First thing I noticed when I moved all the kids' clothes to the family closet- Daniel has 30 pair of underwear, Chloe has WAY too many clothes, and Maya has 4 shirts. Who knew? (As for Maya, she never asks for anything so I just assumed she really liked those 4 shirts. Whoops!)Second thing I noticed - the kids (other than Maya) have no idea how to keep their drawers organized. This is where my denial approach came in. I got so overwhelmed looking in their messy drawers, hangers hung backwards on the rod (boys!), and skirts draped over the rod because someone was too lazy to clip it to a skirt hanger (Chloe!), that I just stayed out of their closets and drawers.
So here's the big closet. I have since bought Maya some new clothes, gave away a ton of size 5 underwear, and gave half of Chloe's clothes away. Less is best. All of their out of season clothes are still in underbed boxes under their beds (duh!), since they don't take up any extra space, but the boys' chest and the girls' dresser are in here now. Their closets are now for toys. Goodbye doll house! I don't have to look at you anymore! Bwahaha!(By the way, Julia's clothes haven't been moved in here yet because I don't want to get her dressed on the floor.)
The girls each have a drawer for their socks and another for their pj's. Same for the boys.
These baskets on top are for shoes that don't currently fit anyone. They are labeled according to size. I have shoes in every size just waiting for bigger feet. This is the ease of shopping for a big family: If it's good quality, buy it. Doesn't matter what size it is as long as it's at least the size of the smallest child. It'll fit someone someday.
These baskets on the lower shelf are for undies and modesty shorts (biker shorts to be worn under skirts and dresses). With them out in the open like this, I can easily see if someone has too many or too few undies. (Seriously Daniel, did you ever even wear a pair twice? Sheesh!) Additionally, the boys each have a basket for their shorts.So here's how it works: The kids get their outfit for the day and get dressed in the family closet, in their room, or in the bathroom. Modesty is still priority. I go in here several times a day and can quickly see who didn't put their pj's away or hang their skirt back up (Chloe again).
On laundry days, I sit in a rocking chair in here and read while they fold and put away their clothes. It's glorious.
This system is making my life so much easier and I don't have to live in denial anymore!
21 comments:
oh my goodness!!! I LOVE this.
That is wonderful! It looks so organized.
I have to ask, which room did you sacrifice to make into a family closet? Is this also someone's bedroom?
I would love to do something like this, but I think I'd have to convert my garage as we just don't have space for it.
It used to be Pedro's bedroom. (The girls share a room & the boys share a room) We had first converted it to a playroom, but this is more practical I think. I have always said that a playroom is just a room that never really gets clean. That proved to be pretty true. ;)
First WOW! You so put my closet to shame. Second I have a few questions...so all four girls share one room? I'm assuming sweet Julia is with you in your room. Does Maya ever ask to have her own room? Lexy is 14 and still shares a room with Avery but at times it is quite annoying for Lexy. OK, that's it.
oh geez, I'm at Carissa's house and didn't notice that I was signed in under her name. sorry. This is Judy, you're probably wondering about that last comment. :)
Judy, you're still signed in under Carissa's name. lol!
Yes, the 4 girls share a room. Julia will move in w/ them when she drops her 10pm feeding. (Next month?) Julia is currently sleeping alone in the boys' room and the boys are on a pallet in what is now the big closet. ha!
Maya has never asked to have her own room, but honestly we don't believe that a child "needs" to have their own room. When they are married, they won't get their own room. We don't believe that having a room to themselves is good preparation for married life or selfless living even. Elena & Chloe shared a room when we only had the two of them and a 3 bdrm house.
Ahhh, to have four bedrooms......yep, that is one of the reasons we want to move, but the real reason is to have third toilet and a good sunny spot in the yard.
