Checking In With Chelsea

DIY ideas, crafts, and tips for your home

subscribe and never miss a thing!

Receive Free Email Updates

  • About
  • Videos
  • Projects
    • Indoor Projects
    • Outdoor Projects
    • Craft Projects
  • House Tour

Closet for Dress-Up Clothes

Indoor Projects •  March 5, 2019

DIY Dresser Makeover to Store Dress-Up Clothes

Light Pink Dresser with Princess Dresses

I’ve been doing a lot of taping with Today’s Homeowner lately before I go on maternity leave (in just a few short weeks!). So not many projects have gotten done around my house. BUT I was able to help a friend update/makeover/upcycle, her grandmother’s old chest of drawers into a fun and cute ‘closet’ of sorts for her daughters’ princess dresses!

Before

Here’s the modest dresser before:
Wooden Particleboard Dresser Before Dress Up Closet Makeover

I don’t know how old it was, but all of the drawers were in great, working shape, and it was structurally sound. It was also very plain and simple. Plus it was a free hand-me-down! My personal favorite!

Demolition First

We knew we wanted space to hang up dresses and possibly a place to store shoes. I, personally, wanted to find a way to keep the flowery scroll detail under the top drawer. I think it adds a little feminine character!

So we started by removing all of the drawers. Simple enough! And then we removed all of the horizontal drawer dividers which were just stapled in place. We made sure to maintain the bottommost drawer glide to use later for a pull-out shoe rack.

Inside View of Dresser with Drawer Glides and Dividers Removed

We also removed the back panel to give us room to work.

Reassemble Second

Since each furniture makeover varies so much by the actual piece you’re working with, some of this might not make much sense. But I’ll give it my best shot.

We knew at the end of the process we wanted to add a fun pop of color or wallpaper to the back of the dresser. But the way this particular dresser was assembled left the back panel and the vertical corner pieces holding it all together with a 3/8″ difference, depth-wise. So we cut a piece of 3/8″ MDF (you could also use inexpensive plywood) to the same size as the void between the 2 vertical pieces. We used wood glue and a nail gun to hold it all together.

This made it possible for the fabric we ended up choosing to flow from left to right and top to bottom without bumps. It filled the entire back wall. Now maybe this level of detail wouldn’t normally be worth $20-25 for the plywood/MDF. But if you have it leftover from another project like we did, go for it!

We also used some scraps to fill in the void under the bottom drawer. Since we were turning that into a modified pull-out shoe rack, we didn’t want an open bottom for things to get lost. And if you have small children or grandchildren, you know things go missing enough as is!

Repurposed Shoe Rack

For the shoe rack, I removed the face of the old bottom drawer and measured and marked the sides to be the same height as the floral piece previously at the top of the dresser, essentially creating a box.

I carefully used a circular saw to make the cuts and complete the shoe rack. Also worth mentioning is previously the drawer front would have closed and been in front of the dresser, so to speak. So I also cut back the front of the left and right sides so that the floral piece would be flush with the sides once closed.

Then I attached the floral scroll piece using wood glue and a few nails to the front of the ‘new’ shoe rack.

Since the sides of the dresser were fairly thin, I also added 2 blocks from scrap dresser pieces to give support to the future clothing rod. They were attached mostly with wood glue, but a nail or two to held them up while the glue dried.

(Pictured below after the dresser was painted. But you get the idea!)

Small Blocking Glued to Side for Closet Rod

Primed and Painted

Since the furniture had never been painted before, we primed everything in sight before adding a coat of little girl-approved pink paint! (The pink is a soft shade from Behr called My Sweetheart.)

Once the paint was dry, we worked on attaching the pretty floral fabric to the back using spray adhesive. Leave a little extra on all 4 sides while you spray and attach small sections of fabric at a time, smoothing out with a plastic drywall knife or credit card as you go.

When you’re satisfied with the way it looks, use a sharp X-Acto*, or similar, knife to carefully trim excess fabric on the edges.

Floral Fabric Glued to Back of Dresser

We hung the rod and dresses and slid in the shoe rack and it was ready for hours of fun!

Hanging Closet Rod for Pretend Clothes

Now since this isn’t at my house, I can only assume the little princesses put everything back where it belongs when they’re finished playing…?

Floral Detail on Show Pull Out Rack

Chest of Drawers Converted to Dress Up Closet

It was so fun to work on something ‘light’ and pretty! And totally randomly and separately, I selected the same pale pink for the walls in our third baby’s nursery! More details on that space are coming soon…I wallpapered and it wasn’t nearly as fun as this makeover.?

Could you use a cute space to store dress-up clothes at your house? Let me know!

Thanks for Checking In! ~Chelsea

*This post may contain affiliate links*

Subscribe for Free Updates!

Stay up-to-date on Chelsea's latest projects, tips, useful resources and more.

