Done, For Now.

After a lot of time spent moving things around, I found a way to make my closet work. It would've been a lot easier if my closet held a closer resemblance to the Teen Vogue fashion closet (to die for), but I think I made the most of my space.

The hardest part was deciding what I really had to have in my room at all times, and what I was willing to store in my brother's closet (he is in college, and when he comes home he doesn't use the closet). Eventually I decided on my swimsuits, sweatshirts, old bedding (stuff that didn't match when I redid my room), shoes I have worn only once or twice, and clothes I couldn't bear to get rid of even though I never wear them, as the things I didn't really need in my own room.

I did have to move some stuff around in my dresser. I folded my jeans a little tighter in my bottom drawer and made room for my tank tops (they used to be in a sterilite drawer in the closet, which took up a lot of space). I also moved my winter pajamas (a lot of big fleece pants and other puffy jammies that take up room) into my brothers closet for the time being. I'm not sure where I'll keep them come winter, but until then it freed up a lot of room.

The thing that inspired all the closet fixing was this shoe rack from Target. I used to have a shoe holder on the back of my room door. It wasn't pretty, but it got the job done. I also had a hanging shoe rack inside my closet, which is what inspired the purchase of the new shoe rack in the first place. The old one hung on the bar in my closet and because it took up so much room, I had to really crowd all my clothing. (Hangers were pretty much on top of each other.)

Anyway, once I moved everything around I placed the new shoe rack front and center on the floor of my closet. It worked pretty well and holds a good portion of my shoes, the only issue I had was that perhaps it could hold twenty pairs of baby shoes, but it could only hold sixteen pairs of my shoes. It is advertised as holding twenty pairs, but it wasn't a big deal. I put my boots (which don't fit on the rack) on one side. On the other side is a bag full of flip flops. I don't wear them much for anything other than going to the beach or walking the dogs, so I figured they didn't need to be taking up room on the shoe rack.

There were a few things I kept in my closet but moved around. I cleared off the top shelf and got all my purses out from the milk crate they used to be in. They had been overflowing from that crate for quite a while, and I was worried about them losing their shape. I put all my little clutches and small bags into the purses I don't use very often, and the rest I stuffed with newspaper so that they would keep their shape. Then I lined them up on the top shelf. The shelf didn't come out far enough for a few of the bags, but it offered enough support that they shouldn't fall off.

The only purse I had a problem with was my fringe bag. It's very slouchy, and doesn't stand up on it's own. I was also worried about the fringe getting bent beneath the bag and being messed up forever. After a while I decided to hang it from the little hook within my closet.

Before putting the bag there, the hook was home to my summer scarves (winter ones are stored in my coat closet downstairs). I took them down and placed them in a cute little box.

The only thing which stayed untouched were my belts, which are still on the other hook in my closet (opposite where the fringed bag now hangs).

My clothes got a little more room to breathe, but for the most part they are also the same. I like looking at color coded closets, but I've found that what works the best for me is to organize by type. From left to right my closet is organized like so; cover-ups (beach cover-ups and bath robes), formal dresses, casual dresses, things that used to be dresses but have become too short (I have a surprising number of dresses that fit into this category), skirts, jackets, sweaters, cardigans, long sleeves, 3/4 sleeves, short sleeves, and sleeveless.

**I'm sorry that this post couldn't include pictures at the moment, but I'm having a bit of a camera dilemma. I'm hoping that once it is solved I'll be able to update with lots of photos.**

PS: For being such a tiny closet, there sure is a lot I can say about it!

Today Is The Day.

I'm attempting to rearrange my closet in order to accommodate my new shoe rack. Thus far it isn't going so well. The shoe rack is bigger than I thought it would be, so I took everything out of the bottom of my closet and have been trying to find a way to make it work. Currently my room is full of all the stuff I took out of the closet, which made quite a mess.

I'd like to hope that by the end of the night my bed will be free of shoes, issues of People magazine, sweatshirts I sleep in during the winter, Sterilite containers full of tank tops and sleep shirts, and whatever else I tossed there. I'd also like to home that by the end of the night my closet (and room) look completely immaculate. Heres hoping!

Favorite Five.

I mentioned before switching blogs that I was hoping to blog occasionally about beauty and makeup, along with the typical style and fashion posts. I plan to do a series of "Favorite Five" posts about a few of my favorite products. Todays post is about the lip products I find myself using the most often.

Just a few months ago I had my makeup done at the MAC counter in Nordstrom, the makeup artist introduced me to MAC's lustreglasses. Since then they've become my go-to lip gloss. My favorite thing about them is that instead of having a little sponge tip to apply the gloss with, they have a tiny lip brush. The selection of colors is also great, and I think that the glosses are the perfect consistency (not too sticky). My favorite color is Flusterose, and second to that would be Morning Glory.

