Hall Closet Reveal!

This week on Project Simplify 2012, the challenge was to address problem areas where stuff collects: Closets, Countertops and Drawers (Oh My).

In our house it's the downstairs hall closet where coats, hats & mitts, cake supplies, lunchbags, Christmas decorations, and storage containers are housed.

I first took a hard look at the space on Tuesday morning before flying out the door to work. When I opened the closet door, I almost drowned in the crap that came falling out of the closet!! Here's the "before":

So last night, after the littles went to bed, I spent less than ten minutes organizing.

First I took out all of the baskets and bins and consolidated them into a nice, neat, manageable stack. Then I put all of the hats and mitts from their current space at the front door back into the winter clothing chest in the closet. I also moved the excess winter jackets upstairs, since we seem to be turning the corner to spring! 

I found that having the white chest positioned across the front of the closet made for a lot of wasted space, and once the inevitable pile of stuff got piled on top, you couldn't access the chest to open it!

So, the chest was repositioned sideways, so it was accessible, and the storage bins and baskets that are awaiting homes are stacked nice and neat beside it. 

Here is the progress of my little tiny ten minute tidy:


BEFORE

AFTER

Did you do any ten minute organizing this week?