I'm Back with a Brand-New Invention

Its only taken me a shade under two months, but I'm back. We are moved in, (mostly) unpacked, and trying to figure out if we can somehow manage to stay in this house forever to avoid moving (and all the work and expenses that go along with it) ever again.

If you've ever bought a house that wasn't completely turn-key when you moved in, then you know some of the things that we have been dealing with. Some things you know to look for and can take into account when making your list of items you need to fix/address. But, some things, even if you have an inspection done, you just cannot foresee and don't think to look for.

"Wait, so you're telling me there isn't a single outlet on that entire wall?"

"Umm, I really wish they would have put all of the window screens back in the 'down' position after they finished painting."

"The master closet is huge, but where do we put our clothes?"

That last one was the genesis for this blog's topic. Walk-in closet? Check. Anything to hang your clothes on? Houston we have a problem.

The good news is we had a nifty little built-in shoe rack. The bad news is...that's about all we had. And, before you point out that at least we have the bracket on the wall to hang a rod, know that we only had one bracket for each side of the closet, aka useless.

Normal people would've done one of two things here: 1) hire a professional to install a custom closet, or 2) buy an organizer unit at one of the Big Box stores. #2 can be affordable, but it can also look cheap and assembly is still required. Court begged and pleaded for me to choose option #1, but my pride and my wallet screamed no. You can do this. You just need a plan to work from (thanks Ana-White.com!), some essential tools, basic competence with said tools and time and patience to spare. I could've done this for less than $150, but since I splurged on metal closet rods instead of wood and because I wanted the shelving units to be floor-to-ceiling and extra-wide, I incurred some additional materials costs.

I'll give you the Cliff's Notes version in easy steps
Step 1: Measure, check your measurements, then measure again
Step 2: Cut
Step 3: Find your studs and use them
Step 4: Paint

I wish I could say it was just that simple. Some of it is trial-and-error and some of the errors will drive you batsh$t crazy. But, if you like a challenge, and you like saving hundreds of dollars on contractor labor and materials upcharges, then give it a shot.

Knowledge Bomb # 347: If you want a new toy, convince your wife that the toy in question is absolutely essential to the task at hand and that it will save you money in the long run. You know, say you wanted (needed)  a new air compressor/nailgun combo. Hypothetically, of course...

Sweet sassy mollassy, this is gonna be fun

Below is the progression of the project, or at least the steps where I remembered to stop for a photo opp. I just wish the camera could capture the sheer scope of the project and all of its storage double-hung rod awesomeness.

SEXY UPDATE: Complete with furniture and mirror