I dream of this!! We are in a 4 bedroom rambler and #9 is on the way in 5 weeks. I would say that, for a family closet, the room I would use is currently our oldest son's -he is separated by 12 yrs from the little boys- and is the only child with own room. Ginger, I like your theory about the 'own room'...I would have to agree! The 5 girls all share a large dorm-style basement room. The living room is the folding place and there are always stacks of clothes waiting to be put away. I shy away from the girls closet at all cost...they are all "messies"!! Thank you for sharing your pictures--very inspiring!! I am sure it comes with a learning curve (on how to use the room, I mean) but the blessings sound wonderful!
Way to make a woman drool! My husband isn't a fan of family closets, though. I don't think we'll ever have one.
Love our family closet! Glad it is working for you! We have all the children's clothing in one closet in our master bedroom and then Brandon and I share the other closet.
Neat idea. My dh doesn't like the family closet idea either. Although,he said I could have one if I leave his clothes in our bedroom. Just might convert our playroom, hmm....
Oh, what exactly is a pallet? I have heard that before but, the only thing comes to mind is the wood pallets that groceries and bricks come in on into the stores. They have big gaps between the boards and I can't see that as being very comfortable. Would you mind helping me understand?
Thanks and enjoy your closet!
Shell
Yes, that's it. They sleep on a wooden pallet. LOL!
A pallet, in this case, is a bunch of blankets stacked on top of each other on the floor to make a mattress of sorts.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if your washer and dryer were in this room too?! That is my dream laundry room - where it's ALL in one place! Good job Kyle and Ginger, looks great AND solves a lot of problems!
Great post! We have a fairly big walkin closet and I am trying to talk Roy into letting me turn it into a family closet. I really think it would save my sanity for the reasons you mentioned.
My 13 and 8yo girls never seem to have clothes but my 10yo has a whole rack of clothes???
The boys are always telling me they don't have underwear and socks but I fold the laundry. I know they have underwear and socks.
A bonus would be the extra space for toys in thier closets!!
The problem is the big closet is in our bedroom. It's our closet.
While I don't think we have enough clothes between the two of us to take up the whole closet. It is full but it's mostly clothes we don't wear and other clutter. Roy is just not sure he wants to share our closet. LOL
I'm going to show him your pictures and try to help him see how much stress it would save me. And money because I always seem to be running out last minute and trying to find clothes for the two girls.
Ginger, are these all the clothes your children have? Are there no other dressers?
If so, my children still have too many clothes. We have a constant stream of incoming clothes thanks to over-buying grandparents. LOL
Yes, that's all of their current season clothes. I used to go into their room at least once a month and say: Find 7 items you'd like to giveaway.
I love having less. It has been awesome!
We have a clothes fairy who drops off garbage bags full of (nice) clothes once every month or two. We give away good clothes, not just worn out ones. It used to be hard for me, but I've learned not to grow attached to clothing. Matt. 6:19-21
Oh Lord have mercy -- I thought I was over that coveting thing... not look what you have done.
LOL
I'm showing this to my husband today. Ü
I agree with you on the sharing rooms thing. I have a 14yog and a 6yog that share a room and 3 boys 4, 8, and 10. AND we have a spare room.
I think maybe this summer -- I'm going to rearrange my whole stinking house. I want a family closet! The guest bedroom could become the closet -- the den could become the classroom and the classroom a guest bedroom. WOWZA I'm so excited... now -- to get hubby on board. I'll let you know how this goes.
;)
Jennifer, you totally entertained hubby and I. lol Please do let me know. I'll be waiting with baited breath.
Love it! I remember having 6 dcs in 1 room just over a year ago. The closet in that room held all Fickensher boy clothes but the baby's and all Rynerson clothes were in the master closet. Now that Heather Dy has her house set up how she wants it, one room sleeps 5 of her dcs, one room is the master w/ mom, dad, and baby, and the 3rd bedroom is the family closet. All the dcs prefer to be together for sleeping time and the whole house stays organized better with her system. Pretty cool.
Looks great!!
With 6 children still at home for us... laundry is a chore and then some, not to mention their closets and drawers.
Great idea and I hope you have continued success with this for a very long time to come.
What a great idea!!! Two of my kids wouldn't have the sharing of rooms any other way...two of wish that they were all sharing one room!!!
Post a Comment