So, I’ve already admitted that there are certain areas of my house that don’t get as much attention as they should. Typically, these areas live behind doors that are able to be closed quite quickly (like closet doors). There has been one area that I’ve neglected, oh… pretty much since we moved in seven years ago: the Linen Closet.
I usually wash our frequently-used sheets and towels and then put them into the bathroom or back onto the beds. And storing the extras? Oh yeah… they’re there… somewhere.
Here is where I share my shame:
Can it get worse than that? Isn’t that what most people’s laundry piles look like BEFORE they wash their clothes?
Well… at least there are shelves in there… that’s pretty good…
Before tackling any area that is loaded down with clutter and neglect, it must be completely emptied.
And voila! Instant shelf dividers! Cost? $1 in zap-straps! Woot!
I know that the middle shelf’s dividers are closer together than its brother’s below. Keep reading for my genius moment!
There are spaces for washcloths, towels, sheets, cleaning supplies and napkins. Everything has a home, and there are walls to prevent mushing and mashing and general canoodling. I like it.
Even Hubby was impressed when I called him up to take a look. What a gal with a plan and some zap-straps can do….
It’s almost pretty.
And if you want to judge me based on my Before picture, that’s okay. I judged me too. That’s why doors are so important in life. They are good for self esteem!
If you have a closet that looks a little (or a lot) like mine, consider picking up a length of wire shelving and some zap straps. You’ll save half the cost of the premade numbers, not to mention you’ll get to strut around like the Organizational Peacock that you are!
At least, that’s what I’ve been doing…
79 comments
Lauren
I am featuring your linen closet on my blog today. Thanks for linking it up. The next party starts later today, I hope that you will link up again. http://www.ifitsnotbaroquedesignblog.blogspot.com/
hlwiniarski2012
Great job! I so need to organize my very small linen closet. I don’t know how to fold fitted sheets either. I do by best then stuff them inside their matching pillow case and store them that way. I read that somewhere…………..probably Martha Stewart. I’m visiting from Little Mom on the Prairie and am now following you. http://www.laurieslittlebitsofcreativity.com/
Tara @ Suburble
Thank you for popping over, Laurie! I visited your blog and am now following you as well!
I will have to try this sheet-in-a-pillowcase trick. It seems like it’s the way to go for the “faux folded look”.
Jacqueline LeBlanc
WOW I am jealous!
I would love it if you shared this in my Furniture/House Hacks Linky Party:
http://littlemomprairie.blogspot.com/p/blog-round-up.html
Tara @ Suburble
I will, Jacqueline! Thank you!
Amy Sage DeMik
I love that you shared this. My linen closet and laundry is always out of control. I have totally had moments where I have to say to myself, “you’re the mom. no one else is going to take care of this problem so you’d better fold and get this done”! I love that you showed the types of wrack/shelves that you used! Thanks for linking up at Give Me The Goods Monday! Features will be posted Sunday!!!
Amy @ http://www.commona-myhouse.blogspot.com
Tara @ Suburble
Oh, my laundry room is still quite the sight. It will be a project (or maybe multiple projects) for another blog post. Thank you for hosting the party: I’m very glad to be joining the gaggle of wonderful ladies who put it on. Have a great weekend!
NIkolina
It looks great
Tara @ Suburble
Thank you, Nikolina!
amy mayen
Wow, great post! You are funny too..I read every word & I have a habit of skimming! Dude, totally not that bad before though…or maybe I’m just trying to make myself feel better. Because my shelves look like dirty laundry too!
Tara @ Suburble
Thank you, Amy! I’m glad that you enjoyed it. I like to write the way I talk… which is full of sarcasm and “What the…?”s
I’m glad you don’t think it’s that bad… I was pretty embarrassed. But it’s good to know that I’m not the only one!
Warratah
I love it! I have threatened to label my linen cupboard for years. I am adding this to my list of things to do this month to organise my house. Thanks for sharing.
