A finished project....finally.

Do you ever solve one of those organizational issues at your house and it just makes you happy? (Okay, maybe not everyone gets as much joy out of organization as I do.) Almost a year ago Faith knocked over our hall tree trying to get her own coat down. It is an antique and she damaged it. I was very bummed. This piece works great for our coats and bags, but it wasn't a good fit for our kiddos. They weren't tall enough to hang up their own coats so I had to help them or have them lay them on the floor by it. Not a great set up. However, we hadn't taken time to fix the problem. But, with the girls going to school we now had coats and book bags plus their "Bible bags" they take to church to keep organized. So, I decided it was time to work on a solution.

Way back in the day when we lived in our first home we had an awesome red barn. It was storybook cute. So, when we went to leave I decided I wanted something to remember it by. So, I went out and secretly took a piece of that rustic red barn siding. I knew I'd figure out something to do with it eventually. I tried putting it in a plant and letting a vine grown up it, but that didn't work out and I am so glad. I found four old hooks in our odds and ends that came from my parents and TADA our coat solution was born:

Combined with this bench made out of someone else's great red barn that used to be in my kitchen it is a perfect fit. We now have a one-stop-shop for the kids' book bags, coats, shoes, and assorted items. Hooray!! Now if only my kids had coordinating coats and shoes in lovely shades of brown and plaids it would look all Pottery Barn don't you think?

And as my friend Stephanie likes to point out.....there is an extra hook. ;)

P.S. If you report my missing piece of barn wood I will totally deny all involvement.