Updating the Walk-in Closet

Now that the larger projects of the basement and bathrooms are done, I can focus on the smaller projects that still make a profound effect on a home.  When I first purchased this short sale (pre-foreclosure), the walk-in closet in the main bedroom wasn't much to look at.  Actually, it was pretty disgusting.

The blue carpet was FILTHY, the light blue walls were nothing to write home about, and it just had the appearance of being dirty.  I have seen some scratch marks on the main bedroom door, and I wonder if this wasn't where a dog liked to call home.  It was just gross.

The walk-in closet as acquired.  Most people would walk-out.

Dirty walls, dirty carpet, junk on the floor.  Ew.

This room was disgusting.

Now here's the part that will make most of you cringe!!!  I put up with the gross factor for nearly two years!!!  It simply wasn't on my priority list.  Of course, I vacuumed the carpet, but other than that, this room just kind of stayed as-is for the last two years.  I had bigger projects to focus on.

Well, just over a year ago, I decided to tackle this mid-sized project.  I first started with painting the walls in June 2012.  Let me tell you, that made a drastic difference!  Of course, all that did was bring out the filthy carpet even more, but at least it was a step in the right direction.

Good-bye, blue!

Just a simple paint job makes it look so much more clean.

I then started looking for new carpet.  Carpet is so expensive!!!  I found a remnant dealer that offered sizes for cheap.  Just $25 would get you a nice-sized piece.  The problem was that all of the ones I was interested in were either sold or not the style I wanted!  So enter a word that has come to mean much in my home-buying-and-fixing lifestyle: patience.  I made a few trips to this place, and each time I had to walk out empty-handed.  There were pieces that would work, sure, but not in the style or color that I was wanting.  So I waited.  I shopped at other remnant places, but those prices were approaching $100.  Nope.  I went to the big box stores.  Even more expensive.  Nope.  It was about a 130-square-foot room, and as my sister said, "Andy, this is a room, not a closet!  They just added shelves so it looks like a closet!"  Valid point.

Well, finally, I found the piece that I had been waiting oh so patiently for!!!  I picked it up for $25.  It came to $26.97 with tax.  I came home and started to finish the project.

And what a mess that ended up being.  Sigh.  My projects rarely go easily!  I don't know when this addition was added, but my guess would be in the 1960's or 1970's.  And I would also guess that the shag carpet was that old, too.  Before I ripped up the old carpet, I decided to paint the baseboard trim white.  It was an off-white dirty color, and as much as I hated to do it, I knew that it needed to be done.  Plus, I didn't care if I got paint on the carpet!  So the painting actually went fairly quickly.  It made quite a difference.  It's amazing at what small improvements can do for a room!  It just creats a great contrasting accent!

Now it was time to pull up the carpet.  Well, it turns out that the pad on the back of the carpet literally disintegrated when touched.  So when I tried to roll up the carpet, I had black dust all over.  It was a mess!  [I tried my best not to breathe it in, but I would be bringing up hidden particles of black throat goo for two continuous days.  I could never figure out where it hung out, but it came up with a vengeance.  Gross, I know.]

Pulling up the very worn carpet.

The pad would crack, flake, stick to the floor, and turn to powder.

Sweeping up the powderized carpet pad.

Sweeping up the lung-wrenching mess.  Notice the hardwood floors.

The hardwood floor underneath.  Boy, if that floor could talk!

Almost looks like this could have been a porch at some time.

So I cut the carpet in two for the trashman and spent a great deal of time sweeping and vacuuming up the black dust.  Underneath the carpet was old woodwork, but I had zero desire to refresh that.  I liked the carpet idea.

Ok, so I should also probably mention this:  This was only my second time installing carpet!  If you remember, my first was the huge basement project.  This was so much smaller and easier to manage, but I still wondered about the unknowns!  Well, thankfully, the carpet was nearly a perfect fit.  I only had to trim off about six inches on one side and just a few feet on the end.

The new carpet!!!

The now attractive walk-in closet!!!

What a beautiful room!  (Too bad I'm a guy and don't use it!)

I was able to tuck the carpet down below the trim piece for a tight fit, and I was done!!!  Wow, what a difference!  So with the $26.97 carpet remnant, the free wall paint from my sister-in-law, and the free leftover white paint, this project came to a whopping $26.97!!!

I can GUARANTEE that more than $27 was added to the home's value.  I now have a gorgeous walk-in closet for the ladies when I go to sell down the road.  Or if it's another single man, I can always advertise it as a nice hang-out TV/reading room next to the main bedroom.  I had thought about removing the shelves and putting a loveseat and coffee table in there, but I already have that room downstairs!!!  Agh, this house is just too big for me!  But I love it.

So before...

During...

And after!!!

So another project complete!  The house is coming together!!!