Part of the small homes / BIG IDEAS series, I’m sharing linen closet organization ideas for the small-home-challenged. This gives you tips on how to decide what to keep and what to get rid of so you can have a beautifully organized linen closet too!
While I was taking the before pictures of our linen closet, there was a fleeting moment that I felt like straightening up.
It’s kind of like when you clean the house before the cleaning lady gets there.
I thought, “I can’t possibly show everyone how guilty I am of closet-neglect for the past three years”.
But after reading some of the sweet comments from my last closet organization post, I’ve realized that a lot of my readers have even greater challenges than we do when it comes to finding closet space.
You see, many of you have much larger families and/or smaller homes.
If I can inspire at least one person by showing them how our linen closet went from overflowing to organized, then I feel like I’ve accomplished my goal.
There’s a wonderful thing about closets.
They usually have doors.
Doors that can hide a multitude of sins. Just opening the door to our linen closet was causing me to be stressed out.
I couldn’t find anything I needed!
Ready to see what I’ve been hiding?
You won’t believe the after! It’s been so nice to finally see the linen closet organized that I’ve kept the door open for the past few days.
I knew what a difference it would make to paint the door and the shelves white after seeing the results a little paint made when I organized our other hall closet.
After pulling everything out, I sorted everything into five piles.
1. Stuff that would go back into the closet:
First of all, I had to decide what would have to stay. I only kept the white sheets since they can be bleached. I got rid of anything that no longer fit our new extra-deep mattress. I also made sure that I only put things that I’ve actually used in the past year back into the closet.
2. Goodwill donations:
Next, I made a pile for items that were nice enough to give away. I keep a bag by the front door for Goodwill items. When it gets full, I throw in the back of the car and drop it off during my weekly errand-running days.
3. Home decorating items:
These went into a bin for the storage building. If I don’t use these things in one year, they will go also to Goodwill.
4. Things that can be stored in the boy’s room:
I now keep the boys’ sheets in their dressers so they can get to them easily to make their beds. Since our oldest son’s room is used as a guest room when my parents come into town, I put the blankets and pillows for guests in a chest at the end of his bed.
5. Items to put on Craigslist:
In the before picture, I had a few items on the floor that I need to sell. It’s easier to justify spending a little money to organize a closet when you can make twice as much by selling a few items, right?
After organizing and putting everything back in the closet, it looks like we have twice as much room since we have half the junk!
The linen closet is in the middle of the house and beside the hall bathroom. Rather than digging underneath the kitchen sink cabinet to get cleaning supplies, I’ve put some in a fabric covered bucket close to where they are used most often.
I bought the metal shelf labels several years ago for this closet but wanted to wait until I painted the shelves before I put them up.
These shelf label holders are similar or you can look for them in the scrapbook section of the craft store. 
After seeing some Swiss Army baskets from Refresh Interiors, I spray painted some old baskets white and used craft paint to add the red cross. I had planned on using them in the boy’s bathroom, but for now, the baskets hold pillowcases and ironing supplies.
The ironing board cover was made by a shop on Etsy. That pattern is sold out, but this shop on Etsy has many cute and colorful ironing board covers to chose from.
The chrome shelf dividers keep everything looking neat. I bought these at Bed Bath and Beyond but you can also find the shelf dividers on Amazon.
I admit I’m a bit of a bin/basket fanatic! This one usually goes with us on trips to the beach, so it will be grab-and-go. These are no longer sold on Lillian Vernon, but this slightly smaller jute bin on Amazon is similar.
And since it’s always fun to see a before and after picture! 
I hope that I inspired some of you with some ways to get organized! If you’d like to see the rest of my organization projects, click here or click on the pictures below of my favorite organized closets!
Organization Tips for a Craft Closet
The Office in a Closet (aka the Cloffice)
**Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links**
Jillian Michelle says
I love your simple and effective ideas! Not only does the closet increase its function and efficiency, it looks nice too!
Laura says
Hi, can you tell me where you got the large jute tote that is showing at the bottom of the closet? I’ve been looking for one of those for a very long time.
Thank you!!
Laura
Tricia says
Hi Laura! I bought these bins several years ago from Lillian Vernon and they are sold out. I found 2 other similar bins but they’re not the exact same size. Hope this helps!
