Musings on Momentum

design a life you love

DIY Wardrobe Makeover – Part III: The Reveal

This is really only a semi-reveal of my wardrobe makeover because there was a bit of a hitch in the plan…halfway through the storage move and wardrobe makeover we found out that we were going to have to move in the next 45-60 days.  Life came screeching to a halt because, while a move was in the distant future, this was not in any way something we were planning on at this time!  Needless to say plans to really settle into our current place sans storage unit avec gorgeous new wardrobe have been abandoned for the time being and all time, energy and money is now being devoted into our new place.  I will share additional photos of our new place once the deal is completely finalized (I shared one here).  At the moment we are in limbo for the next 30-some days.  We THINK we got the apartment but it could all fall through at any moment and I don’t want to jinx us by getting too excited.  If our management company is somehow reading this, please, please, PLEASE give us this apartment!  We have never been late on rent and never will be.  We don’t have crazy parties and we don’t shoot obnoxious YouTube episodes in our unit.  There aren’t random photographers and videographers running around chasing after us with cameras at all hours of the day.  I will treat the apartment like my firstborn and take better care of it than any other person who could possibly move into it would!  This is where we’re at…I’m literally sending pathetic pleas out into the Universe.

But back to the wardrobe makeover reveal.  I adore this little guy  (okay, big guy) and even though I won’t be immediately adding all the bells and whistles I was originally planning on, opening the doors and seeing that cheerful paper peeking out from behind my pared down wardrobe full of items I absolutely love makes me really happy.  While I wouldn’t have gone forward with this project had we known about the impending move, I really am glad I did.  It feels amazing to be out of our storage unit and to have let go of so many articles of clothing and items that I’ve held on to for so long.  It’s rather freeing.

wardrobe makeover regrets after going to IKEA

I already posted this photo but the sheer terror on my face and massive size of these boxes deserve a second look.

wardrobe makeover - the lining

I went with a very scientific approach to laying out the pieces of wrapping paper for the lining of the wardrobe.

Command Poster Strips

I used removable Command Poster Strips to adhere the wrapping paper to the back of the wardrobe.

Wardrobe lining

I recommend having a plan for what order you are going to stick these down in or else you’ll end up with a confusing jumble of pieces of wrapping paper!

wardrobe makeover - completed lining

The wardrobe up and standing in all its flowered glory.

Wardrobe lining

With shelving and the doors added

Wardrobe lining

Starting to get loaded up

DIY Wardrobe Makeover – Part 1: The Plan

YOU.  GUYS.  I am beyond excited to embark on the first stages of my wardrobe makeover plan this weekend!  It has been a while since I’ve had a true home project I can tackle and really put my stamp on and I think this wardrobe personalization will be the perfect undertaking to tide me over until I can really get my hands dirty with a new apartment (moving date T.B.D.).

The addition of a wardrobe in our lives was necessitated by a hike in rent.  To cover the cost of higher rent I’m closing my storage unit as of August 1.  The storage unit is full of kitchen odds and ends, some books, art, off-season clothing, and apparently a bunch of stuff that I really don’t need in my life.  I figure if I haven’t used it in the past year it has been sitting there I really don’t need to hang on to it.  The storage unit is also full of a lot of random stuff belonging to my fiance.  When I moved in with him a year ago we had to move a lot of items that he doesn’t use on a regular basis out of his walk-in closet and into my storage unit.  Compromise.  Now these items will be making their way back into our daily lives.

Due to the fact that I have zero interest in making this more stressful of a move than absolutely necessary, we’ve made another compromise.  Going forward, the entire walk-in closet will be his to do what he will with.  I’m literally never again opening the door.  All of my clothes, shoes, and other random items currently in storage are going to go into this swanky new wardrobe.  We will be working towards this August 1 deadline each of the upcoming weekends in July (except for next weekend when my fiance is on the road for work).  This weekend will strictly be dedicated to sorting through everything in the unit, taking stuff down to the dumpster, to Goodwill, and possibly home.  I know, yuck.  No fun at all.

That is why I’m trying to look forward to the really fun part of this process that is just two weeks away!  I’m going to scoop up this wardrobe and three of the baskets shown below from Ikea in the first phase of this project.  The three baskets will make their home on top of the wardrobe for extra storage and to bring a natural element to the piece that will help it tie in with the rest of our bedroom.  I will also be ordering the flowered wrapping paper pictured to line the back of the wardrobe with.  I was initially looking at removable wallpaper for the interior but ultimately decided to go with wrapping paper in order to keep the cost of this makeover down.  Our bedroom is completely gender neutral so I’m going to really enjoy a pop of super girly floral every time I open the doors!

wardrobe makeover / Musings on Momentum

Sources: wardrobe / basket / wrapping paper / slimline hangers / scarf hanger (similar) / shoe rack / tap light

Phase two of the project will be all about the details…  I’m going to finally act like a grownup and get a set of matching hangers.  I’d love them to be wood but this wardrobe is pretty narrow so I think these Real Simple Slimline hangers will be a better option.  I’m also going to pick up a couple of scarf hangers as well as a shoe rack with an adjustable width.  Finally, I plan on adding a tap light to the top of the closet so I’m actually able to see what I’m putting on each morning.

This is all happening in waves due to budgetary constraints…though we are eloping, impending wedding expenses are adding up.  I’m trying to source inexpensive options that will still give me roughly the aesthetic I want in hopes of coming in under budget on this project.  It might not quite be my dream outcome but I’m extremely excited about it never the less.