Previous Post
Fireplace Mantel Printable Plans
Next Post
How Not to Hang Wallpaper

Related Content

Moodboard for Calm and Cozy Family Room DenCreating a Calm and Cozy Family RoomRear View of Tan Vinyl House and Wood DeckHow to Refresh Your Wood Deck for a New Look2x6 White Painted Handrail on Front Porch with Pink Flowers in Planter BoxHow I Made My Porch Happier with PaintWood Queen Headboard with White Duvet Navy Green PillowsHow To Update Your Master Bedroom Now

Comments

  1. DAWN A BRATCHER says

    March 5, 2019 at 7:08 pm

    This is such a precious idea for a little princess! Every girl wants her own dress-up closet…& a shoe rack, too?! WOW!
    You are amazing, Chelsea ?

    Reply

Please Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Welcome!

I’m Chelsea. DIY
enthusiast who loves
sharing my victories
and mishaps!
Learn more
here.

CHECK IN WITH CHELSEA ON INSTAGRAM

Our Front Door Is Installed!👏🏻I’ve craved Our Front Door Is Installed!👏🏻I’ve craved a door like this for over 5 years. Lots of glass and light-colored wood. I have lots of similar doors saved in my camera roll to prove it. I’m so happy it’s finally mine!
.
.
This was the first choice I made on our exterior renovation. All other choices were made because they compliment this door. Like I really like it a lot!😍But also you have to start somewhere with all of the decisions in a renovation, make one choice that will influence the rest.
.
.
Cannot wait to get it sealed and protected from the elements so it’ll last for a looonnnnggg time!🤩
.
.
Do you think Lucy is a natural with the camera?😆No coaching necessary!
.
.
#exteriormakeover #frontdoorsofinstagram #frontporchdecor #frontporchlife #livingtheporchlife #exteriordesign #exteriorsofinstagram #exteriorrenovation #exteriorpaint #toddlersofinsta #toddlermoments
It hit me last night. THIS is the house my kids wi It hit me last night. THIS is the house my kids will grow up in. This will be the background to their memories. They won’t remember the broken tile, unpainted handrails or all of the works in progress like they’ll remember how their home made them feel.
.
.
They don’t need anything fancy, just a place to let their imaginations run wild.🌿I’m praying to keep that in mind with all of the decisions I’ve yet to make during this renovation process! If they can’t fully live here, neither can I.🥰
.
.
#renovationdiaries #housetohome #childhoodhome #childhooddreams #letthembelittle #boymom💙 #imaginationplay #decisionfatigue #onlylittleonce #youonlyliveonce❤️ #exteriordesign #exteriorpainting #exteriorsofinstagram
Alleluia! Happy Easter from the Wolfpack! So grate Alleluia! Happy Easter from the Wolfpack! So grateful to attend Mass in person this year!🙌🏻Even if the kids were wiggly and chatty.😬I hope you and your family have a blessed day and a blessed Easter season!✝️
.
.
#happyeaster #easter2021 #christisrisen #spring2021 #frontyardlandscaping #frontyardphotography #familyphotoshoots
Today brought me right back to this time last year Today brought me right back to this time last year during the first part of ‘Lockdown 2020’. When the only people we saw besides our family were the municipal workers picking up our garbage.🤪But it also brought back the best memories of playing outside all day, getting plenty of snuggles, and the most perfect springy weather. It was a weird time but I feel like I was the best version of myself. And I don’t want to ever forget Spring 2020.
.
.
I hope we have even more memories to add to the bank for Spring 2021!☀️🌸
.
.
#friyayvibes #itsfriday #happyweekend💕 #happyeaster #garbageday #spring2021🌺 #goodmemories❤️ #sobigsofast #keepthemlittle #toddlersofinsta #fridaymusings #bestversionofmyself
New video day is like a holiday to me! I’m alway New video day is like a holiday to me! I’m always so excited to share with you because it takes a few weeks from concept to shooting to editing to get it to this point! It’s also a big sigh of relief to have it done!😆
.
.
If you followed along with this Pinstripe Accent Wall in my stories, then you’ll definitely want to swipe to see it finished and click over to the link in my profile to watch the full how-to video!🤩
.
.
Thanks for always being such great supporters of my projects and videos! Y’all make it more fun!🎉
.
.
#newprojects #diyaccentwall #buildingwithwood #accentwall #accentwallideas #buildlikeagirl #bedroomdecor #boybedroom #boymom💙 #checkinginwithchelsea #howtovideos
Happy anniversary to my better half! He’s a calm Happy anniversary to my better half! He’s a calm and steady force to my hot mess craziness.🤪And I love him so much! Can you tell this was 7 years ago?😱
Load More... Follow on Instagram
Indoor Projects Outdoor Projects Craft Projects
Facebook Pagelike Widget
  • Contact
  • FAQs
  • Advertise with Chelsea
  • Media
  • Today’s Homeowner

Search This Site

Receive Free Updates Via Email

Copyright © 2021 Checking in With Chelsea • All Rights Reserved • Site Design by Archer Creative