Large jute storage bin from Jojo Maman Bébé
Large Jute Rope Tote – 17.3″ X 14.3″ X 9.9″ Tall (Water resistant Interior)
” target=”_blank”>Large jute rope tote from Amazon.com
Laura says
Thank you so much for getting back with me right away and for the information. I’ll take a look. 🙂
Novella Watkins says
I wish my closet looked like yours! I can’t find anything there and I should definitely clean it up. I have old towels and I should throw them into the garbage. Thank you for the interesting hints!
http://kensingtoncarpetcleaners.org.uk says
I live in a very small apartment and I don’t have space for my stuff. I think that it is high time this Spring to declutter the closet and the house as a whole. Thanks a lot for this article!
Mariah says
Hi,
I was so frustrated today and put into the search criteria some ideas and up came your first picture of an orderly linen cupboard. Well done, fantastic!
I have a question that your orderly mind may be able to help with. My home is organised and pretty neat but I have a unit sized (9sq) 3 bedroom home and I home educate 4 children daily. I have lots of books and supplies as you can imagine. We used to have a separate school room but alas the roof leaked down the walls and we had to move out while it was repaired and we had to move somewhere in the meantime. I wa considering using my rather large linen cupboard for a school cupboard and storing my linen elsewhere, but after a days pondering, there is no elsewhere. I don’t have much linen really. 1 cotton summer set of sheets, 1 flannelette winter set, per bed and towels. Would you or anyone of your readers have any ideas, perhaps some of you are home schoolers?
Linda Stoll says
very fun, Tricia … and certainly motivating! I love as much white as possible … it opens everything up and makes life simpler!
Jill Robson says
Loved the make over. Painting the inside of closets white is amazing right. It really goes to show how much stuff we have in our linen closets that we don’t actually use. Well done.
Kris {Driven by Décor} says
Love it – we are getting ready to move and I’m promising myself that my linen closet will be MUCH better organized in the new house. Your organization tips are great!
Patrica says
To restate what Erin@managingthemanour says: totally-swoon-worthy. To use my words, a very impressive overhaul/re-organization project! I adore everything about it. Thankyou for posting these organization-projects.
Tricia says
Thank you so much, Patricia! I will be doing another organization project on our bathroom soon. Hope you come back to check it out!
Avalyn says
Nice job! I found this via Pinterest. I just reorganized my own closet this weekend. It’s not as polished, but at least it looks organized now. Your last picture of the craft closet made me laugh because I have used the same green contact paper to line shelves in my garage and I have the same green-handled tubs from Target that I use for acrylic craft paints. I think I actually have the same white mini drawer organizers too (but only one of them). They work great!
Erin@Managing the Manor says
I found your blog from an IHeart Organizing post. Your linen closet looks great–totally swoon-worthy! We too live in the Upstate (Taylors/Greer area). It’s good to find fellow bloggers so close by 🙂
Tricia says
Hi Erin! I’m so glad you like the linen closet! A blog friend of mine, Leslie, from Goodbye House, Hello Home is having a meeting in April to bring local bloggers together. I’d love for you to meet with us! http://www.goodbyehousehellohome.com/2013/02/you-are-invited-to-join-me-inrl-april.html
Erin@Managing the Manor says
That would be great! Thanks for the info 🙂
Chaney says
This is a beautiful closet re-do! Our multi-tasking front hall closet is next on my list to organize, so this is super timely and very inspiring! Thanks for sharing.
-Chaney (came over from your feature at IHeart Organizing!)
Christine says
I love it! Where did you get the ironing board cover?
Tricia says
Hi Christine! I bought the ironing board cover from Letssewsomething on Etsy. I have the link to her store in the post above.
Jennifer Malick says
Any chance you can let us know where you bought your shelf dividers and shelf labels? It looks wonderful. It has inspired me!
Tricia says
I’m so glad to hear that, Jennifer! Thank you! I bought the shelf dividers at Bed Bath & Beyond a couple of months ago but they were out of stock at our store when I went back there last week to get some more. I put the links to where you can buy the dividers and the shelf labels in my post from Amazon. The shelf labels that I bought were from someone on Ebay that has closed their store but the ones on Amazon are the same size.
Jamie Figari says
I love the closet! Gorgeous – what a difference it makes. Can you tell me where you found the basket for the cleaning supplies?
Jamie Figari says
I love the closet! Gorgeous – what a difference it makes. Can you tell me where you found the basket for the cleaning supplies, and the beach towel tote? Much appreciated!
