"Chalk It To Me!"

Ok super amazing DIY'ers.  I may get some eggs thrown at me for this one.  Well, you can throw 'em at your screen if you want, I will be hiding out in my abode.  Because I know how super easy what I am going to show you, could have been done DIY style.  But I didn't.  I shamefully purchased something I could have made.  Because it was easier.  Do you still love me?

But I couldn't resist showing you the impact that my $8 splurge made.  Because it's oh so cute.  And maybe will inspire some not as lazy as me DIY'ers to go at it themselves!

I think I can finally mark my shoe closet as complete.  Here is what went down....

When I last left you, I was already digging our shoe closet, especially since I had just updated the shelving and added the pretty paper:

And then I added a second basket to the top shelf, that I called my "dump" basket.  No dirty birds, it isn't for that... it's for all things that get dumped into piles on the counter.  I can't STAND piles!  They are my enemy.  One pile in our itty bitty house seems like a mountain.  And I am a believer that everything has it's place and am typically pretty good about putting everything in it's place when I am done with it.   But sometimes I feel like being human and just making a pile.  So I do.  Yes, I am an organizing sinner....

But instead of letting piles take over, which they quickly can, I just tossed another basket onto the top shelf of the shoe shelf in the closet.  It was a great place to corral all the things we use extremely frequently, such as my current magazine I am reading, my daily planner, my notebook, travel items that go in-between the car and the house frequently, etc.... Each Sunday when I sift through all of our papers, I also quickly put back anything that is in the "dump" basket that needs to be put back in it's home.  The basket is never allowed to overflow.  Ever.

And this is where the fun $8 splurge came in.  I snagged two chalkboard labels for the baskets in the closet.  Wow, do IHeart these things like crazy!  A D O R A B L E!  It's amazing the impact these little guys can make in the closet!

I have yet to purchase any chalkboard paint.  I want to.  I have intentions to.  I have fun plans for it in the boy's bedroom.  But can you put it on textured walls?  And do chalkboard pens really work {because I have major chalk dust phobia!}  And how many coats do you need?  Your expertise is appreciated!

Until then, I am happy with my first experience with chalkboard labels.  Cute.  Worth the investment because you can forever change where they go and what you decided to write on them.  I mean really, look at the impact that 8 beans made.  A closet that not so long ago looked like this:

Now is another one of my favorite spaces in the home!

What do you think?  Who else is totally getting into the chalkboard craze?  Anyone DIYing their own labels?  Do you heart them as well!?  Anyone gonna help this gal out with some of my chalkboard paint questions?