Jill of All Trades: Narnia Relocated

With the help of my step-dad, I was finally able to bring the new wardrobe upstairs to Claire's room, and Operation Relocate Narnia was a success. Since then, I had ample time to sort through her clothes-- in with the summer outfits, and out with the winter and outgrown pieces. On a side note, it's unreal how fast this kid is growing through clothes. Nearly everything that she had worn before we first moved here ended up in the donate pile!

I did have to make a small trip to Lowes before being able to hang her clothing as we were in need of a new hang bar. The smallest expandable bars start out at 30", but the width of the "hang area" was only 21". We chose a 1 3/8 oak dowel (found in the stair/railing department) and an inexpensive wood rod socket set (found in the closet storage section) to hang her clothes up.

I used a mixture of vinegar, hot water, and dish soap to scrub the wood. There are a few scuff marks on some of the ends, but overall the wardrobe is in excellent condition. At this point, we'll probably leave it as is, but I have been toying with the idea of painting the inside drawer fronts. I'm not sure if that will look odd, but perhaps it is a happy little detail that only we can enjoy to see when it's time to get dressed. The drawers definitely need lined, and I am envisioning some Martha Stewart label plates on them.

New knobs are also in order in addition to a better way to keep the cabinet doors shut (perhaps a magnet).

If you've noticed from the first photo, I've also hung some curtains. You may recognize them from my sewing room at our old house. I'm not sure that they will remain or if they work well enough with the bedding, but they will do for now. I did try some white linen panels, and it was just too stark.

We still have a lot of work to do in here. I am eager to put some toy storage together. Unfortunately the bed is a little lower than a normal bed is, so a traditional trundle will not fit beneath it, however I would like to put a custom trundle setup together that will have adjustable dividers. At this point we have just a few Tupperware containers storing some toys, but there are more toys that need a discreet home.

I'm also looking forward to putting together some artwork and shelving on the walls. Claire has a Disney snow globe collection that is still boxed up, and I would love to be able to display that. Perhaps on the wall across from the bed.

Looking at this photo now, the first thing that comes to mind is that my daughter's movie collection is entirely too big. The girl loves her some Max and Ruby. You can see the lamp that I proudly scooped up from the clearance shelf at HomeGoods. Originally I had bought it for my bedroom, but I think it looks even better in here. It's a gorgeous gunmetal gray. Another nice little deal I found at HomeGoods is this wooden crate. It, too, was in the clearance aisle. My first inclination was to see if it would fit beneath the wardrobe, but unfortunately the handles did not allow for that. I'll have to keep an eye on some more great storage for under there.

It did not come with casters on it, but that is a little touch that I added to keep the munchkin from scratching up the floors. I think it will make an excellent home for her stuffed animals.

And for the last element: what used to be the closet. I have since removed the hang bar from it, and patched the holes. I've also scraped the window and prepped it to be caulked and painted. I've got some fun little secret plans for this spot, and I can't wait to share them with you.

I realize now how dirty this window looks. Not sure when the exterior was last cleaned, but wow. Deer-tay!

So that's about it for the updates in Claire's room right now. It's slowly coming together, and I can't wait to finally give her a finished space that she can enjoy. We've come a long way so far. Let's get a glimpse of before and after to celebrate it.