Cheap Closet

You've heard of Freecycle, right? It's a Yahoo!-based message-board system operating on the the idea of "gifting" usable but unwanted items to other Freecycle users. By putting something you don't want on Freecycle, you avoid the hassle of selling and the guilt of filling a landfill with something someone else might love.

In the past two years, I've given away tons of stuff, including some ice cube trays, two ill-fitting bikini tops, a pool table and a few dozen magazines. I've gotten a few pieces of furniture off of it, too, including a CUTE 1960's faux-bois and vinyl table and chair set for my kitchen.

Right now I'm "shopping" Freecycle for a few old dressers. The closets in this apartment are HUGE but they're completely unfinished. At 5x10', and with 10' ceilings, they're more like tiny bedrooms, and have HUGE potential to be glamorous, as-seen-on-MTV's-Cribs walk-ins. However, brand-new closet innards from California Closets or The Container Store are hella expensive, especially in the size I would need, and even IKEA's PAX series is more than I want to spend.

I'm hoping a few dressers (painted with the large assortment of leftover paint I've accumulated, maybe?) and then some clothing racks in there for the hanging things will be a charming, quirky, anti-consumerism alternative to buying new, Sex in the City-type closets. I can add shelving and a large full length mirror and create my own private dressing room.

Rob can shove his clothes under the bed!