When it comes to organization, I am very hard on myself. I like things boxed and labeled and straight. My linen closets just haven’t followed suit. While my linen closets are not out of control, they have not been as organized as the other areas of my house. Within the last few weeks, we have been getting our home ready to list, so I’ve been organizing and cleaning to the extreme. I tackled my linen closets and am so happy with the results. Read along to find my tips on how to organize your linen closet.
Purpose of Your Linen Closet
Decide what you are going to store in your linen closet. I have two hall closets, and have divided them both into different uses. How many closets you have will determine what you use them for; their location within your home will also matter. I have one closet between our girls’ bedroom and their playroom; the other is in the mudroom: it is closest to our primary bedroom door, but also close to the kitchen, laundry, and garage entrance. When deciding how to organize your linen closet, location and use are the two biggest factors to consider.
The closet near the girls’ area contains our Dyson stick vacuum because this is the only closet with a plug and it has to charge. I also keep my gift wrapping supplies in here. I also keep the girls’ art supplies in here, as well as toys we don’t want our youngest to have easy access to.
The other closet is where we keep sheets, extra bedding, and some seasonal decor; I also keep our carpet and upholstery cleaner in here.
Convenience
The most important thing in this closet to me is the tub that holds our oldest’s school work that I want to keep. I have a folder for each grade inside the tub, and when she brings things home that I want to keep, I have easy access to the tub because it is right off of the kitchen. If it were somewhere else, I would likely let the papers pile up on the counter longer than I should. I’ve already purchased the other tub for our youngest; when she starts school, it will be easy to stack on top and utilize both.
When you organize your linen closet, always consider ways of doing so that you will actually stick with. If you simply copy something you see online, but it doesn’t adhere to your lifestyle, you more than likely won’t utilize it, and thus, you don’t solve any issues.
Utilize Your Space
When we built our home, we did not build in any closet organization units. We have two shelves and a hanging rod. Looking back, I would have put in closet units, but I didn’t know at the time what I wanted. Obviously, if you are building or remodelling, customize your linen closets as much as you can. However, if that is not an option, utilize your space the best you can.
Add Space to Organize Your Linen Closet
Add space by adding a hanging storage rack. You can find all sorts of different hanging storage to fit your personal needs. We use ours for board games, art supplies, and toys, so the standard size storage works well. I’ve had my eye on this one because I like the removable bins and the different sized pockets.
Contain Your Items in Your Linen Closet
To further organize, I use reusable zip top bags. Each boardgame, along with all of their instructions (if needed), go inside. They help cut down the bulk from boxes, and allow you to be able to stack horizontally so you do not have to remove everything to get the game you want out. I’ve also put art supplies in the bags. The set I bought came with several different sizes, so they are super versatile. They hold everything from construction paper to small googly eyes and are easy for our five year old to use. They’re a win on all levels!
Baskets and Bins
The baskets up top in the girls’ closet hold all of my gift bags and tissue paper. These large baskets are great to hold whatever you need. I’ve just folded my gift bags to fit, but anything you’re needing to organize will fit! These would also be great if you needed to put them on the floor because you can stack them. Clear acrylic or plastic boxes are also very convenient because you can see what is inside. Their squared off corners also allow for easy stacking and placement.
Door storage
Over the door storage is a great option to utilize your space as you organize your linen closet. These help keep the floor clear for larger items or stacking storage. It also helps your belongings remain easily accessible.
Closet space is something that if you don’t have, you miss. But if you do have it, it is something that can be taken for granted because it is so easy to just put your extra junk inside. Once you organize your linen closet, though, you will feel so good! I’d love to see how you organize yours! Be sure to check out my previous post to declutter other areas of your home!
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