Problems to solve this Easter Weekend:

  1. Some kind of organization for shoes under dresser (34cm high)
  2. Organization in the panty drawer
  3. Storage for yarn under the bed (10cm high) NOT SUCCESSFUL
  4. Re-organize closet

Stop #1: IKEA in Richmond

Yesterday I drove to IKEA after going on their website to look at potential organizational units. I saw a number of baskets that could hold my shoes. Basically I keep all my pretty-not-worn-as-often shoes under my dresser in the bedroom. But because there are so many, and I would prefer if they weren’t just piled under there – I need some sort of containing device. I found the perfect basket at Ikea for $16 (small) and a $19 (large). I bought the large one I believe, because I anticipate on buying more shoes!

Then I looked for containers called KOMPLEMENT for my ‘drawers’ drawer. Ikea is a freaking maze! I looked around for those baskets in the Home Organization Marketplace (I was smart and didn’t go through the display rooms)… but I honestly couldn’t find them! The easiest thing to do is, once you’re down in the Marketplace, ask someone who works there, “Where are wicker baskets?” There are so many secret doors and openings! She’s like, “Through that door to your right.” I would never have thought that the Shortcut Door to lighting would lead me to baskets… but it does!

And the KOMPLEMENT drawer dividers (which come in both black and white – I bought black), are to be located in the Self-Serve Furniture area… there are little compartment/divider organizational items with the wardrobes and the chests of drawers.

Stop #2: Home Depot in Vancouver on Terminal

The reason I am Handy Woman: I built shelves inside my closet ALL BY MYSELF! Before, they were these two ugly wire shelves and I’d wheeled a free-standing shelf-thing into the closet. It was not practical; the shelves were too wide and the shelves-on-wheels were bulky and huge. I ripped out the white wire shelves (they were installed very well might I add)… and emptied everything out of the closet. I measured for dimensions, patched the holes, and went to Home Depot.

I had checked online to see what kind of “cheap” shelving options I had. I discovered these attachey track things that you could insert brackets into at your desired height, then place a shelf on top. I decided to create these. The width was to be 18″ because I have trouble accessing my hanging clothes with the shelves being 24″ wide (aka the width of my closet). The clothes are in the back left area and the whole doorway is over-powered by shelving units… at least it WAS.

I bought all the materials (so much for cheap shelves). All the materials came in a variety of colours at the same price so I chose black hardware and honey pine shelves. I installed the metal tracks with great difficulty because part of it was drywall which I anticipated by buying anchors, but part of it was wood… and I just had to drill-drill-drill. I am quite handy with a power drill though! Then I tried to put the brackets in, before I realized you had to hammer them in a little to secure them, and a shelf fell on me! Well I learned my lesson and hammered those bad-boys in! Although, sometimes they were a little finnecky and clattered to the floor making more noise than necessary. Oh and the shelf boards that I bought only came in the length of 36″ so I took it over to the lumber department and had the Home Depot Lumberfriend chop them in half for me.