Tara @ Suburble
Do it! Get out those labels! I swear once you give things a home – they stay there. So far, my closet still looks like the picture (the little nooks for everything is a big part of that).
Ashlee Cain
It’s not just almost pretty, it IS pretty. What a transformation, amazing job! Dropping by from twentysomethingbows.blogspot.com. I
did the Linens and the Loo Challenge too and would be so happy if you
could stop by and follow my blog 🙂 I added you on Google Friend Connect.
Happy day!
Tara @ Suburble
Hi Ashlee! I will definitely head over to your internet space! Thanks for following me!
Frances Kendrick
It looks great!! You have inspired me!! My closet is looking pretty rough right now too!
Stopping by from Give me the Goods!
Frances
Notions from Nonny
Thrive 360 Living
Can you please, pretty please come to my house and organize all of my closets. Unfortunately I seem to have neglected anything with a drawer or door. Your closet turned out perfect! Maybe you should do an organizing link party each month. I’m feeling inspired already.
Tara @ Suburble
Oh, I’m definitely inspired by other peoples’ organized spaces. Honestly, I have quite a few other areas in the house that are relying on their doors to keep them hidden. I’m hoping that I stay motivated to keep on keepin’ on. Though it is nice to stare at this closet for a while longer yet. 🙂
Pam
You did a great job of organizing. And folding. I can never figure out how to fold a sheet correctly, so they tend to just be balls in my closet.
Tara @ Suburble
That’s how I fold fitted sheets! It’s like a giant cinnamon bun of sheet!
I don’t think I’ll ever learn how to properly fold one of those monsters!
Nikki Stevens
Great job! You are a true shelving genius 🙂 I like the idea of using little baskets to hold washcloths. Mine always get buried in the closet of unorganized chaos.
Nikki
rushedmommy.com
Tara @ Suburble
A shelving genius? Well, I don’t know if that’s true, but I’ll take it. So far, I’m loving the washcloths in bins – they’re really so messy when left to their own devices.
SiloHillFarm
Oh my goodness! I am loving this makeover and you have no idea how bad my linen closet needs some help! You crack me up….sharing the shame!! Have you seen my laundry room post??!! Shared my own shame there! I posted this on my facebook page today (the after pic!) and thanks for the laugh and the inspiration! Bet that aqua blue color is a lovely thing to see opening the door!
Tara @ Suburble
I’m glad that you love it! The aqua blue is courtesy of my good friend, The Dollar Tree! Can you believe it? I love seasonal stuff!
I am all for “Sharing the Shame”. I am definitely going to find your laundry room post, because my own laundry room is chaos defined. It’s very important that my laundry room door is always closed. Self-esteem preservation. 😉
Tara @ Suburble
Hi Frances! Thanks for stopping in! I’m loving that this comment thread is turning into a Linen Closet Confessional. I really felt heaps of shame as I took my “Before” photos!
Let me know if you give it a whirl!
Kathy Gossen
Amazing redo! Love the cute baskets and labels. I’d love to have you link this to Titus 2 Tuesday this week on Cornerstone Confessions.. I hope to see you there.
Tara @ Suburble
Thank you, Kathy! I will head over and check it out!
Mekenzie Burton Crowder
Your closet looks amazing. Want to come do mine? Mine is AWFUL!
Tara @ Suburble
Worse than mine? Impossible.
Melissa Whitcher
I love this. Great idea to use the extra shelf pieces as dividers. That’s what I need to do in my personal closet. Thanks for the inspiration!
Tara @ Suburble
Once I realized that the extra shelving could be repurposed, I was all over it like a dirty shirt! Even when I checked out the costs of buying a length of wire shelf from the home improvement store, it was still significant savings over the premade dividers. Let me know if you do give it a try!
Manuela Williams
It looks great-pretty and organized!
Tara @ Suburble
Thank you, Manuela! Glad you could stop by!
Bethany Kline
that’s awesome, what an improvement! I def need to do this with our linen closet (aka the shelves above my washer and dryer, lol!
