master bathroom and closet mini makeover

Jim moved into our house a few days before I arrived with the kids.  I remember calling him one day and asking him what he thought of the house now that he was living there.  He had buyers remorse.  He wasn't happy with the house, and thought maybe one of the others would have been a better option.  That was hard for me to hear, because this is the house I pushed for...I love neighborhood! So I asked what it was he didn't like, "the closet" was his answer.  That was hilarious to me because often when I clean the house the closet or laundry room is the first place I start and that would always drive Jim mad.  "No one sees the closets, Trisha, it doesn't matter what it looks like." Well apparently it does matter.

The main problems with our mater closet were

1. It wasn't painted,  just wallboard
2. The rods were painted white and all scuffed up from the hangers sliding on them
3. The rods crossed over each other making them less useful
4. The light was awful
5. It just felt grungy

But let's start in the bathroom.  The bathroom just needed paint and a new light fixture.

I painted the walls sea salt by sherwin williams, that's the same color we used in the bedroom and I painted the vanity and mirror frame white...well it has some fancy name that I don't rememeber, but essentially it's white. 

                    

 Hooks for towels and photos of the beach 

That tub is filled with bath toys.  We keep the curtain shut.

 

closet door
and proof I occasionally wear non workout clothes 

before

I'm so short I just throw the towels up there

Step 1, remove everything and paint

Step 2, cut new rods
I measured and cut and stained them all in the closet
of course, I used my most favorite java gel stain
the dark stain won't show all the scuff marks like the white

When I hung the rods back up I made sure that they didn't cross each other.  

That helped maximize the space.

Step 3, put everything back in

Step 4, add new light
so pretty!

got stripes, yes!

 

added a hook for scarves
and one of my favorite wedding photos 

extra hangers
a bin for Jim's shoes
a bin for some travel stuff

luggage and shoe storage 

helpers 

Up next I'm going to bust out my nail gun and build some floating shelves for above the toilet.  

Then I can store the towels where I can reach them. 

I'm really happy with how everything turned out.  It was mostly paint and some new rods and two new light fixtures so the total cost wasn't crazy, about $225.  

before and after 

new, new job

Back in March, I wrote this post telling you that we were moving from Kansas City to Southern California.  Jim left Kansas on April 1st to start his new job.  Now it's September 2nd and Jim just got a new job.  A new new job.  A different job than the job he came here to do.  He's past the part where you apply for jobs (who applies for a new job after only doing a new job for 5 months anyway), we've reached the point where people notice you and your performance and ask you to go to the next job, and we are left to hope and pray that the next job is in a place we want to live.   Luckily this job doesn't actually involve us having to GO anywhere, it's a different job at a different office, but it's right here, no move.  We've decided to call the original job a summer internship. 

The only draw back to this job is that it doesn't come with a company car, so yeah, let's get another one of those.  I told him he should get a Vespa, really embrace SoCal. 

Cheers to extending my California vacation.  Which beach to visit this weekend?