Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Organizing the Linen Closet - After

Remember my post about how horrible my linen closet was? Go back here for all the before pictures.


Ack! However did I put up with it for the almost 3 years I've lived here? Then while I was slaving away working my magic on the closet I gave you some organizing tips and tricks for your own linen closet here.

Now prepare yourself for the wonders of the newly painted and organized linen closet!


Empty! You should see my bedroom - it's as if the linen closet vomited in there. How will I ever sleep? My bed is just covered with ... stuff.


Look at the difference white paint makes! The walls were a dirty peachy flesh color before. I wonder how I even saw anything in the dark closet. I had to paint the shelves in place in the closet because I have no room. You should have seen me when I decided that the bottom of the shelves were reflecting their icky color onto the white shelf below it and needed to be white also. I was twisted in half trying to paint the bottom of the shelf while not sticking my hair or hands in the wet paint. Needless to say, I came out looking like a skunk!
Top left side. Only bedding and pillows on the top shelf now. I still haven't found a home for all the other crap that was there, but I will! I even have room for rags now on the towel shelf. I had to give my son a towel folding lessen so that it stays this pretty. To fit my closet shelf, fold the towel in 3rds lengthwise then in 3rds widthwise. Works like a charm.


Top right side. Notice that the shelves are labeled so items go back into their proper place! I still want all white towels (except for the rag pile with the green and blue towels here). It will have to wait for a sale and after new tires are purchased for my car.
 

Middle left side. See all the pretty baskets nicely labeled?! No excuse for not being able to find anything now.


 Middle right side. Did I mention that I used that new Behr paint that is the primer and paint mixed in one? It went on smoothly and covered fairly well. I only did a single coat - I was impatient and lazy. With stuff in the closet, you can't even see that the coverage is spotty in places. I did have a nifty roller cover that was made to paint corners also. It worked well and I had to do hardly any cutting in with a brush.


Bottom left side. I was able to move some cleaners out from being stuffed under the kitchen sink to the closet now. I did take a basket of spray paint, wood stain, lemon oil, WD-40, etc. down to my basement storage locker. It doesn't belong in my linen closet and it freed up so much room! Yes, the litter box had to stay in the closet.


Bottom right side. Look! I have room for toilet paper and rolls of paper towels now. See the empty piece of carpeting? Room for a box of cat litter! How lovely.

I didn't get my cleaning tools moved from my front hall closet to the linen closet yet. Truth be told, I was having so much fun organizing and labeling that I forgot all about them until I sat down to write this post! I'll probably wait until I paint the doors and trim in the condo now before I move them.

Total cost: 
$10 for 10 baskets at the Dollar Store
$34 for a gallon of paint. I only used a fraction and will use the rest to paint my trim and doors in the condo.

Time spent: An hour getting the shelves prepped for painting (remember? They had stuck on bits of shelf liner and glue). And it took longer than I thought to empty the closet. All told about 5 hours from start to finish with prep work and painting including cleaning up. Add another hour to dig out my bed and make room so I could sleep. The next day, sorting by like item, putting the stuff into baskets, labeling and organizing the closet took about 4 hours. I went through and checked all expiration dates, wiped everything down and made a list of needed items as I went. I consolidated a lot of boxes that had just one or two items left. I didn't realize but I had duplicates of several items because I couldn't find anything in the closet. And I spent a little extra time getting the baskets in the "right" place and order. A little OCD perhaps? I also had to recycle the empty old baskets and put away the misc. stuff that hadn't found a home yet.

Is it weird that I am totally in love with my new labeled and organized closet? I open the door to look at it even if I don't need something. I could hardly wait to share it with you. Such a feeling of satisfaction and job well done. All is right with the world.

What have you organized recently? And how did it make you feel?

Linking up to these wonderful parties. Go check them out!

42 comments:

  1. Impressive! Want to come work on mine? :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Can you come to Florida??? It's a little ironic that I spent a large part of the day sorting through toddler clothes and sewing materials. I wish I had your energy AND organizational skills!! It looks amazing:)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks for sharing this. It motivates me to get mine clean.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Just dropped by from the Girl Creative... your linen closet looks fantastic!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Your closet looks so fresh and love the organization! I will have to get to the Dollar Store for some awesome storage baskets.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Great job! Don't you love the feeling after cleaning out and organizing something? It's so wonderful! Love how paint makes something feel new and fresh.

