Front Coat Closet Gets Rearranged

In our tiny Capitol Hill condo was a very small coat closet. We maximized the space with additional shelves and it was packed. In our new northern Virginia condo our front foyer hall closet isn’t really that much bigger, but appeared that way when we first saw it. And as always, things get messier over time - especially when there are pandemic issues to deal with. The shoes we used to keep in our bedroom closet have migrated to the front, along with winter boots that were already there. I spent yesterday afternoon looking for tension shelves - just to add another layer to the top. Then I looked for tension rods thinking a set of six could serve the same purpose. But the reviews were mixed. Since my husband isn’t using his shoe rack to the maximum, I just decided to move his shoe rack to the front closet to support all the additional shoes that accumulated. Then, the racks that were being used on the floor were moved to the top shelf, adding some additional storage space for winter hats and gloves. Technically all the masks should be there too. I always add a couple of dryer sheets to control the smell, and added a small dehumidifier to absorb moisture. Anyway, it looks much neater - but still packed - since the closet is only 40 inches wide. The six step ladder is also housed in there because we do occasionally need it and like the easy access. We probably need to get rid of more junk there, and in the bedroom closet, even though we don’t really have that much anymore. The rain and snow boots were used a lot before because we had street parking for thirteen years and walked in the DC neighborhood rain or shine. Since we don’t use the shopping mall to walk anymore we may need that footwear again when we walk in the winter. It’s always satisfying to make things neater since I can’t stand stuff on the floor. Let’s see how long this lasts. 

Goodwill Visit and a Google Redirect

It's funny how your wardrobe changes when you retire. I decided to clean out my closets this weekend and eliminated a lot of work related items like suits, heels, and purses. So that meant a trip to the Goodwill store in Arlington. It happened to be a Saturday afternoon. It didn't seem like it would be a big deal, but one should not venture out around here on a Saturday late afternoon because the traffic is dreadful! But we kept going only to find out that the store in Arlington was closing early because of the extreme heat, but drop offs could be made at the store in Annandale, six miles further out. So rather than return the following day, we decided to take the trip and get the task done. It took quite some time to reach our destination. Everyone in Washington was eating out at six pm. Once we got there, the drop off was a cinch. To make matters worse, there was a baseball game and the traffic back home would be irritaitng. So I tested google maps ability to read the congestion and select an alternate route. And for the first time, it took us on a much better path away from the mess. On top of that, both of us were starving, and our plan to stop at Five Guys - near the stadium - would be impossible. We usually check to see when the baseball games are scheduled before we go anywhere so we can avoid these messes, take alternate routes, or plan to do things at other times. We didn't even think about it this time. Lesson learned.