Linen closet clean out and organization
February 16, 2011
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We are SO lucky to have a ton of closet space in our house. We have a fantastic linen closet it our downstairs powder room that we use a TON.
Although my before pics are horrendous cell phone pics (bad blogger!), they don’t look too horribly messy, right?:
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I didn’t think it was that bad either…till I actually started going through everything.
I plopped my booty on the floor and went bin by bin…and I GOT RID OF CRAP. :)
It’s quite amazing how much STUFF hides in those storage bins:
Seriously? This was the stuff I didn’t keep.
Ummm…I really hope the toilet was clean for the picture. Huh.
No really, seriously? That’s insane people! That’s all stuff we didn’t need or don’t use. Taking up lovely storage space. (In the closet and in my head.)
Well, except the potty step…that just got caught up in the mess. :)
You don’t even get the full effect with that picture since stuff is piled high. Here’s what I bagged up from the closet:
The little bag went to Goodwill. The donate bag was full of cleaning rags and supplies that we DON’T NEED FOR GOODNESS SAKES, and that went to a local shelter. The last bag was just trash.
And some of that pile went down to the basement. Crayzay!
After all of that, I actually got rid of one of the bins, and just reorganized the others.
Here’s the after with a real camera:
I know, the whole good camera thing helps the after pics a bit. :)
This helps too:
Smartie me didn’t have lights installed in our closets, and this one is especially dark. I’ve had this little dodad for years and haven’t really used it till now.
DUH. It works GREAT! I lost the back part that you attach to the wall, so I just nestled it into the wire shelves. See, wire shelves are good for something! :)
Let’s take a little tour, shall we?
The top shelf is just extras and our hand towels rolled up in a small bin:
The next one holds a bin for batteries and random toy parts. (I put broken pieces in here so when I find the match, I know where to look.) There’s also a bin for light bulbs:
LIGHT. BULB! Sorry, couldn’t resist the Despicable Me reference. :) Lurve.
This is one of the shelves that gives me little bitty hives cause a bin doesn’t match:
Just go with it Sarah. Breathe. Life will go on. You’ll survive this.
Anyhoo, that odd one there holds all floor care stuff, and the other holds all other cleaning supplies. You can see I only kept the stuff we USE and got rid of or stored the extra stuff that we didn’t.
On the next shelf, we have a bin for air fresheners (cause it is a bathroom) and my Bath and Body Works plug in jobbies that I’m obsessed with. I keep the supply for the house here:
The other bin is for dirty clothing and towels. I learned about two days after bringing the Bub home from the hospital that I needed a spot for dirty clothes downstairs. It works great for random socks and kitchen towels.
Down one more shelf (isn’t this SO EXCITING???) is a bin for the vacuum parts and one for rags:
I had an obscene amount of rags. I mean, it was positively ridiculous. Got rid of half of them.
I’ve always used the back of the door for storage, but I added a couple more hooks – one for covers for the floor broom (upper left), and one for the potty seat on the bottom:
This space is ALL about function over form. :) But I am thrilled that we now have a spot for that seat. Now when friends drop by, they’re not greeted with a bright yellow potty seat. You know what I’m sayin’.
The closet can now breathe again:
And the very best part? I was so excited to have it organized again, I finally got rid of the brassy knob and hinges on the door:
WHOO HOO! I’ve had them for a YEAR now…that’s how slow that process has gone. Almost done switching them all out – when I’m done I’ll tell you more about that DIY project. :)
So…have you been decrapifying? Organizing? Loving it? :) I hope so! If you haven’t, maybe a little shindig will get you in the mood:
This coming Monday, come one come all! :) Link up all of your decluttering or cleaning projects. Can’t wait to see your tips and tricks!
P.S. There is usually a child proof door handle on the knob to the closet. Because I had just changed it out it’s not on for the pictures. :)
Do you love Pottery Barn and Ballard Designs?
You’ll LOVE Knock Off Decor!
I've had boxes full of educational supplies from when I was in the public school classroom. I belong to the local Freecycle group and the group moderators put out a contest to see who could post the most stuff. I started posting and felt so liberated...my house is still a mess but slowly I'm opening up room underneath my bed and in my closet.
ReplyDeletePlease tell me what color of paint is in there!! I LOVE IT!
