Most homes have one of “those” closets. The one that you’re afraid to even open, because you know you’ve got a good chance of being met by an avalanche of unused linens, DVDs, old electronics, and spare toilet paper. In many homes, it’s the linen closet.
Linen closets can be extremely useful for storing those items that you don’t need regularly, but do need quick access to every once in a while. But how can you tackle the project of getting your linen closet under control? We’ve listed out some easy to follow steps that, if followed, can make it downright delightful to open that closet door.
Take it all out.
The first step is to empty the closet completely. If your closet is a teetering tower just waiting to fall down when the door is opened…let it happen! Get it all out of the closet, and feel inspired by how much nice, empty space you have to work with.
Sort, sort, sort.
Go through each item in the closet. Start four piles: trash, donate, put somewhere else, and keep in the closet. When sorting through your items, be honest with yourself as you think about the last time you used the item. If you honestly can’t remember, or if you forgot you had it, chances are, it’s safe to get rid of! If you have a whole bunch of stuff that you can’t seem to part with, but don’t have a place for, you could always rent a storage unit for safekeeping!
Clear it away.
Set aside the pile of everything you’re keeping in the closet, and clear out the rest. Throw out the trash, bag up everything you have to donate, and put away everything you’re keeping but putting elsewhere. This will help you see exactly what you have to work with when it comes to your newly organized closet.
Clean the closet.
As in, break out the vacuum and the all-purpose cleaner. Vacuum the floor and get out the hand vacuum to really get into the corners and crevices of the closet. Give each of the shelves a good scrub down. If you want to take it to the next level, consider adding shelf liners to each shelf, creating a clean, appealing aesthetic.
Buy some baskets.
Baskets are going to give you a great, good-looking way to keep everything separated and organized. Baskets will create a uniform look and keep things looking nice and neat in the closet. Use one for spare towels, one for spare sheets, one for spare pillowcases, one for extra blankets, etc. Take a close look at what you’re keeping in the closet to determine how many baskets you need, and in what sizes.
Label.
Find some way to label your baskets so that you can find exactly what you need without searching through every single basket. You’ll be able to tell at a glance what is in each and every basket, so your closet will be as functional as it is beautiful!
If you’re ready to actually get some good use out of that linen closet—instead of avoiding it like the plague—take an afternoon, follow these steps, and rediscover that long, lost storage space!
Take your storage to the next level by moving all those unwanted items into a storage unit at Arizona Storage Centers. With locations around the valley, including Phoenix, Deer Valley, Gilbert, Chandler, and Glendale, you’ll be able to find a facility that is convenient to you. Our customer service will blow you away! Contact us today at 480-386-6022 to find the right storage solution for you.
