REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS
There is something so satisfying about seeing perfectly organized linen closets on Pinterest with beautiful baskets, labels and meticulously folded sheets. However, considering the fact that I have already gone over my Target budget this month AND I have more stuff than just a few sheets and towels in my one linen closet, setting that expectation for myself was unrealistic.
Instead, I decided to look at the one bin I did buy from Target and think, “okay, what can I do with this?” When I looked at the contents of our halfway organized closet I realized I don’t regularly use a third of the things in there. I started the process by grabbing those things I know we do not use in our daily life.
IN THE BIN
E has grown out of most of her baby robes and she doesn’t use her medium-sized towels…in the Target bin they went! It’s currently summer so we will not be needing our Christmas duvet cover anytime soon…in the bin it went! We had a few extra towels as “back up” in case we have a bunch of guests or I get really behind on laundry for some reason. I realized I’m pretty timely about washing our towels so we rarely, if ever, use those “back up towels”…in the bin they went.
OUT FOR GOOD
Some items were stored there that did not need to be. For example, E’s baby bath tub that she is way too big for is now with her infant items in storage. The box of back-up nursing supplies that I do not need (until hopefully baby #2 down the road) is stored with my pump and baby supplies. I didn’t even know I had an almost empty box of wipes on the floor so I took the leftover wipe packets and put them in the basket with the candles then tossed the box. Lastly, a breakfast-in-bed tray table we had in there is broken and needs to be tossed so out that went, too.
WHERE THINGS WENT
We are not COVID hoarders but we do always get tissues & toilet paper from Costco so we typically have extras of those. Super simple trick… take the rolls out of the massive, ripped-open Costco bag and neatly place them on the shelf. Voila. If I had a Container Store budget I would buy those pretty baskets to put them in….one day! lol
Medicines were all stored on top so my little munchkin has no way of climbing that high and getting to them. Next to the medicines are our beach/pool towels that we use regularly these days. D and I’s towels are on the next shelf. Below our towels are E’s towels, extra hair-drying towels and washcloths.
I hate to admit it but I am terrible at folding sheets so next up are the pillowcases & pathetically-folded sheets. Below the unsightly sheets, I stored the small candles in the tiny basket, tissue boxes, toilet paper, and heating pad/shoulder massager. Lastly, I added large candles to the basket that has extra shower curtains in it on the floor. Now, the Target bin with all the linens we don’t need at this moment in our lives is next to the basket and the rest of the floor is clear!
THE END
If I was a minimalist, I would give almost everything in that Target tub away. Well, as much as I wish I could be one, I am NOT a minimalist… but I DO love an organized linen closet! In fact, looking at the before picture is now giving me anxiety. LOL. I’d love to spruce the closet up even more in the future with pretty baskets but we are planning to move from our house very soon so I’ll wait to design a prettier space in our next home.
Is your linen closet a sight for sore eyes? What storage works best for you?
LINKS
Nitsa 