Linen Closet Makeover: 10 Organizing Tips + Ideas

I have been working hard on giving our girls Jack and Jill bathroom a little makeover – one step at a time! I have just finished painting both vanities and linen closet a fresh white, and now have just tackled the organization part. It’s like spring cleaning – accumulated for 18 years though. And I am feeling pretty good – momma good that is – LOL!! So, don’t get overwhelmed – you can do this too! Let’s get to it. Linen Closet Makeover: 10 Organizing Tips + Ideas.

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Linen Closet Makeover: 10 Organizing Tips + Ideas

Supplies:

Lined Basket Woven – here, here, here, or here

Lined Basket Fabric – here, here, here, or here

Plastic Bins – white, white, clear

Carry Caddy – small, large

Shoe Rack – 24″W here wooden

Expandable Rack – 27″ here metal

Foldable Step Stool – 9″/11″ here, or 13″/15″here

Linen Closet Makeover: 10 Organizing Tips + Ideas

I wanted to start with some before pictures so you could see what I was working with.

Our linen closet is in my girls Jack and Jill bathroom – it is very small, and is in a very tight space.
But it holds a ton of stuff – and that’s all that matters!

Before Picture:

And this is how much stuff was in there – crazy!!

In fact, I forgot to take a picture initially – so this pic was taken after I had already removed some stuff!

Ok, let’s get to our Linen Closet Makeover: 10 Organizing Tips + Ideas!

Linen Closet Makeover: 10 Organizing Tips + Ideas

10 Tips:

Refresh With Paint, Wallpaper, or Shelf Liner
Measure/Purchase/Test Out Supplies
Use Larger Bins/Baskets (Towels + Sheets)
Use Smaller Plastic Bins (Liquids + Toiletries)
Separate Bins W/Clear Cups
Use a Carry Caddy
Group Items By Category/Label
Organize Items On Shelves By Importance
Keep a Stool Handy
Maximize Space

Ok, let’s get to the 10 Easy Organizing Tips + Ideas!

10 Organizing Tips + Ideas

Tip #1: Refresh With Paint, Wallpaper, or Shelf Liner

The first thing I recommend is removing all of the goodies, cleaning the closet real good, and then coming up with a game plan.

This is the perfect time to get rid of or donate items that you no longer need.

So I decided to paint our linen closet a fresh white (SW Snowbound) and then added some shelf liner.

I love shelf liner because it really does save your cabinets from scratches and other mishaps (especially when you have kiddos).
And hopefully it will prevent you from having to repaint – down the road!

You can also add wallpaper/removable wallpaper to the back wall if you want to add some personality to your linen closet.

Tip #2: Measure/Purchase/Test Out Supplies

This is the most important tip – measure inside:

measure the width, depth, and height of your shelves.

Our Measurements are:

31.5″W x 17.5″D x 14.5″H (top shelf 21″H)
5 shelves (6 open spaces)

Then decide what is going into your bins/baskets so that you know what to purchase:

how many different sizes you might need
if you want woven baskets and/or plastic bins
if you want all one color – or color coded for different children (we used to have green and yellow for each of my girls)

Don’t forget to shop your house first.

You might already have some bins that you aren’t using (& forgot about- lol)!
I found the 2 bottom baskets (on the lower shelf) with our girls swim towels in them & chose our color palette to match them.

Once you have purchased your bins/baskets, test them out to see if they fit.

Then you can do a little trial run and see what will go into them.

Tip #3: Use Larger Bins/Baskets (Towels + Sheets)

I recommend using larger bins/lined baskets for towels, sheets, robes, etc.

Then I did the “what goes into each basket” game – to figure out the best fit.

***Rolling towels allows you get more in your basket – but it adds height (so just remember that part).***

I borrowed my liners (from our former green and yellow bins) and used them for my new baskets.
They don’t all fit perfectly – but hey – they are free!

Tip #4: Use Smaller Plastic Bins (Liquids + Toiletries)

Now it was time to figure out what was going into my plastic bins.

I do recommend having at least a couple of plastic bins or some type of clear containers in your linen closet.

They can be wiped down – for messy items or liquids.
You’ll be able to see what is in them – a little easier.

Tip #5: Separate Bins W/Clear Cups

Even though my girls are both now in college, they still have a ton of smaller items that fit into the plastic bins (like all of the goodies from the dentist).

So I recommend using some clear plastic cups to use as dividers for those smaller items.

You can always buy a plastic bin with dividers in it – whatever works best for you.

Tip #6: Use a Carry Caddy

We technically already had our carry caddy (from our former closet) – but that is exactly why I’m recommending it!

These little shower caddies or cleaning caddies – or whatever you want to call them – come in so handy.

They are great for:

cleaning products
“lady products” 😉
or basically anything that can be transported easily.

Tip #7: Group Items By Category/Label

Here are some ideas on how I grouped our items.

Plastic bin items:

hair, dental, lady products
manicure/pedicure, shaving products
soap, cotton balls, Q-tips

Lined basket items:

everyday – towels, washcloths, hand towels
guest towels & swim towels
sheets
robes
(we used to keep our girls nighties, panties, & socks in here also)

Labeled items:

My girls don’t need the labels anymore, but I wanted to show what I would do if they still needed them.

So, I also did some “faux” labels – just for staging here.

Tip #8: Organize Items On Shelves By Importance

It probably sounds a little ridiculous to organize this way – but it really works well (and makes it much more efficient).

Top Shelf – Taller Items/Lighter Items (Pillows/Blankets)
Middle Shelves – Most Used Items
Lower Shelves – Heavier Items/Stool

Tip #9: Keep a Stool Handy

Since my girls no longer need a step stool, I just staged one here.

The floor level is a perfect spot for easy access.
And the cute foldable step stools (linked above) – are easy to grab and set up quickly.

Memory Lane:

It goes by SO fast mommas! It seems just like yesterday that I painted these stools for my girls (cry-cry, sniff-sniff). Enjoy those babies and kiddos!