Yesterday, I realized that I’ve really reached an impasse. I came to the realization that the task I’ve dreaded the most — the one I’ve been procrastinating on as long as I could — can’t be put off any longer. It has to be done next so that I can finish up the rest of the items on my studio punch list.
That dreaded task is tackling this storage closet. It looks so nice when the door is closed…
But beyond that door is this mess. This ugly, unsightly, overwhelming mess.
This project overwhelms me because there are boxes in here that haven’t been opened in years. I think there are two boxes that are from the condo and have never been opened. I know some may say that if I haven’t needed anything in those boxes in this long, then I should just get rid of them. But I’m always afraid of throwing out something sentimental, like our honeymoon pictures or something like that. So for my own peace of mind, I really do need to go through them.
This is also the closet that houses the HVAC system for the studio. Figuring out how to maximize storage in this closet while working around this beast is going to be quite the challenge. No matter what goes in here, it needs to be arranged in such a way that the air conditioner can be easily accessed for maintenance and repair.
And I know I’ve told y’all about how the man who put this system in did a quick and half-hearted job in building that plywood base for it. I could kick myself for not sticking around while he did that and making sure it was done in a nice way (since it would show when the closet door is open), but I didn’t. I left him to do his work, and I came back to see this box that looks like it was built by a child who was using tools for the first time. So I want to figure out a way to disguise it.
But I need to get this done because there are several things that keep getting moved and shifted around in the studio, like the 15-lite door (that will be used between our bathroom and future bedroom eventually, but just needs to be stored for now), and this rolling shelf, and the other rolling shelf that hasn’t been assembled yet.
These things are constantly in my way, and I can’t finish that wall (baseboards and door trim) until I get them out of my way for good.
So I just have to make myself do it. I’d rather do just about anything other than go through boxes and decide what to do with everything, what to throw away, what to keep, where to store things that I’m keeping, etc. But I’ve reached an impasse on my studio progress, so I’m going to make myself start on the storage closet today. I mean, it needs everything. The floor hasn’t been painted in there. I can’t remember if the walls and ceiling have been painted. There’s no trim around the door inside the closet. There are no baseboards. There’s no light installed yet. Ugh. It needs so much work, but it has to be done.
But my punch list for the studio is getting smaller and smaller. Here’s a look at the progress I’ve made on the list I made in April.
Finish painting the ceiling and walls; Done!- Install and paint baseboards; In progress! Most are installed and just need to be painted.
- Install and paint door casings on two doors; In progress! One door casing is installed.
- Paint two doors;
Paint bases on work tables; Done! You can see them here.Paint desk and add two drawers; Done! I didn’t add drawers, but you can see the finished desk here.Paint black parts of paint swatch cabinet white; Done! You can see the cabinet here.- Finish wiring electrical outlets;
Add lights to cubbies; I’ve decided not to do this.Finish trim on office area cabinets; Done! You can see the finished cabinets here.Install window shade; Done!- Reupholster desk chair;
Make pendant light; Done! You can see the finished light here.Frame and hang landscape design; Done! You can see it here.Decorate long, blank wall; Done! You can see it here. (I do have some adjustments to make.)- Clean and touchup paint on floor;
Finish adjusting doors and drawers; Done!Install drawer pulls and door knobs. Done!
So I have made quite a bit of progress. I’d down to those few final projects, which mostly consist of some electrical stuff, installing and painting trim, painting doors, and reupholstering a chair. Then I just need to get everything cleaned up, put away, and organized. I can see the finish line, and that’s such a relief. But for the next few days, I need to take this detour and get this dreadful storage closet project done.
Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.