It is completely full to the gills. I have some jackets in there, but the majority of the stuff in here is A's. More than half the coat space is his stuff (most winter stuff that is out of season), the stuff on the floor is all his shoes (plus the dustbuster), the stuff on the top shelf is some shopping bags, duffel bags, and other random stuff.
All I want from this closet is to be able to hang a few guests' coats here rather than putting them upstairs in the guest bedroom, and to be able to put the vacuum in here. Right now the vacuum lives down two flights of stairs (we have a split level), and it's incredibly heavy, so the main level doesn't get vacuumed as often as I would like because it's so much effort to get the vacuum up and down the stairs. I'm sick of it.
A refuses to move any coats (or his sports jerseys, he has almost a dozen and they all live in this closet). He keeps all of his shoes here instead of in the closet upstairs (and he has the better closet). He refuses to move the duffel bags down to the basement for storage, even though we only use them every few months.
I am fed up, and I think I'm putting my foot down.
We have a half-empty cedar closet in the basement that has more than enough room for all of his coats and jackets. If he picked out just four that he wanted to keep upstairs for the season (with the rest all still readily available), that seems like it should be enough. I have a couple, E has a couple, we still have half a closet for guests. His sports jerseys should live in his closet, not this one. Same goes for his shoes (especially since mine have to all live in my closet). There is no reason the duffel bags need to be up here. I want room for my effing vacuum, and I don't think that's too much to ask!
A is going to fight me on this one, I know it, and it's going to be a battle. So if you think I'm being unreasonable, or if you see some other solution, please tell me. He doesn't get back from Taiwan until next Thursday, so I have time to consider this.
I think it's perfectly reasonable. Is there some way to get him to suggest a solution so he feels he has some kind of ownership/authority in it? Can you prod him along?
ReplyDeleteWe cleaned our hall closet about a month ago. It is liberating! Do it!!
I think it's reasonable too. I agree with you that the shoes and jerseys can go somewhere else. Ask him if any out of season coats can go in the basement closet. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI would just do it. I would move all but 2 coats he wear the most (maybe 3) to the basement closet. I would put the jerseys in the basement closet or his closet, and move his shoes to his close. I would also put the duffels where you think best and then move the vacuum into the closet. If he thinks your organization is wrong, he can make an effort to move things back. But I don't think he'll make that effort.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I love the tag, "hoarder spouses".
You are being reasonable and I would just do it before he gets home. Once he sees how nice it looks, he won't want to change back.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the hoarder spouses tag. And sometimes it's easier to beg forgivness than to ask for permission.
ReplyDeletenot unreasonable at all.
ReplyDeletewe have a similar problem. our coat closet is FILLED and then we have coats on the hooks behind the door too. seriously I often wonder how many people live here??? oh and the twins.. .their coats are on their mini set of hooks so the closet.. that is all us.
I am going to redo ours soon. I have these hanging vacuum packed bags. I am going to put all the coats in them and vac them up to make more room.
we keep our vacuum in the garage off the kitchen b /c no room in the closet....
DO IT! He will see how nice and organized it looks and not fight you once he gets back.
ReplyDeleteI think you are being more than reasonable, especially if he's got the better closet upstairs. Good luck!
ReplyDelete