Hot pink tends to not be the most wearable color when it comes to makeup, but this 'jelly balm' from HIP makes the bright color totally wearable. It adds just enough pink to your lips, in the most subtle way. The jelly balm also has a nice, sweet smell. It reminds me a bit of cotton candy.

I've mentioned my love for this one before! Rosebud Salve is still among my favorites. If your lips ever feel dry or chapped, this product will get the job done. And of course, the cute packaging doesn't hurt.

I've tried tons and tons of chapsticks in my time. The reason Burt's Bees has become my favorite is because it doesn't contain petroleum. Petroleum can irritate your lips, and if it does, you'll only find yourself needing to apply chapstick more often. Another plus about Burt's Bees is that it a bit minty so that your lips tingle. It is definitely the best of all the ones I've tried, and you won't ever catch me without it in either my pocket, hand, or purse.

Lip Smackers seems to bring up childhood memories for most people, but I'm still in love with their sweet liquid glosses. As far as colorless glosses go, they're definitely my favorite. If I just want a little bit of sheen, I tend to reach for this. The pink lemonade one (my favorite) has a great scent. Besides not being sticky, the scent is really what pushes this gloss to the top for me. The fruity smell makes everything just a bit more fun.

Drive Me Crazy.

Tomorrow is the day I'm going to take the learner's permit test and receive my permit.

In February I'll be able to get my license, exciting stuff!

I did a little bit of shopping today. I got a shoe rack, which will hopefully help to organize my shoes and make my closet more manageable. I also got a Betsey Johnson makeup bag which I plan to use for a pencil case. I got Friends season four, a DVD with three episodes of Sex and the City, a keychain (looks like a purse, it is very cute), a new pillow, Betsey Johnson socks, and probably a few things I don't remember.

If all goes well with the shoe rack and my closet, perhaps I'll show you all how I have it organized.

Don't Get It On The Walls.

I'm always on the prowl for easy DIY projects, and after seeing this grey, paint splattered shirt from Dolce&Gabbana more than a year ago, I might finally get around to making it. When the shirt crawled back into my mind a week or so ago, I thought perhaps the paint trend was too far gone to make this DIY worthwhile. After considering it a bit more I've come to the decision that it'll be fun, and that if worn correctly it shouldn't seem to trendy. Besides, if it turns out poorly, getting to mess around with paint will have made it worth it.

I'll need to purchase:

• Grey shirt
• Acrylic paint in various colors
• Paintbrushes (I'm thinking three would be practical)

If all goes well, I think this will be an ideal DIY. It'll be cheap, it won't take much artistic talent, it'll be a short project, and it will produce a good end product.

Bring Me To School.

I am not looking forward to the start of the new school year, despite that fact that I will (finally) be an upperclassmen. I really dislike thinking about school because the more I think about it, the less I can pretend that the summer will not be coming to an end. Still, however much I hate it, there is a lot of preparation that goes into getting ready for a new school year. The part of preparation that is currently on my mind is my school bag. I've been considering countless options, and I've started to narrow it down.

One of the earlier ideas I considered was spending a little more than I usually would and getting a ginormous Longchamp tote. The size is nice, color selection, and style all work for me. However, I ended up passing on this particular idea. I've learned from experience that my school bags tend to be a bit of a mess by the end of the year. If my bag is going to get really messed up, I'd rather spend a little less and be able to toss the bag at the end of the year if need be.

At my school most people carry Vera Wang tote bags. It isn't a trend I'd like to take part in, but I also don't want to be the only girl carrying a backpack. Last year I had so many textbooks and binders that I had to carry both a backpack and a tote bag, as well as use my locker multiple times a day. This year I expect to have a lot of books too, but I'd like to avoid carrying a backpack, if at all possible. If worst comes to worst, Jansport backpacks have proved to be practical. Mine is simple and black, so at least it doesn't scream, "HEY, I'M A BACKPACK!"

A large black tote from American Apparel is the option I'm currently leaning towards. It's simple and kind of boring, so it'll go with everything. It's big, so it's practical. The price isn't crazy (just $34), so if it gets covered in dust or food or whatever else is lurking around my school, I won't need to have a heart attack.

What size and style of bag have you come to find works best for you?

Get Creative.

I came across this book on the Urban Outfitter's website, and I might just have to buy it. I'm pretty bored during the summer, and I like to keep myself busy with DIY projects and crafts. I've already organized my makeup, dresser, closet, desk, and even all the junk hidden under my bed. I'm out of things to organize and projects to keep me busy, so I think I'll have to start relying on books. If I end up getting this particular book I'll be sure to tell you all what I think, and of course I'll share any projects I embark on. In the meantime, if you have any DIY type things that you think I might enjoy, I'd love to hear about them!

I other book news, I can't wait for this book to be released in October. It seems like it'll have a lot of valuable information, and although I haven't cared too much for a few other books by magazines, I think I'd really enjoy this one.

Are there any books you're looking forward to getting/reading?