When we bought our house, it was after many searches and with a very frazzled realtor who almost wept when we finally closed. One of the features that spoke to my wife was a closet in the hallway that was very big and lined and shelved in cedar. I was less pleased with the small closet that I knew would end up being mine. It has no shelves, just a rack that is about three feet long. This closet would have been great for a man who lived a spartan life. I knew that this closet would not be great for me, a woman who likes clothes. So, yes, I have closet envy.
My wife has filled her large closet with clothes and shoes and I have over-filled my little closet completely. I have pruned down my masks male clothing to just the five shirts I wear 5 days a week to work, the rest, pants, shirts, dresses, etc. are all mine. I have shoes piled upon each other on the floor of the closet with a small plastic drawer set for sundries. I could change some things, such as adding a shelf above the clothes rod, so that I have a place to put my wigs. But overall, the size of the closet is the size it must be, there is a window in the only area in which it can be expanded.
Aside from the closet, we have a nine-drawer dresser in which I have one single drawer. I know this sounds like I am complaining about my wife, that isn’t my intent. When we started living together, she didn’t know about my being a woman. So, when we moved into an apartment together, I was in full mask mode. And when we were figuring out our living situation, I responded in “spartan male” and told her I just need a drawer and a small part of the one huge closet. Things have obviously changed, but we are creatures of habit and I don’t want to seem like I am taking space from her. This weekend I am going to do that however, get a couple more drawers and see about cleaning out a few junk drawers in our smaller dresser.
Next to the closet is a large wicker chest under the window. It is filled with comforters, hand-made quilts my grandmother and great-grandmother had made. I use the top of the chest to put a box of breast forms, my current week’s pair of pants, my sleepshirt and my two wigs. However, it is also the place I pile clean dresses and shirts and capris, etc. that I don’t have the space for in my closet or drawer. It becomes impossible to find anything without digging through the entire pile and having to reassemble the pile.
All of this came about because I decided to do something about the clothes pile. I decided to wash the entire pile even though they are clean, our dog was shedding for a couple of months very badly so hair everywhere. After they dried, I hung everything that could be hung in the closet. I was left with a considerable pile of clothes that still didn’t have a home, my one drawer being completely full. So, they are back on the wicker chest until I can get more space. I intend to create space this weekend, hopefully without my wife feeling resentful that I am taking space from her.