Updating my Closet Built-Ins with Paint, Hardware, and Organization
I’ve been putting off upgrading my closet built-ins for a long time. It’s easy to slack on knocking out projects that are hidden away in a closet. Once I found these leather drawer pulls, I was inspired to get started! I had the whole house painted a few years ago, but they omitted the built-ins from the project. I knew I could paint these in 1 day, it was just a matter of when!
The closet built-ins are attached to the ground and walls, so unfortunately, I could not move these around in the closet. The Elfa Container Store system was left behind by the previous owners. This is how most of my closet is organized and laid out. It’s amazing and I cannot recommend that system more if you have the space for it.
What’s left of the permanent structures looks like remnants of the builder grade closet set up. They were just not aesthetically pleasing painted beige.
Getting Started Painting the Closet Built-Ins
To get started, I removed all of the drawers and took off the drawer pull knobs from the built-in drawers. I cleared the shelves of all clothes and towels.
I took the drawers down to the garage to use the power sander there. I didn’t want to use the power sander in my closet and kick up saw dust all over my clothes. In the closet, I used a sanding sponge or standard 120 grit sandpaper to smooth out the surface before painting.
Once sanded, I cleaned the surfaces off with a tact cloth or rag so the dirt and sanding residue is clear for painting. If you want to see another project with painted cabinets check out: DIY Laundry Room Makeover
For the next step, I wanted to dress up the drawers with fresh hardware. I went with these cool leather strap style drawer pulls.
The screw they came with did not fit the whole way through the drawer front to be secured. I had to drill into the face of each drawer to allow the Chicago screw to sink in about a quarter inch. You will need a power drill for this step if you run into the same problem.
Organizing the Built-ins for Ultimate Efficiency
After the painting and new hardware for the drawers was successfully installed, it was time to start organizing! I found that storage cubes, typically 11″x11″x11″ fit perfectly on the built-in shelves. Instantly, I was able to make this are look very clean and organized.
On the Elfa shelves near the other built-in, I found bins on Amazon that had a similar leather strap feature. These are going to help eliminate clutter that would stack up in this are before.
Lastly, I wanted to add a full-length mirror to this space. Somehow, I’ve been surviving the last 2 years with the only full length mirror downstairs. I didn’t love the trim on this frame, but it was the only one available at Walmart that day. I recommend the mirrors at Walmart and Ikea since they seem hold the best prices.
