So the SO and I made good use of our weekend to put together the start of a closet, and stop living out of overstuffed suitcases. The suitcases still figure, but they're bound to be far less packed, hopefully less messy, and easier to pick things out of, come Monday.

A shower rod in the alcove is going to hold hangers; freshly laundered clothes on one side (those that get badly creased or wrinkled when folded into stacks), worn once and to wear again on the other end. In the middle, a smart idea for using my woven straw bags as a divider --- they're slung on S-hooks which are hanging from rings of rope since the rod is too large for them to hook on directly. I need to bring my coats in as well and find a way to keep them covered from the dust (don't have garment bags long enough). Maybe I can add another rod with curtains in front...

The black suitcase below in in lieu of a dresser drawer, and holds six stacks of my clothes that can be folded. It holds:
(1) structured pants and skirts
(2) T-shirts and knit tops
(3) woven shirts, tops and tunics
(4) leggings and harem pants and salwars
(5) smaller 'divider' stack of strictly-at-home summer dresses and shorts, topped off by a few longer scarves
(6) smaller 'divider' stack of tank tops and camisoles

Next to it, the small round jug-eared basket holds my belts.

Stacked in the corner, the three pot-bellied baskets hold linens: sheets in the largest, towels in the second, and pillow cases in the smallest. Under my straw hat sit my walking capris and exercise T-shirt. The blue box on top of the basket holds my undies (knickers to you, Angie) and bras.

Next to that, the boxy basket with matching lid holds a few special occasion garments: sarees, gauzy embroidered cotton salwar-kameez ensembles, a few long scarves and shawls, all wrapped up in an old sheet for protection from dust and creepy-crawlies, then topped with a layer of scarves and wraps laid side by side --- these I use at work, to survive the Arctic Office.

The grey suitcase next to it is my travel bag. Always half-packed, with clothes as well as basic toiletries, adapter plugs, back-up chargers and the like.

In the far corner of the photo, the yellow printed sheet is protecting the contents of the 'clean laundry' Moses basket --- stuff in need of ironing, folding, repairs etc.

The overflowing basket right in the middle, front of photo, is what holds clothes worn and to be worn again. Some of those will now be hung up in the new 'closet' and others (like T-shirts, nightdresses etc) can stay in the basket, which can go sit on the suitcase.

On the other side of photo #1, under the window, you can just see a coloured woven basket which holds my 'crushable' or foldable handbags. (Btw, only the first of the straw bags hung up has ever been used until this year, the other two dating back to 2005 and had tags on till I clipped them the other day --- saving for the future was an epidemic around here! The one in front isn't much younger, circa 2007, and has a little hole in it, but still good for toting around town after recent anti-fungal treatments with soap, water and leather cream!)

Elsewhere in the room, a small picnic hamper holds night clothes, and another bigger basket serves as the laundry hamper for clothes that need to be washed.

Bonus shot of my floor-level 'desk' (doubles as bed and jewellery boxes!) in #3.

The 'men's wardrobe and workplace' occupies the other 'bedroom'; but is far sparser. No desk (laptop sits on low stool or goes on the lap; or else its owner occupies the dining table when it's not too warm there). His clothes are two categories: tops and bottoms, and go in two suitcases (seasonal and current) plus a couple of boxes for innerwear and night clothes.

Our shoes share a small cabinet in the living space: 2 shelves for him and 3 for me! Each holds 3-4 pairs, depending on neatness of arrangement and bulk of shoe.

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In the What was I Thinking category, these shoes have got to go. I bought them in 2003 or 2004... and didn't wear them more than 2-3 times; there wasn't occasion for them very often, except the big corporate dos that happen only one or twice a year.

I thought the lower heel at least was possibly comfy for a couple of hours. I have NO idea why... Because these are 2.5-inch heels, and the black and neon sandals are a good 3-inches. Those I knew I could not stand in for long, definitely sitting shoes only. But after taking the red ones out on a trial run to dinner at a friend's they both have to go. Excruciating! (Excuse dusty pants; clearly I've been up to messy jobs.)