I didn't mean to tear up more than I could put back. Honest!
My previous apartment in the same complex had a pantry and a linen closet that were lovely except for one feature: the shelves were about 22" apart. This was not particularly useful. Also, although the closets were each nearly three feet deep the shelves had only one board each, about 12" front to back.
The solution was simple. I went to Home Depot, bought two pieces of bullnose shelving, had them cut to size and installed more shelves. I ended up with three additional shelves in each closet, most of them two boards deep. (The top and bottom shelves I left one board deep.)
When I moved into this apartment I left those shelves in place. I no longer had a pantry, and the linen closet was wide and shallow instead of narrow and deep. The single closet had the same design flaw: shelves 22" high.
That move went really badly, and I didn't have the time or energy to deal with shelving. I stuffed the contents of the linen closet into the shelves any way I could and added shelving to my wish list.
While my sister was here last month I mentioned the problem. She took me to Home Depot and bought additional shelves. We stood in front of them, debating at length whether to buy 11" or 15". We chose 15". We goofed.
I knew immediately that there was a problem. There was a small piece of shelving left over and I used it to check the depth. The shelves would have fit fine in the center, but were about 1/4" too deep on the sides, where there is a short stretch of wall to either side of the bi-fold door.
I decided the problem could be solved by trimming 1/2" off the back of the entire shelf. The day that my sister left I went to a church supper. I asked who might have the right tools and was referred to someone who took the shelves home with him and returned them 36 hours later. He was clearly disappointed not to install them for me, but I explained that I needed to pull everything out first, and I wasn't ready.
So the shelves sat in the corner for six weeks.
FlyLady tells us that we can do anything for fifteen minutes, and admonishes us not to pull out more than we can put back in an hour. As I thought about how I wanted to reorganize the closet, and looked at the space, I realized that I didn't have to do it all at once. I could clean the space where one of the new shelves would go, then install it, put things away, and have more room to clear another shelf. It still wasn't at the top of my list.
This afternoon I ate lunch while watching TV. Oprah came on just as I finished. I wanted to watch, but had things to do, so I compromised. I told myself that I could watch TV as long as I worked on the closet at the same time.
I emptied the space for one new shelf. Then I emptied the entire shelf below it so that I could clean it. I went to the master bedroom closet to get the cans of wheat that I plan to use to support the new shelves. I pulled the new shelf out from behind the bi-fold door...and couldn't get it into the closet.
Oh, it would fit in the space, and I could install it if those wall extensions weren't there. I did not realize the logistical difference between a closet 14.5" deep and one 30" deep. There's no room to maneuver the shelf into position.
I decided that if I took out the next shelf I could insert the new shelf vertically and rotate it into place. That involved hauling everything out of the closet. I now have first aid supplies, linens, fragile artwork still packaged for protection, back stock of household cleaners and personal care items and cat food all over the hall and living room. (Cat food? Don't ask.)
The shelf didn't want to come out. It had been painted into place. Even after I loosened it from its supports it was held in place by the depth of the paint on the walls around it. My hammer and I prevailed.
I still can't get the shelf into position. The 1"x4" shelf support prevents my getting the new shelf far enough into the closet to rotate in place.
Sigh. This was supposed to be a 15 minute job while I watched Oprah.
My previous apartment in the same complex had a pantry and a linen closet that were lovely except for one feature: the shelves were about 22" apart. This was not particularly useful. Also, although the closets were each nearly three feet deep the shelves had only one board each, about 12" front to back.
The solution was simple. I went to Home Depot, bought two pieces of bullnose shelving, had them cut to size and installed more shelves. I ended up with three additional shelves in each closet, most of them two boards deep. (The top and bottom shelves I left one board deep.)
When I moved into this apartment I left those shelves in place. I no longer had a pantry, and the linen closet was wide and shallow instead of narrow and deep. The single closet had the same design flaw: shelves 22" high.
That move went really badly, and I didn't have the time or energy to deal with shelving. I stuffed the contents of the linen closet into the shelves any way I could and added shelving to my wish list.
While my sister was here last month I mentioned the problem. She took me to Home Depot and bought additional shelves. We stood in front of them, debating at length whether to buy 11" or 15". We chose 15". We goofed.
I knew immediately that there was a problem. There was a small piece of shelving left over and I used it to check the depth. The shelves would have fit fine in the center, but were about 1/4" too deep on the sides, where there is a short stretch of wall to either side of the bi-fold door.
I decided the problem could be solved by trimming 1/2" off the back of the entire shelf. The day that my sister left I went to a church supper. I asked who might have the right tools and was referred to someone who took the shelves home with him and returned them 36 hours later. He was clearly disappointed not to install them for me, but I explained that I needed to pull everything out first, and I wasn't ready.
So the shelves sat in the corner for six weeks.
FlyLady tells us that we can do anything for fifteen minutes, and admonishes us not to pull out more than we can put back in an hour. As I thought about how I wanted to reorganize the closet, and looked at the space, I realized that I didn't have to do it all at once. I could clean the space where one of the new shelves would go, then install it, put things away, and have more room to clear another shelf. It still wasn't at the top of my list.
This afternoon I ate lunch while watching TV. Oprah came on just as I finished. I wanted to watch, but had things to do, so I compromised. I told myself that I could watch TV as long as I worked on the closet at the same time.
I emptied the space for one new shelf. Then I emptied the entire shelf below it so that I could clean it. I went to the master bedroom closet to get the cans of wheat that I plan to use to support the new shelves. I pulled the new shelf out from behind the bi-fold door...and couldn't get it into the closet.
Oh, it would fit in the space, and I could install it if those wall extensions weren't there. I did not realize the logistical difference between a closet 14.5" deep and one 30" deep. There's no room to maneuver the shelf into position.
I decided that if I took out the next shelf I could insert the new shelf vertically and rotate it into place. That involved hauling everything out of the closet. I now have first aid supplies, linens, fragile artwork still packaged for protection, back stock of household cleaners and personal care items and cat food all over the hall and living room. (Cat food? Don't ask.)
The shelf didn't want to come out. It had been painted into place. Even after I loosened it from its supports it was held in place by the depth of the paint on the walls around it. My hammer and I prevailed.
I still can't get the shelf into position. The 1"x4" shelf support prevents my getting the new shelf far enough into the closet to rotate in place.
Sigh. This was supposed to be a 15 minute job while I watched Oprah.
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