Redecorating a Closet

This is the weekend that I start the overhaul of my tiny, but functional closet. I am not a person with lots of clothing or shoes.  My standard is to keep the number of items to a minimum.  To accomplish this, I have only a certain number of hangers, spaces for shoes and handbags and etc. Everything has a place, so I cannot bring something into my closet unless something else leaves. At the moment, the closet is very inefficient.  The long hanging rod is deceptive. I could fill it with clothes, but if I do, I can't get into the closet. I'm certain the closet was designed as a storage space for out-of-season clothes, as there is a larger closet in my master bathroom. So, here is what my closet currently looks like:

As you can see in tall image at the left, the closet seems deep and there is a long clothes hanger pole to the right as you enter the closet.  A shorter pole is at the rear of the closet and it sits slightly higher than the long pole.  There are shelves above the poles and the closet is entered at an angle.  Yes, I said at an angle. To top it all off, the closet is behind the entrance to the bathroom. If my closet door is open, you can't open the door to the bathroom. The measurements of the closet are as follows: Back wall is 39" the left side wall is 42" and the Right side wall is 72".  The corner in the bottom photograph is where there is an 8" wide wall. This small wall is parallel to the 39" wall at the rear of the closet and this is where I hang my flip flops. At the rear of the closet, I have a black storage unit hanging from the pole that provides me with storage for scarves, polo shirts, jewelry box, handbags and dainty things.  You can see my shoes hanging in a matching black holder which fits over the door. Light is provided by a single, bare bulb with a pull string. Now that's class! You can understand why, at the moment, I spend as little time in this space as possible.

I've been working on a new design for several weeks. After a recent clear-out of the closet, I decided that I just couldn't stand how utterly inefficient the space is and that it's time to modernize. So here are a few details about the new design.

• The shelves, poles and laundry hamper are coming out.
• The walls will be painted pink (Olympic paint in Pleasing Pink, to be exact) with white trim.
• I've purchased a new closet organizing unit from Rubbermaid in Titanium that will fit along the back (39") wall.
• It will give me stacked hanging rods, 5 shelves and tons more space.
• I'm adding a 21"x 25" silver framed mirror over a 24" white hidden bracket shelf to hold perfume and a flower vase.
• The carpet will be replaced by 12.5" sq. ft. (or so) of natural cherry laminate flooring and lighting will be provided by a newly acquired and modified (adding a pull chain) pendent chandelier.
• The new space will also have a stool for shoe changing along with other great design features.

Here is a collage of some of the elements going into the new design:

Living in a house where I'm the only girl and I need a space I can call my own. Our house is perfect for us, but the only room I'm allowed to decorate with pink is my closet.  On July 2, 2013, we will celebrate 30 years in our home. This will be the first time I've ever painted anything pink and I can't wait! As soon as the closet is finished, I'll write a follow-up blog and provide complete photographs. Thanks for checking out the blog! See you soon!!

The Writing Plan

You can tell that it's been awhile since last my blog was touched.  I'll try to explain.  For a long, long time, I've wanted to write something for what I considered real publication. What I failed to realize is that I'm already doing it.  There is so much that I want to write about that I've been working for the last three months on ideas and just writing as often as I can in a very general way.  That activity has kept me from my blog; that and other silly things.  Now I know I can make this all happen and still have my blog.  Here's how I'll do it!  (You didn't think you were going to come out of this without reading a list, did you?)

The Writing Plan

AKA:  A List!

1. Decide what I'll write about.  I want to write about several things:
• Fiction, based on what I see in life.
• Leadership, based on what I live at work.
• Food, based on what I love to cook and eat.
• Life, because I love it and want to share my ideas with like minded people!
2. Set up a general blog.  That is this blog.  I can write about anything I like at HumbleVoyager.com and hopefully people will enjoy what they find.
3. Write in a big yellow tablet, two times a day for 30 minutes each on the subjects above.  One of the problems I have as a writer is my tendency to view anything I write on the computer as "finished."  It even looks finished!  All neatly typed and such.  This is a REAL problem for me.  I need editing and lots of it.  The danger of writing on the computer is that whatever you do looks finished as soon as it's typed.  These blogs are evidence of this problem.  So, I write in a big yellow legal tablet, because nothing in there looks finished...ever!  Then I take what I write there and transfer it into the computer editing as I go along.  This works for me!  (I bet you're wishing I'd done that with this blog right about now.)
4. Decide how I want to handle the food issue.  I love to cook, but I love to eat even more.  There in lies the problem.  If I'm going to write about cooking I have to cook and work on recipes. If I cook I want to eat, but I keep putting back on weight that I work darned hard to take off.  So, I've come up with a way to have my cooking and eating, but still lose a little weight.  Here is that plan:
• 5 days a week eat
• a 300 calorie breakfast (easy, I have several of these memorized by heart!)
• a packaged calorie controlled meal (like Lean Cuisine), a salad and fruit for lunch
• a Salad topped with protein, piece of fruit
• 1 day a week eat
• a fasting diet of no more than 700 calories
• 1 day a week eat
• whatever I want
• In general the plan allows for me to control things without counting a bunch of calories and still be able to have a treat of something I really want, if indeed I want something special, each week.  I'll know that days is coming each week, so when I'm tempted I can say to myself, "Nancy, just wait for X day and you can have that, if it's still what you really want!"  On the day I get each week to eat whatever I want, this is when I'll work on any food writing!  Yep, I think this will work.
5. Set up a leadership blog.  I haven't decided what this will be called yet.  I have to do some research, but mainly it will be tips, ideas and ways to make working in a leadership role more enjoyable and successful.
6. The bottom line is to just write.  A long time ago I learned that when I write I lose myself in the words.  I feel accomplished and positive about what I produce.  So, if when I'm happy I want to write, then I should be happy if I write all the time, right?  This isn't something I need someone to tell me to do or to validate that I do well!  I like what I write so therefore, I write.
7. Bring as much creativity into what I write as I can.  This will include, photography, ideas, plans, lists, recipes and etc.  I can't wait to share!!

So, that's what's going on now.  Be sure to check out more blogs as I work to organize myself and write, write, WRITE!