Filed under: Storage & Cleaning, Storage & Organization
Sure a new storage system is great. But a visit from Peter Walsh, courtesy of California Closets? Lifechanging.When Pat Murphy of San Francisco won the grand prize in California Closets "Organize This!" contest, she had only two words: "Totally thrilled!" And we don't blame her: In addition to receiving a fabulous new $20,000 built-in, custom storage system Murphy was also treated to a visit from Peter Walsh, host of the new "Enough Already!" show on the Oprah Winfrey Network and author of "Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?". (You also might remember his great tips for ShelterPop readers on the no-nag way get your family to clean up!)
Pat Murphy and Peter Walsh celebrating after a job well done. Photo: California Closets
Murphy, a writer and book editor, works from home and while she is used to having papers, files and old manuscripts around, lately her piles of paper have expanded to include her mother's medical bills and documents pertaining to her father's estate. "Everything ended up in my home office, which also shares space with our guest room," says Murphy. "It was all in one spot. Plus, with the bed eating up most of the guest room, my closets were bursting." After trying to organize her home over the last year and a half, Murphy knew this contest could be the solution she was looking for.
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In addition to the expanding paperwork, Murphy's two cats, Houdini and Moxy, added to the problem. "My cats were constantly seeking a space to perch or lounge, which often ended up being piles of paper," she says. "And of course, if you don't make room for them, they'll do it for you, moving stuff out of the way themselves!" Her cats inspired Murphy's contest entry, which depicted them unhappy with her mess. When the time came for her consultation with Steve Rothgery, designer for California Closets ,she made sure her cats were considered."Steve and the team at California Closets were just great," says Murphy. "No request was too strange for them to take on and that really impressed me. They built planks for the cats to walk on, as well as an organizational unit above my desk, which the cats love to lounge on top of."
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Rothgery and his team also constructed a custom bookcase with roomy pull-out file drawers in the company's Lago Umbrian Oak finish. For her desk area, they constructed a fusion slot-wall, typically used in garages, so that she can swap in and out photos and other bits of inspiration for the various projects she's working on. They also installed a Murphy-style bed that was built into the wall to free up space in the guest room and free up the closets too! "Now when I open up those closets, which hold my wardrobe, I can quickly and easily put together an outfit, rather than struggling to find something to wear," Murphy says. After the storage system installation, Peter Walsh stepped in and worked with Murphy to go through her files, teaching her a few hard lessons on what to keep and what to toss! (She called him a "sweet drill sergeant!") The result is a more manageable system for her mail and paperwork. "When the mail used to come in, I would just plop it into a large basket and let it pile up," says Murphy. "Peter taught me one of his mantras, that cutter is a decision deferred. So now, as soon as the mail comes in, I act on it, separating out what needs to be paid or filed."
Purging her unwanted stuff also provided Murphy with a sense of community and charity. "This experience forced me to not only decide what I need and don't need, but I was also able to pass along my unwanted items to someone more in need of them," explains Murphy. "For example, through the website Freecycle.org, I sent a cat tree to a family with a disabled cat and I also recently donated some of my old science fiction manuscripts -- which take up a lot of space -- to a museum."
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Of course, once the project was complete, Murphy was a bit anxious about keeping it all organized. "California Closets designed a beautiful system for me and Peter was enormously helpful, but at first I was terrified to turn my home back to what it used to be -- cluttered," recalls Murphy. "But now I've learned how valuable space really is. Clearing away the clutter has allowed me to not only stay organized but to be more productive and more creative."