Elsie’s Closet Makeover!

I’m really exited to share my closet makeover with you today! I am a huge fan of customizing closets to fit your needs. In the past, I used to buy so many organizing supplies to try to make my standard closets fit my needs, but now I realize that doing a simple DIY update (that can easily be done in a weekend) is a much better solution in the long run.

In this post, I’ll share how I DIYed my closet to fit the exact needs of my wardrobe. It’s different for every person, so that’s why the customization element is so important!

This post is sponsored by Rust-Oleum. As soon as I realized that their spray paint was THE spray paint for doing things like hardware and fixtures (I used it to change my standard closet bars to bronze!), we asked them if they wanted to partner up.

You may have seen on our Instagram stories that I had previously sprayed these bars gold and they did not hold up AT ALL. The difference is night and day. If you want to spray paint things that need to last in a gold/bronze color, this is the spray paint to use.

These are the exact product I used, the Rust-Oleum Clean Metal Primer, the Metallic Stops Rust in Rose Gold, and the Crystal Clear Enamel finish. This specific metallic spray paint is far and away the most durable I have ever used.

In the past, I typically only used metallic spray paint on light fixtures or mirror frames (things that barely get touched), but I wouldn’t have used it on hardware that needs to be durable because it scratches right off.

However, my mind was blown after we spray painted Nova’s closet bars gold because I expected them to scratch a little, but after six months of heavy use there is not ONE scratch. I had to try a bunch of spray paints to find a match and remember what we had even used, but finally I found it … the exact match!

So when it came time to do my own closet makeover I decided to give it a go!

I like the color so much. It’s could pass as bronze or gold. It’s not very yellow and in person it looks almost a little pearlized.

We tested three combinations:

1. Just spray paint (this is also what we used for Nova’s closet).

2. Primer + spray paint.

3. Primer + spray paint + clear enamel.

After one day, they performed exactly the same on a scratch test. If you scratched hard they would scratch. So at that point I decided to let it cure much longer. I let my bars cure (hung in my closet with no clothing on them) for one full week.

I know that may seem like a long time to wait, but after a week the difference is incredible. I think that was a part of why Nova’s closet turned out so well, because we didn’t hang clothes on them right away.

Now I can scratch really hard with my finger and nothing happens. And since I have had clothes on my bars they have not scratched at all! I am SO HAPPY. This is a game changer.

Look how pretty?! I am excited to see how they wear over time, but feel extremely optimistic. It is a night and day difference from the last gold spray paint I tried.

Let’s talk about the redesign! So it’s two l-shaped closets, one larger and one smaller. Previously the bigger side had one big bar, but it was lower with more shelving up top (that I never used because I couldn’t really reach it) and my jumpsuits dragged on the ground (I am 5’4, so I thought that was kind of silly).

The second smaller closet was two racks, which I assume was for tops up top and skirts and jeans on the bottom. There was no place for shoes except for the floor. I had previously added a little shelf in there but it didn’t hold many shoes. Eventually, I started to realize that all the little storage things I was buying weren’t helping and it would be simpler and less expensive to just redesign the closet.

Before redesigning, I did a very big closet clean out and tried to really analyze what I had. This part is KEY. Your design needs to be based on your individual needs. I realized that the biggest thing I was lacking was shoe storage that I didn’t need as much as space for my hung clothing. Keep in mind, I also have a dresser in the room that holds all my T-shirts, shorts and a lot more.

For the final design, we raised the height of the closet bars and changed the main closet to have long and short racks. Then we took the smaller closet and added custom shelves where I can store all my shoes and purses.

In case you were curious, those three wicker baskets at the top are actually silverware holders (like what you put in your drawer), but they fit the space, so I use them to store my extra hair scarves in. I cannot emphasize enough how much this closet makeover elevates my everyday life. This and the pantry makeover are the best things I did to my house this year. They’re small practical changes, but they make me feel happy every single day and make life easier!

Just like in the pantry, where my food was getting buried in the back and not getting used, my shoes and clothing were all stuffed in this closet not getting worn.

Now it’s so visually clear to me what my options are when I’m getting dressed. I love it! Less options are definitely better when it comes to clothing. I’ll share more in another post about how I trimmed down my wardrobe, but I will just say it was one of the best and most time-saving exercises for me.

Now there is not ONE thing in my closet that doesn’t fit or that I wouldn’t wear.

Alright! Let’s move on to the shoe shelves.

Obviously, a huge part of this was realizing what types of shoes I have. Along the bottom, I have one larger shelf that hold three pairs of tall boots. I haven’t worn tall boots as much in the past few years, but I know I will again eventually. The cowboy boots I thrifted in college are definitely the pair I’ve held onto the longest.

Next to that are two shelves that can fit six pairs of ankle boots. I can also fit ankle boots on the shelves above if I ever needed to in the winter.

Above that, I have three pairs of colorful tennis shoes that are for casual wear, my roller skates and then sandals and dress up shoes. I basically wear flat sandals every day in the summer, so that’s why I have so many pairs.

On top of the shelves there is a space for bags, so I have all my summer bags stored there currently. In my everyday life, I usually wear a tote bag (convenient for carrying Nova’s many necessities everywhere we go) and these bags are mainly for going out and special outfits now. I love being able to see them all together when getting ready!

Before I started this closet makeover I thought I needed a “bigger closet” with a shoe shelf. Now I realize that it was just a matter of storing all my things more efficiently! I didn’t need more space, I just needed to use it more wisely.

I really could not be happier with how this project turned out. Thank you to Rust-Oleum for sponsoring this post and for making the best metallic spray paint of all time! xx -Elsie

Looking for more closet organization tips? Be sure to check out our guide for organizing your home (room by room).

Credits//Author: Elsie Larson. Project Assistant: Collin DuPree. Photography: Amber Ulmer. Photos edited with A Color Story Desktop.