Costume Closet

A few months ago I was asked to help clean and organize the costume closet and prop room for the Whitefield Drama Club.

I try to go a few hours a week to sort clothes and odds and ends, throw out unusable makeup and material, and sort the huge amount of props from previous plays.

Here is the costume closet before I started:

After:

I know it doesn't look really different in photos but I got rid of about half the old (stained, ripped) costumes, sorted an organized all the jewelry and accessories and cleaned the mirrors and the floor (that I don't think had been swept in a decade).

Next up was the prop closet.

Before:
It was originally the boys change room but the room wasn't being used and it had become a dumping ground for paint cans, props and flags (?). The first step was to take down the dividing walls. Imagine me swinging a sledge hammer in this room - and understand that the walls were very well built.  And those large wooden boxes in the picture below? I carried those down 2 flights of stairs.

Another tough thing about where these closets are located (above the chapel) is that the garbage bins are down 4 flights of stairs, down a hall way, out double doors, down another set of stairs, and across the parking lot. There were days were I only did garbage runs. 

After:

To organize the room I bought 2 storage shelves from Lowe's to hold all assortment of props. They were a huge help in organizing the room.  

I did enjoy doing this job because I enjoy volunteering and I want to be a part of Allison's school. I love that she sees me traipsing across the parking lot (during recess) lugging lumber with 4 inch long nails poking out.

But I will admit I was glad when this job was over. It was way bigger than the what the people who asked for my help understood the job to be, and I didn't really know what I could or couldn't throw away or donate (which really slowed me down). I'm ready to move on!