Tricia says
Hey Jamie! I made the cleaning supply bucket with a galvanized pail, fabric and mod podge. I have the tutorial how to make one here. Sorry the pictures are so small on the tutorial. They magically shrunk when I moved from Blogger to WordPress. 🙂 I bought the beach towel tote from Lilian Vernon a while back and is no longer available. It was called the “wide jute bin”.
Nem says
Beautiful organized space! I love how everything has it’s place.
Where did you get the basket for your beach towels?
Tricia says
I got the bin that holds the beach towels from Lillian Vernon several years ago. They were called the “wide jute bin”. Unfortunately, they don’t sell them any longer. I found something similar online a while back, but it would have been shipped from Australia and the shipping was crazy expensive.
Samantha says
I laughed at your hesitation to post the before photo because I actually had that exact same feeling this week! I’ve blogged about the same topic – Decluttering & Organising my Linen Closet. It’s one of those areas that seems to get put off until you have that “Enough is enough” moment. I love your finished product – the labels are beautiful!! Definitely a job to be proud of. 🙂
Melanie says
What a fantastic re-do! You just might inspire me to re-do my own little linen closet. 😉
Debbie reFresh says
I have a long way to go, but you have inspired me 🙂 Love your closet!
Debbie
Tricia says
Glad I could help! It only took me 3 years to finally decide to do mine. 😉
Nicki@DispensingMe says
Wow! This looks so great! I just found your blog via tatertots and jello, and I’ve already added you to my favorite blogs! Love your style.
Nicki@DispensingMe says
Sorry, I meant to leave a link so you could visit if you like 🙂 must have typed it in wrong.
Anu says
What a fantastic transformation. I love the pops of colour on your bucket, baskets and ironing board. Great job!
Shannon Fox says
Love this project and how pretty you make the “after”. I bet you left the doors open 😉 I would too! The baskets are darling, you decorated them up so cute!! And don’t get me started on those awesome dividers…
Shannon
Nancy @ Artsy Chicks Rule says
I love all your organization tips!! I need to watch and learn. 😉 I haven’t gotten to the organizing in my home that I need to! But you have inspired me to get on it. 🙂
April @ Angel's Homestead says
Love this! I’d like to invite you to link up to Saturday Spotlight @ Angels Homestead.
http://angelshomestead.com/saturday-spotlight-4/
Hope to see you there 🙂
April
jen @ Tatertots & Jello says
Your linen closet is beautiful!! I pinned it 🙂
xoxoxo
Tricia says
Thank you so much, Jen!
lauren @ daisy cottage designs says
Wow! What an improvement! My linen closet could use some tender loving care right about now – might have to steal some of your ideas 🙂 Off to pin for future reference.
I’d be thrilled if you’d link up at this week’s Off the Hook!
Sonya Barker ~At Home with The Barkers says
I wish I had just one closet in my house that looked this pretty when I opened the door! I mean, seriously good!!! I may be totally copying the red cross basket idea 🙂 GREAT JOB Tricia!
Jedi Mama says
Well. Last week, I found the Hose of Rose blog by a sweet accident, and today I found YOUR blog, because she had linked your driftwood heart project, and now… well… Now I am head over heels in love with YOUR blog, too! I may become a crazy stalker (which is better than being a crazy cat lady, with 17 kitties and a poorly-cleaned litter box, I guess). I have already taken your home tour, and I ADORE your closet-turned-desk in your teenage son’s room, and I BIG-PUFFY-RED-HEART-LOVE the shelves and baskets in your laundry room. I have to say that decorating is not my spiritual gift, although I can clean a toilet and scrub a kitchen floor better than most anyone. I would love to have you over for coffee… along with Mandy from House of Rose… and when the two of you were done with your cups of coffee (because I am ladylike enough to let you finish), the two of you could just be turned loose on my house. Y’all could say, “You need a sign here!” And, “You need a driftwood heart here!” And, “These are the ugliest throw pillows I’ve ever seen, so please order THESE PILLOWS from Etsy and get rid of yours!” And then whew! Things would look rather lovely around here, I’m sure. Anyway, I may very well pop in from time to time here and see what you’re up to. You’ve done a great job with this blog!
Tricia says
Hi Jedi! Glad you found my blog! I too, love House of Rose’s blog. If nothing else, we can all meet up for a virtual cup of coffee one day. We can trade decorating ideas and in return, you can motivate me to clean my house. I don’t mind the blog stalking at all just as long as you do say “hi” every now and then because I love your sense of humor! 🙂