Here's the BEFORE (oh the embarrassment!):
Here's the AFTER (ahhhh, much better!):
So what do you think about that change-a-roo? I'm in lurrrve! And I think I'll even venture back and get two more baskets for the top shelf...because the clutter up there kind of annoys me now. Oh my gosh, it's crazy what $6 worth of Dollar Tree baskets can do, isn't it? Doesn't it look so much better! Ok, let me do a play-by-play of my organizational process and tell you how we went from chaotic linen explosion to neatly manicured and easy to find!
So see these bags on the floor of the BEFORE pic? Yeah, well I've been dragging these puppies farther than most Americans have ever traveled. Where have these sacks of outdated treasures been? They originated in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands and then made their way by freight to Los Angeles, then by car up to San Francisco. They stayed put, in their lil' bags in San Francisco, for almost two years.
Now they've found a home in Austin, Texas for the last two years on the floor of our linen closet. Ridiculous? You betcha! It was time to weed through the crud, find the treasures, recycle all the out-dated stuff (almost all of it) and throw away what we don't need! Oh my gosh, I feel like a Hoarder...please don't call TLC on me! But it's just one of those things...out of sight, out of mind!
This was my main inspiration for actually organizing our linen closet. Poor Walt has all our bathroom towels on the shelf in HIS closet. They take up so much room and he's already maxed out in there. So I knew I needed to make space for our towels in our own linen closet and free up that room for his jeans and works pants.
And while this preggers was hard at work on the inside, look at the two cuties I spied chill-laxin' in the backyard. I love that tiny punkin head! Walt was just about to cut the grass. Zola loathes when he cuts the grass cause she just wants to be out there, playing with her Dadda! This was probably a pep talk to tell her to be a good girl for me, while he was doing the yard work. Hahaha!
Yep, so much crap was packed into that linen closet...seriously, I'm blushing in embarrassment. So much of this stuff didn't even belong in there but you know when you get lazy and don't feel like finding something a new 'home' in your house? And then you just end up tossing it into the closest open space? Ok, well our linen closet was dumping ground 1 at CasaCullen, ha! Yep, it was time to find things a new home and decide what would make the organized linen closet cut!
Since all the shelves were bare, I busted out my Seventh Generation all-purpose spray and cleaned those puppies right off! And let me just tell you the dirt that I found on the floor level...ummm, one word: GROTTY! So glad to have that all spick-n-span!
A towel-less closet shelf for the Hubster...he was such a happy man!
This was a shot when I was half way done. I actually thought I was done until...
I realized we have THIS MUCH STUFF to still find a 'home' for in that closet. Hmmmm, what to do? At this time it was about 5pm on a Sunday night and this preggers was tired. So I laid by bootie on the couch in order to prepare myself for my favorite Sunday nights shows: 60 Minutes and Dateline. Yes, I'm the world's biggest nerd and love those shows. So, fast forward a few days later and I'm back at it again...organizing the linen closet below.
One trip to my fave, the Dollar Tree, and I scored SIX GREAT BASKETS for $6! Seriously, I love that place. Remember how we tidied up our laundry room HERE and our pantry HERE using baskets from the Dollar Tree? Yeah, I highly suggest it! There's just something about throwing everything into a basket that makes life so much simpler, more organized and less hectic. Agreed?
Then I decided to take all the leftover goodies that were sitting pretty in our extra laundry basket (above) and separate them by category. We have medicines in one basket. Body stuff in another basket and hair brushes in another basket. I mean, there really wasn't any method to my madness and these are obviously all subject to change at a later date...but for now, this all makes Momma very happy!
Round 1...nope, don't like it! Still look cluttered to me. The baskets on top of each other on the floor just wasn't going to fly with this lady. So it's back to the drawing board...
So I removed the products from the remaining shelf and dispersed them into the baskets and did some basket re-organization and voila...we have a happy and organized linen closet!
No more paper bags at the bottom of this closet, people. With sunscreen and hair products in easy reach (what I/we use most during the summer season) and everything in it's own place...I seriously smile every time I open this door. I couldn't wait for Hubby to get home so that I could show him our supremely awesome after. He was pumped and loved it!
And awwww, that sweet Walt even had a surprise up his sneaky lil' sleeve for me...what a sweet man! Now we just have to tackle the upstairs linen closet. HERE'S a sneak peek pic and yes, we totally have our work cut out for us there, ha!
Cost Breakdown for Organizing the Downstairs Linen Closet:
A whole buncha linen closet crap - already owned
Seventh Generation All Purpose Cleaner and Paper Towels - already owned
6 Baskets from Dollar Tree - $6
Total = $6 and worth every penny!