ReplyDeleteOh man. A bin for vacuum parts...I NEED! Our laundry room currently holds the disorganized pile of, well, basically all the stuff above, and you've given some great ideas for tidying up. :)
ReplyDeleteI can't WAIT to hook up to your organizing party! Love, love, love to organize!! Your closet looks amazing. I can't believe when I go through stuff why I have kept what I have...great job!
ReplyDeleteBecky B.
www.organizingmadefun.blogspot.com
Organizing Made Fun
Looks great! I bet that feels so much better! =)
ReplyDeleteOh!!! Now I've got to get BUSY!!! So many closets and cabinets that I need to clean out and organize! Doesn't it feel wonderful to dig in and then step back and it's all so organized and neat! Thanks for the motivation!!!
ReplyDeleteA tidy closet makes me happy...even when it's someone else's closet!
ReplyDeleteLooks great! Please tell me about that light bulb!! My pantry needs a light and would be too $$ to wire it now. How does yours work? Batteries? Do the batteries run out fast? Where can I buy one? Sorry for all the questions but this would solve so many issues!!
ReplyDeleteThis is AWESOME!!!! You have inspired me to do THIS tonight! I DON'T have a lot of closet space in my house, so I certainly need to purge!!!
ReplyDeleteIs it so wrong that I am jealous of a linen closet?! I have hardly any storage in my house, in fact, my linen closet is triangle shaped!! Yep, seriously a triangle. Just try & make that useful!! ;) Great job! Don't you just feel lighter?!
ReplyDeleteI just cleaned out and organized in the laundry room. Cute fabric bins with labels and everything! I removed the doors ages ago with the idea of painting the cabinets but kinda like not having them. Still need to paint the cabinets though.
ReplyDeleteLooks great! Feels good, doesn't it? Yes, I've been decrapifying! I just posted about my pantry and kitchen cabinets and drawers. I need to get lots of those baskets. I think that would look much neater in the pantry. I also need one of those lights in there. The push light I have in there just doesn't cut it. Yours looks nice and bright.
ReplyDeleteGreat job!
Just wondering... if that unmatching bin gives you itty bitty hives, why not switch it out with the single bin on the top shelf so the unmatching one is all by its lonesome and the two on each shelf match???
ReplyDeleteKeep it simple, right???
(Unless it's a smaller size - it looks like it might be from the photo, but I'm not sure it that's just distance/perspective...)
This is fantastic! I love organizing and de-cluttering things! I need to work on my crafting supplies as they are taking over a corner of my house. Perhaps I will take some inspiration from you and go through everything basket by basket! Thanks :)
ReplyDeleteLooks great!
ReplyDeleteWhere in the world did you get that light bulb doo dad??? We don't have a light in a couple of our closets that NEED them and that blew my mind.
What type of light fixture did you use? I have a 1920s house with very dark closets.
ReplyDeleteOk, this post has helped me become a little more motivated to unpack the bathroom stuff and organize our new linen closet... Thanks! :)
ReplyDeleteWow! It looks awesome! I love it! Isn't it amazing how much clutter can accumulate in a bathroom?!
ReplyDeleteYou TOTALLY need a replacement toilet seat that has the little kid seat built in! Best invention EVER. It has a magnet (I think) that holds it up in the lid when not in use. I tried to get a link for you but Lowes site is awful this morning.
ReplyDeleteMy son is four (I think your's is pretty close in age?) and my daughter is 14 mos so we'll get use out of them for a long time. We've replaced two of the seats on toilets in our house. They look so much better, are so much easier to clean and you don't have a plastic Cars or Sesame Street seat laying around somewhere. Ick.
We got our's at Lowes.
Nice work! Want to come organize my closets next?? They could sure use it!
ReplyDeleteI love spring organizing! Even if it isn't quite spring yet. I was pleased to see we use the same organizing bins (even if these are pictures of the house we moved out of in September - I still use them to organize!) http://www.containchaos.com/?p=388
ReplyDeleteLove that light! I need one for my closet! What and where did you get it?
ReplyDeleteAaaah, decrapifying. Love it!
ReplyDeleteLOL, you're too funny!
Your closet is a thing of beauty, a sight to behold! I'm moving to a new house that has great storage, so this greatly inspired me. I will binify it too! (But I'll make sure they all match, because, well, I'm anal like you!)