<3 Bethany @ thesepiapuppy.blogspot.com
Tara @ Suburble
I would love to have my linen storage in the laundry room! It would be so efficient! My laundry room has its own “issues” right now. It will probably end up being a post on my blog. It’ll need more than zap straps, though.
Mel Lea-Wood
Awesome job, mines a little less organised…..than the before pic 🙂
Tara @ Suburble
Impossible. People say that theirs is less organized, but I really think that my linen closet was nothing more than a glorified laundry hamper. It’s probably why I just shut the door and walked away for all of those years. 😉
Lindsay Faber
Ummm…that’s amazing. My linen closet is definitely the “before” image. Definitely. Maybe you can come over and do mine next!!
Saif Butt
This is awesome! I had googled DIY shelf dividers and located your data on Hometalk. i’m getting to use this in my daughter’s closet. i used to be making an attempt to assume “outside the box” and was thinking of a wire dress hanger, and having the hook work over the shelf on top of, etc. Your plan is great! i believe we’ve got some leftover items. i’m “thinking” that Home Depot could have some short very little items that they will offer away; from wherever they need cut the lengths for purchasers. simply a concept.
Thanks 🙂
Tara
I think you’re right – I didn’t ever think of Home Depot having leftover bits and bobs. Have you checked with them yet? I really loved the way this linen closet turned out. It was so easy – let me know if you try it as well. I’d love to see pictures!
Tara @ Suburble
Ah, thank you! I’ve got the zap straps if you’ve got the time (and wire shelving… I ran out of that. Kind of a crucial ingredient)!
amy of while wearing heels
I hope you are strutting around like a proud organized peacock. That is one heck of a transformation! I love that you shared your linen closet in true before form.
Tara @ Surburble
That was the honest, bare-bones truth… it was ug-ly. But I think that it’s important to be honest when you’re doing before/after stuff. Otherwise, people would read blogs and think, “Why does everyone else have such a perfect house and mine’s a big dump?”
Guess what? My house can be pretty dumpy too! Especially the stuff behind doors!
But yeah… I be struttin’… my tail feathers are all prettied up today! 😉
MomHomeGuide
I like how your organized your linen closet — I really need to get mine organized!
Tara @ Surburble
Oh, I hear you, sister. It took me 7 years to get this sorted out. It wasn’t until I realized that the shelving could be converted into dividers that I really felt motivated. Once you conquer such a mess, though, it’s quite the feeling.
Amy D.
I love it- I am inspired. I am your newest follower from the link party.
http://bestlifemistake.blogspot.com
Tara @ Surburble
Amy – I’m glad you’re inspired! Do it! If you have wire shelves, then this a quick and easy (and essentially tool-free) way to whip it into shape! I’ll pop over to your interweb space as well! Thanks for popping over!
Abby Lawson
This looks amazing! I just reorganized my linen closet, too– such a great feeling! 🙂 I found you at Lil Luna–thanks for sharing!
~Abby =)
Tara @ Surburble
Abby – I’m glad you like it! Thanks for popping by! I’ll stop by your haunt as well!
Kimberly Ann
Great job! I recognize some dollar store baskets!!! The creating dividers with the leftover shelving is ingenius. It’s crazy how much they try to charge for organizational things like that.
Oh – And I read somewhere (and didn’t get to try yet since my linen closet has no actual sheets in it) that if you can’t fold fitted sheets, just fold them as best you can then put them inside the matching pillow cases. Gives a nice neat line.
Tara @ Surburble
Okay, that is a great tip! I will be using your pillowcase tip. I can’t – just cannot – fold a fitted sheet. And when somebody tries to show me, it’s like they’re Criss Angel doing some sort of fancy illusionary magic. So yeah… I’m pretty hopeless.
Oh, you have a keen eye, ma’am! Those are Dollar Tree specials! I like to keep it cheap and cheerful (like some other clever people I know)!
Jenna
Wow, you have one seriously organized closet now! Mine still looks more like the picture of your before!
Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof
Tara @ Surburble
Ahhh… Jenna… I know you’re just being nice. I am pretty sure that I am (was?) the winner of the Worst Closet Ever contest. It was pretty brutal.
(But thanks for the compliments on its makeover!)
Stephanie
Thanks for linking up to my link party, I love how you transformed your linen closet! I will be featuring you at today’s link party!
Stephanie
http://www.simplydreamandcreate.com
Sparkling
Please feel free to come by and do the very same thing to my linen closet or any closet you wish to tackle. That looks great and the labeling is so essential to staying organized!!!
Tara @ Suburble
Thanks, Sparkling! I have yet to do this in another closet, but now that I know how easy it is to keep things organized (when dividers force you to), I am taking stock of my other closets! 🙂
ellie p
WOW! This came just in time. Your BEFORE picture looks PAINFULLY familiar!! Thanks so much for linking up at Creative Geekery’s THE Pin It Party! Hope you will come back next week! XO, ellie
Tara @ Suburble
Thank you so much, Ellie! I’ll definitely be back next week! 🙂
Emily S
Very nice! We don’t have space like that, but I’m sure it would look similar to what you had. My husband doesn’t believe in bins (not really sure why), so I don’t know what we would do! Visitng from the Creative Geekery!
Tara @ Suburble
Doesn’t believe in bins?!? Oh no. My whole life is bins. I imagine that you guys must be far more organized than I am. I need boxes to hide my clutter. 😉 Thanks for visiting, Emily!
Tammie
This is awesome! I had googled DIY shelf dividers and found your info on Hometalk. I am going to use this in my daughter’s closet. I was trying to think “outside the box” and was thinking of a wire coat hanger, and having the hook fit over the shelf above, etc. Your idea is great! I think we have some leftover pieces. I am “thinking” that Home Depot may have some short little pieces that they may give away; from where they have cut the lengths for customers. Just a thought.
Tara
Tammie, I’m so glad that you stumbled upon my post. It’s one of my most favourite “eureka” moments I’ve ever had! And it’s so much cheaper than buying pre-made dividers (which come with their very own terrible reviews). You’re so smart to think of asking if there are remnants left behind. While you’re there, don’t forget to pick up your end caps. It’s crucial in making the dividers look “professional”, as opposed to just remnants strapped to shelves. 😉
Let me know how it goes! 🙂
Val
Hi Tara,
Found your post via Hometalk. Great way to use those wire shelves! My linen closet needs a revamp too, and I just happen to have some left over wire grid shelves hanging around. Thank you for the tip!
Val
Tara
I’m so glad that you like this little tip, Val! It’s made SUCH a difference in my linen closet!
Steph
My linen closet actually isn’t messy, but I am pretty envious of those dividers and super cute washcloth bins! Your closet looks awesome!
Maureen
Amazing! I was looking for Linen Closet inspirations and found this. It looks terrific – how is it working out – functional? I picked this post as one of My Friday Favorites this week – you can check it out here: http://wp.me/p2hp9V-12s
Tara
Well, we’ve moved from that house… and I left the organizer there (seemed fair), but while we were living there, I LOVED the dividers. It kept my linen closet tidy, despite my cluttery ways. 🙂
Julie W
You were four step ahead of me in the “before” photo. My linens are still stored in space saver bags and I have no shelves in the closets. I hadn’t considered wire shelves and was dreading the whole cut, paint, mount wood shelf issue. Thank you for the phenomenal ideas.
Tara
I really like the wire shelves, Julie. They’re super easy to put up and the divider thing… I love it. I’m going to be putting them into our new house (which just so happens to have the wire shelving too). I need organization to be “forced” on me, if that makes sense. Having the little spaces for towels and washcloths was foolproof.
Heather
This may seriously change my life – the divider idea alone is priceless!!!! Thank you too, for sharing the before photo.
Tara
Oh… that before photo…. it was very honest. 🙂
I’m so glad that the divider idea is helpful! I hope that it does the same for your closet that it did for mine!