Cleaned my closet....almost..still working on it.......

I started cleaning my closet yesterday and I am proud to say I have a clean closet and 2-3 bags of clothes to donate and/or sell. I should have taken a before picture.  I took everything out and was just going to dust off the shelves and rod "when what to my wondering eyes should appear" but soot on everything!  Soot, you say?  In a closet with no vents or windows?  How could that be?  Well, let me tell you........candles!  Yep!

I burn candles all the time and love them especially to mask the "animal" smell that might be lingering in my home.  I had to get Dawn (the grease cutter) and scrub down the shelf and rod and also my plastic containers.  So, first no fireplace and now no candles.  I guess beeswax candles don't have soot but I've used soy and they still have soot.  I'm thinking it might be the perfume/oils in them rather than the wax itself but what do I know?  Not much, except there will be no more burning in my house.  I'll be using my little warmers and my little crock pot with simmering potpourri. 

I have 1/2 closet empty except for the shelf  as I put my containers back.....and some supplies that were in the hall closet.  Some of these containers will be emptied too as there are heels in there that I will never wear again as long as I live. LOL! 

  

 This is a better place for the tp and kleenix as it is right next to the "mistresses"  bathroom. Those notebooks are my journals...each one holds a year's worth but those are only the ones I've organized...I have over 15 years worth of journals!  I need to get more notebooks when I go to Staples next time.

The shelf and rod are not bowed but they sure look like it in the picture.  I have plenty of room on the floor now too but I want to replace my laundry baskets............

with something like this..........

reason being, the laundry baskets with the holes all around them tend to let in pet hairs and I have to wipe them out every time before I put my clean clothes in them.  Plus, the rectangles are awkward getting in and out of the closet and I've banged my knuckles more than once.  So, it's settled....I'll be getting 3 of those bucket type tubs for my laundry and they won't take up as much space either and I like the handles better. 
I'm thinking of putting a small dresser or bookcase in there too for shoes or miscellaneous items such as scarves, belts, etc. as those are all taking up drawer space right now...well, not the shoes.  I've sorted through my hangars and I have a whole shopping bag full of those to take to the thrift store too.  My Spring/Summer clothes are in the guest room closet.
Hmmmmm......now what to do with this stuff?  LOL! 

But to make the day worthwhile, in a different sort of way, I made some homemade bread in between my bouts with the closet.  Carbs are helpful when you are letting go of so much.  Goodbye career suits and high heels and clothes you will never fit in again........ever!
 So here's a before and after........
 BEFORE:

 AFTER:

YUM!
Happy Trails!