the wood at 9am by writing “Will You Marry Me?” on several of the shelves in stain!

I didn’t even see the engagement ring sitting on the shelf below when he was down on one knee… I just kept asking “Are you serious?! Are you serious?!” And of course I said YES!!!!!!

It was only fitting that my mother came across a sign at a local decor store in Atlanta that read “One Shoe Can Change Your Life -Cinderella”.  She gave it to me at an engagement party and ever since it has hung on the wall outside our closet door.

The easy part was filling our closet with our clothes.  By we I mean me.  just kidding.  sort of.  In efforts to “keep it real” I took these photos last night so you could see what the inside of  our beautifully built closet looks like now.  Don’t judge my unfolded shirts and sweaters…I’m keeping it real, remember?!  (at least you can see the floor….today).

And the shoe wall.  Here we thought 6’x8′ would be enough, but not even close.  But the way Ryan built the wall makes it very easy to keep everything organized.

And the organization, you ask?  (working our way down)

• The top shelf: random shoes I don’t wear all that often
• 2nd shelf: red shoes followed by white shoes
• 3rd shelf: brown shoes followed by continued black shoes
• 4rd shelf: black shoes
• 5th shelf: all the nudes (they are my favorite and most often worn…they go with everything)
• 6th shelf: sneakers (yes i have 3 pairs of coach shoes: black, brown, and ivory) and grey shoes
• 7th shelf: Ryan’s shoes
• Floor level: My boots

So there you have it, the inner secrets to my Master Closet and my shoe organization chart.  It’s such an upgrade from the tiny walk-in that was in the original master.  Adding this space was so worth taking out a bedroom (at least in my book)!

Have you taken out a bedroom to make a closet?  do you have a ridiculously large shoe shelf like I do?  oO you need to purge shoes before you buy any more like me?  I hate (but secretly love) being a shoe addict!