    I'd love for you to check out my blog for a CSN give away! Have a wonderful day! alittleknickknack.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a transformation!!!! Well done :D

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh, it looks fantastic! So nice and neat!
    Thanks for sharing @ Anything Related!
    {Rebekah}

    ReplyDelete
  9. Looks good!!! Thanks for reminding me that the dollar store has great baskets! I usually only shop walmart, target and the container store!!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I *love* the turquiose color! The only thing I would add wuld be a couple of those plastic coated wire standing shlef thingies. Know the ones I mean? The ones that stand on teh shelf and you can slide something under and put the basket on the top? I got some of those and doubled the space in my small bathroom closet.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Wow that looks great, you can come organize mine next :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Ok, Ok, I'm going to clean mine now! Yours looks great. Unfortunately my mess is in a walk in closet so I have more schtuff to go through!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Great job on the closet. Being organized is a "good thing." Dropping by from Timeless Tuesday, #1.

    Allison
    Atticmag

    ReplyDelete
  14. Organization, I am so envious of you. Looks wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Wow, what a difference. I am doing this to my linen closet too. Today I got as far as dumping everything out of the closet onto the floor. Now have to walk over all the crap until I get the gumption to finish. Hope mine looks half as nice as yours when I'm done.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I love the way it feels to be organized. Great makeover. My needs the same love. Hopped over from Timeless Tuesday

    ReplyDelete
  17. AnonymousMay 05, 2010

    Can I ask ... how did you divide the baskets? As in, were they for each member of your family, or was it more like "shampoo" ... "lotions" ... etc? Looks great! You've just motivated me to do mine :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. Can I ask ... how did you divide the baskets? As in, were they for each member of your family, or was it more like "shampoo" ... "lotions" ... etc? Looks great! You've just motivated me to do mine :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hi. Thanks for all the kind comments. I really enjoy organizing so this project was fun.

    I divided the baskets by products or areas of the body, such as teeth (floss, brushes, paste, whitener, mouth wash, retainer), medicines, first aid, etc. Hope that helps.

    Oh, and thanks for stopping by and leaving comments! I just LOVE getting comments.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Ah a lady after my own heart! I love anything organized and labeled! Thanks for linking up to Be Inspired today.

    Chelsea

    ReplyDelete
  21. Great makeover! One day I will be that organized...

    Jeanine

    ReplyDelete
  22. Kudos to you Kat! What a difference. Thanks for linking up to Thrifty Thursday!
    Leigh, Bloggeritaville
    www.lbratina.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  23. That is fabulous! I love the aqua blue, it is very fresh. :D

    ReplyDelete
  24. I have seen these baskets but did not know exactly what to do with them. Well now I do. I think it turned out so super organized. I also love the splash of the blue with the baskets.

    ReplyDelete
  25. ok, I am inspired...I have got to clean now!!!

    ReplyDelete
  26. This looks fantastic - what a huge change.

    Good for you! It must be nice to find everything so easily now :-)

    ReplyDelete
  27. Great job! Boy have I got some closets that need your help! Thanks for planting your creative seed at Plant a Punkin Seed Party!

    Kristi
    Punkin Seed Productions

    ReplyDelete
  28. Yay for dollar sore baskets! I picked some up this week too and corralled some miscellaneous clutter! Isn't a tidy linen closet the best?!

    ReplyDelete
  29. You did a wonderful job!
    Kathy

    ReplyDelete
  30. Hello, What a difference, I'm getting ready to do the same thing after 26 years, yikes how did I stand that lime greeny linen closet all these years? I'm really going to get busy in the next few weeks and get it done once and for all. Thank you for giving me the push that I needed.
    Hugz,
    Kim

    ReplyDelete
  31. This is so inspiring. Mine is bursting and I really need to get in there and sort things out. I love the dollar store baskets and all the labels. Hope your son sticks to the folding routine. Thanks so much for joining in on Finished for Friday!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Oh, how I love those labeled bins!!! It looks beautiful! Thanks for linking up to my Home and Family Friday Linky Party.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Wow, I need you at my house!! Thanks for inspiring me, now I need to spend my whole Saturday organizing! Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  34. I love an organized closet! Want to come do mine? My linen closet is desperate right now. Thanks for sharing with us at the POPP.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Great work don't you feel virtuous?!

    ReplyDelete
  36. Worth every cent and all the hard work-this is amazing!

    Best wishes,
    Natasha.

    ReplyDelete
  37. A little inspiration...boy do I need to do this! It looks great!
    Holly
    504main.com

    ReplyDelete
  38. you did a terrific job.

    ReplyDelete
  39. AnonymousMay 12, 2010

    I'm so jealous, that looks fabulous! Love the pretty turquoise color. So fun!

    ReplyDelete
  40. Amazing! I love this idea and I think you need to come over and do my closets.

    ReplyDelete

I read all your comments and truly appreciate them. They make my day a little brighter. Thanks so much for visiting my blog. Why not subscribe so you don't miss any of the fun?

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...