Organize + Energize: 10 Steps To An Organized Linen Closet
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
The linen closet often ends up being a space to throw items that have no other proper place. Prevent your closet from becoming a black hole with these tips!
Here are 10 tips to organize your linen closet.
1. Empty the entire closet.
Yes, everything must come out. You won’t know what is hiding in the back corner if you don’t take everything out.
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Keep. Toss. Donate. Sell. Move to another area. Create a “move to another area pile” because you never want to move out of the space you are organizing.
3. Be sure to check for expiration dates when going through toiletries, medications and first aid.
Those items that have been hiding in the back of the closet may have been there a long time.
4. Stay in the area you are working in.
You will be tempted to move the donate, sell and move to another area piles. Do not veer off to other areas of the house. You will get distracted and not finish your project or it will take you twice as long to finish.
5. Itemize and categorize.
As you are emptying, itemize and categorize the items in your keep pile. This will make it easier when you begin to organize.
6. Create a vision.
Take a look at your empty space. Create a vision of how you want your closet to look. Think about how you and your family utilize the closet.
7. Look at all the categories in your keep pile.
Think about how you function with these items. What do you utilize on a daily basis? What items do you utilize on a weekly or monthly basis?
8. Purchase bins to house every category in the closet.
Don’t purchase your bins until you know exactly what you will store in them. Don’t make the mistake of rushing out and purchasing bins only to bring them home and find that they don’t fit what you have and you have just wasted money. Measure your space. Figure out what types of bins you need. Do your research and then purchase.
9. Label, label, label.
Label your bins if you want everybody on board with this process. You and your family will maintain these systems if you label.
10. Maximize.
Make the most of your space. Everything should fit like a puzzle. If you contain categorized items in bins, you will be taking up less space. When items aren’t contained they get thrown around in random spots, pushed to the back of the closet and we forget what we have.
You are going to have more free time because you won’t spend 10 minutes searching for items. You won’t waste money by purchasing duplicate items. If you are disorganized, you will be purchasing duplicate items, I can guarantee it. You will have less stress. You will love opening your linen closet knowing everything is at your fingertips. Revisit your closet in one month to be sure that your systems are working.
Kristin Carcieri-MacRae, the founder and owner of Organizing in RI, has always enjoyed finding creative ways to streamline the environment around her. Kristin has appeared on air on www.talkstreamradio.com and Patricia Raskin's Positive Business Radio. Her articles have been published in the Rhode Island Small Business Journal and New England Home Life. Her CD, Organizing Basics, is a 1-hour guide for the person who wants to get organized but doesn't know where to start and is available at the locations listed here. She is also available for organizing workshops.
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