Oh you have inspired me to go home and cleaning our our "Cleaning Supply" closet. I have no idea what's hiding in there but Im pretty sure when you have to kick stuff back in and lean against it to get is closed its time to purge :0)
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I are in the process of cleaning out our house that we have lived in for 32 years. We are getting ready to move in a few months, and have decided to purge our lives of all our junk. It is truly amazing the stuff that has accumulated in the closets, attic and the basement-stuff we haven't looked at in years. Some days it feels like an overwhelming task, but we decided to just think one room at a time, not the whole house. It feels so good to focus on what we have accomplished so far, and to keep focused on the end result-being able to move closer to our family, finally.
ReplyDeletethat looks great! you've inspired me, i've got a few closets that need to be tackled!
ReplyDeletehttp://nauticalwheelerjewelry.blogspot.com/
I've been wanting to tackle my laundry room which over time has turned into Hubby's 'I might need this tool tomorrow so I'm not returning it to my workroom in the basement' room. UGH. 'Hey, I know... I'll just leave it here in the wife's laundry room'. UGH and Double UGH.
ReplyDeletePerfect idea. I love how you organize your stuffs. Thanks for sharing it and I will try it to my place too.
ReplyDeleteLOVE this! want to come do mine now? :)
ReplyDeletewondering about the lightbulb here too. all i can find are puck led lights, and that is not what i'm looking for. do tell
ReplyDeleteIt is always hard for me to get going on a project like that, but one thing just seems to lead to another, and then I am sooo happy when it is done. It is seriously like therapy...makes me feel a world better about everything!
ReplyDeleteMy office desk is on the agenda for a makeover today...we'll see what happens! :)
writingthewaves.com
I so need to take the cue from you...I kinda wish I would get iced in so that I could organize...just can't bring myself to it! So much better with that little LIGHT. BULB! lol...Have a great day...gonna head on over to "Knock off Decor" now ;)
ReplyDeleteHey all! It's been so long since I got that light, I'm not sure where I got it. I thought maybe it was Bed Bath and Beyond, but I went back for another and they didn't have them. Let me know if you find one! I'll keep looking. (By the way, it's battery-operated, and the bulb is really just plastic with a tiny bulb inside of that.)
ReplyDeleteLooks wonderful Sarah!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it amazing how much stuff we keep that we never really use?
Can't wait for your linky party! I can link up all my January organization posts! Woohoo!
My sister Beverleigh just cleaned out her closest last weekend. She sent me hundreds of pictures and I was so giddy at the thought of organized cleaning supplies that I decided it was time for me to re-do my entire bathroom! While my husband was at work, I started ripping out the tile and accidentally ruptured a water pipe. Needless to say, we had to recarpet the whole first level, but I'm so glad to have the ugly tile gone!
ReplyDeletePS: Can you spray paint an oven?
Fabulous! It seems that everyone in Blogland is doing their spring cleaning early this year. Fantastic job...very organized! I need to do the same, but in my basement. It looks like a tornado came through spreading behind Fall and Christmas debris EVERYWHERE!! Lol! Thanks for the inspiration. XOXO ~Liz
ReplyDeleteI can SO relate. I'll tell you a little secret to staying on top of the decluttering. Move. Lots. Because of several moves we had to make for my husband's job, I have had several BIG declutter sessions. I'm talking a half ton truck full, baby! I mean several decluttering sessions were the half ton truck full! I say go big or stay home. You would not believe how inspiring you have been to me to continue to fight the good fight! Luv ya.
ReplyDeleteYou did a great job! I just finished one of the closets in my house. Slowly but surely I'm making my way throughout the house!
ReplyDeleteGosh, you have been busy. I know how a closet gets, and it really doesn't look that bad until you start pulling it all out. I need to do our linen closet in the masterbath. So see, you made it through the rough weather, and you didn't go nuts. LOL But you got something important done.
ReplyDeleteI have!! Check it out: http://www.housebella.com/2011/02/08/entry-closet-organization/
ReplyDeleteI don't know if you don't know if you have time for this but could you look at my blog post today?
ReplyDeleteI feel lame for saying this, but I love reading posts about organizing. I had a similar amount of trash bags when I cleaned out from under our bathroom sink. It was baaaad!
ReplyDeleteGreat job! Organizing closets is one of 'those' jobs but when it's done it's like reaching the top of a mountain! What hooks are you using to hang the mops? I need something like that.
ReplyDeleteFantastic job Sarah! Now will you come do my two baking closets? They have somehow gotten out of hand in the past few months and need some serious reorganization. Even though they are driving me crazy, they will have to wait until I finish working on my master bed and bath room. One project at a time...
