The Other Master Closet

A few weeks back, I decided that I wanted to finish the other closet that in my master bedroom.  I have two closets in my master bedroom- one that I re-did a few years back and one that I basically used to store all of the pillows and decor that I no longer use or haven't used yet.  Since I don't have a lot of space for overflow- ie. a basement or extra closets for storage, I used this closet to hide all of the clutter.  It was also where I stored all of my tools when I couldn't be bothered to bring them back downstairs to the garage after a project.  Especially knowing that I would eventually need them again for another soon.

Last summer I cleaned out the closet, ripped up the carpet, put down the same flooring that was in my closet and painted the same color as my closet.  That's how it stayed.  Two wire shelves.  Nothing else since.

{before}

{after}

Well I got it in my head that I needed better shelves, better storage, better function.  So out came the wire shelves and off to Menards I went.  I picked up a couple of rods with some brackets and a white shelf to go on top.  

I knew I needed some storage in there.  I assumed I could get something low for the back part of the closet- either a low dresser with drawers or one of those cube things you can put the cloth bins in.  I knew it was a random length and it would be difficult to fit exact to the width of that space. 

Fast forward to putting up the new rods and shelf on the right side of the closet- it dawned on me that I could now get a tall dresser- which I'd have way more options with.  So after I patched holes from the original shelves, I jumped on Craigslist to see what was out there.  I found a few immediately that were all $50 or less but two were a little more feminine than I'd want. 

When buying off of Craigslist make sure that #1 you like it, #2 it isn't a piece of shit and #3 it works properly.  All three checked the box after looking at it.  And for $40????  Done.  I mean, it's not a solid, hardwood, expensive dresser.  But it's not a super cheap, particle board, faux wood dresser either.  It is made of wood- probably pine.  It's not veneer over pressed wood- the drawers came out and the inside of the dresser is wood as well.  It's just not top of the line quality.  Again- it was $40.  It worked.  So I loaded it up and brought it home.  

  

Here's a better picture of it in my garage.  It's the exact color of wood that makes me cringe.  That orange tone that goes with nothing and it DEFINITELY wasn't going to go in that closet looking like that.  HAH.  I cleaned it out and brought it upstairs to see how it looked in the space and it was perfect- color aside. I knew it would look better sanded and stained the dark walnut that I like or painted to match what the closet already looked like- so a white or dark brown.

The one thing that didn't work with this dresser was there were no knobs to make pulling the drawers out easy.  I figured when I looked at it online that underneath each drawer probably had a groove you could fit your fingers under to pull.  Nope- the drawers butted right up to the one above it.  You couldn't fit a quarter in between them, never mind your finger tips.  The groove was actually on the sides of the drawers- which I wasn't a fan of.  So as I got it into the closet and fiddled around with it, it dawned on me that many many years ago, I bought these drawer pulls from Ikea!  I had intended on using them when I bought a low dresser for my downstairs living room TV.  I didn't use them for that.  Then I planned on using them when I redesigned my closet for drawers I was going to build- which I never did either.  So they've been underneath my dresser for a few years and eventually moved out to the upstairs living room hidden in the desk.  Out of sight out of mind.  But thank goodness I remembered!  I ran out there and grabbed them and they were a perfect fit!

Then this....

Then this....

And this....

And finally, this...

Someone busted ass sanding that dresser down.  It already looked so much better than it originally did.  SO MUCH BETTER.  

I was in heaven.  You can't go wrong with Dark Walnut stain, I tell ya.  Obviously, this was a quick pass over the top but it already looked so good.  I knew that it was going to look even better with the entire dresser stained.  It didn't take long to prove me right.  

Now with the perfect drawer pulls.  

I mean, seriously though.  Meant to be.  Those pulls were totally meant for that dresser.  They are big and pretty.  I love them.  And it looks really good in the closet.

What a drastic different in the closet itself, but in the dresser.  For $40, a can of stain I already had, and possibly $10 worth of clearance pulls from Ikea I already had, it looks amazing.  I can't stress enough for those if you needing furniture.  CRAIGSLIST.  Even if you don't have the tool to sand it- you could go buy an orbital sander for less than $70 and it would STILL be cheaper than buying a brand new dresser.  Honestly, you couldn't buy a WalMart Mainstays "put it together yourself" dresser for less than $100.  And that shit ain't wood.  Craigslist is the best for furniture.  I have purchased so many pieces there in the last few years and I've not been disappointed once.