ReplyDelete~ Tracy
Looks awesome! Tell me....can you donate barely used cleaning supplies and lotions and such?
ReplyDeleteStick Up Bulb for the win!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.com/As-Seen-TV-Stick-Bulb/dp/B000GLK6RK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1297992122&sr=8-2
I looks great! I started a Spring Cleaning segment on my blog 3 weeks ago, can't wait to share them on Monday! It is amazing how much stuff I've ended up donating or throwing away. Great Job!
ReplyDeleteMichelle @ www.thrifty101.blogspot.com
I don't know if you read every comment, but if you do....Our MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group in Greenfield, Indiana had a home decoration swap this evening. And guess whose blog came up?!? Yours, of course! You have quit a Hoosier momma following in our group :) We are all just Thrifty Decor Chick wanna-bes. Thanks for your cleaning inspiration....I needed that today!
ReplyDeleteSo, I'm one of the MOPS Momma's that Denise is talking about~ I love feeling a little less "detached" from a blog I read, knowing that you're close by! And, I second what she said about cleaning~ I too put it to use today and it felt great!!!
ReplyDeleteWOW. I need to do this. Please tell more about the light. All my closets are so dark. I would live to put lights in them. Please share what king od light and where you got it. Thanks
ReplyDeleteThat looks great! I need to tackle my linen closet now! And that light is genius...
ReplyDeleteI love love love you! You are so hilarious! You really inspired me too! (As soon as I read the box for the light bulbs, my head immediately said, "LIGHT BULB!" In Gru's voice! LOL) I'll be linking up if I get my room finished!
ReplyDeleteWoo Hooo! Way to organize a closet and you even gave a shout out to wire shelves...dang! ;) Love it!~(your post, NOT wire shelves)!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the inspiration, our closets are already screaming for help=)
ReplyDeleteIt is always so refreshing when you organize a space and get rid of the clutter. That's my goal for the weekend is to tackle my daughter's closet. It's so unorganized and cluttered in there, it drives you crazy just walking by.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the motivation!! I might have to clean one out to this weekend. You make it look so, so easy. It makes you feel even better when it's done too.
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend
http://www.amazon.com/Telebrands-Stick-Up-Bulb/dp/B000H13ZKE
ReplyDeleteGreat idea !!!
You are so productive! It was pretty cold here for a week and I didn't do anything but stay under the covers! ;D
ReplyDeleteAnd I love the Despicable Me line (or as Ruby calls it Aspicable Meya
So well done!!! Thank for the lovely ideas. I am going to try it soon..
ReplyDeletecome do mine Sarah!! lol
ReplyDeleteMy problem closet is small, so it's so much harder to organize when you don't have the space....every time I try to do it, it's just a big mess again in no time.
I have some battery light in our closest....but our problem is we forget to turn the off and they run out! haha
Dear Sar Bear,
ReplyDeleteThere aren't really any linens in your linen closet.
The end.
-Angie
I just cleaned out my cabinet in our master bath but never thought to take pictures! I am also cleaning out my clothes closet cause I am going on a trip and while trying to pack I realize I HAVE TOO MUCH CRAP (CLOTHES). Seriously, I have clothes in 4 closets for cryin out loud! I am never going to get back into those size 4 pants, I need to donate them..... XO, Pinky
ReplyDeleteDefinitely it's better when your closet it's organized!
ReplyDeleteone off cleaning
Organized closets, shelves, and drawers really make your life less chaotic!!
ReplyDeleteThis is fantastic! I think I am hyper ventilating. I sooo need to do this! Thanks for the motivation and inspiration. You are a jewel :)
ReplyDeleteFantastic ideas! I love reading your blog. I just graduated from The Art Institute of Indianapolis in Interior Design and my home is very cluttery right now. You provide me with great ideas to help organize my school projects and supplies.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
~Melissa Bair
Greenfield, IN
Fantastic ideas! I love reading your blog. I just graduated from The Art Institute of Indianapolis in Interior Design and my home is very cluttery right now. You provide me with great ideas to help organize my school projects and supplies.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
~Melissa Bair
Greenfield, IN
Love the organizing!
ReplyDeleteQuestion: Where did you find that light bulb fixture? What does it run off of? Batteries? I have a VERY dark closet that is begging for a fixture like that.
Thanks!