Storage Solutions for a Skinny Linen Closet
Not that anyone is keeping track…but I think it’s been almost 2 months since I promised our Linen Closet “reveal” was up next. Ooops. It’s not that it wasn’t done…it’s been done for months and months. The problem was taking photos of it. #storyofmylife Our linen closet is in the middle of a long hallway that gets zero light. To get decent photos, I needed to drag my lighting kit out, which I hate doing. BUT! The clock is ticking in this house, so it was literally now or never…and so I finally present to you our small but pretty-darn-mighty skinny linen closet!
Here is our upstairs hallway. The linen closet is the second door on the left…
This linen closet is a pretty standard one (I think!), but after the double-wide linen closet we had in our last house…I really had to streamline what we stored and how we did so.
With some purging, baskets (of course!), and a few other smart solutions, we’ve been able to make the most of every inch in this closet AND keep it this tidy the whole year we’ve been here!
Let’s go top to bottom, and I’ll show you every last detail!
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I was able to maximize space and the amount we stored by using…baskets! I know baskets (especially these Y-weave baskets from Target) are my solution for everything…but I have found that nothing else allows me to store a lot while keeping it all easily accessible AND looking tidy! I was pretty excited to see that 3 of our medium-sized Y-weave baskets fit across the shelves, allowing me to take advantage of every single inch. Even though they look snug in there, they are actually pretty easy to slide in and out without too much disruption. (NOTE: I don’t think this medium size is available anymore.)
Over the years, I’ve been able to really whittle down the amount of linens we use and have on hand. As such, I now have a single dedicated baskets for Table Cloths, Cloth Napkins, and Table Runners. Since our linen closet is in the center of our house, it is also where we chose to keep the household items we need to access regularly. Namely: lightbulbs, extension cords, batteries, and first aid supplies.
Do my labels look familiar? I used the Linen Closet labels I shared in THIS post to make vinyl versions. I’ll be sharing the tutorial AND the cut files soon!
I simply secured the gold vinyl labels to chipboard tags I painted blue.
I then used brass paper fasteners to secure the labels to the basket fronts through a whole in the weave…
In our lightbulb basket, we also had a bunch of extension cords running wild and free. With a few sheets of gold+white cardstock cut into strips and about 5 minutes, our cords were contained yet still easily visible and accessible!
On the shelf underneath the baskets, we store our batteries, first aid supplies and medicines…
I am STILL giddy over our battery storage solution. Not only does it look so darn cute, but we ALL know where to find batteries when needed! (Read more about this project HERE!)
I found this huge, divided acrylic box at a junk store for $10 years ago. I didn’t know what I’d do with it when I found it, but it was too good to pass up. Ever since I dragged it home, it has worked perfectly for corralling various first aid and hygiene products.
I labeled the box with my Linen Closet labels printed onto removable sticker paper.
I tend to be a hoarder when it comes to certain things (ahem…fabric); but when it comes to linens, I tend to keep our stock at bay. I regularly purge out towels and sheets with each move, and keep extras in the bathrooms and bedrooms they belong to. As such, our linen closet only holds our beach towels and large bedding/blankets/quilts that only get pulled out during certain times of year or when we have guests.
Our towels stay (relatively) nicely stacked on shelves…and our big and bulky blankets are stored into giant canvas totes (from Bed, Bath and Beyond). You better bet I was so excited to see how well all these baskets (from our old linen closet) fit into this one when we moved in!
Although it’s been almost a year since we moved in, I still remember how excited I was to puzzle this linen closet together using all items from our old linen closet. I know I sing the praises of bins and baskets endlessly, but this is why…you can almost always get them to work in some form or fashion around the house. And since so many “builder basic homes” AND base housing have pretty standard-sized shelving, there’s a good chance items will work from home to home too. Thanks to some pretty sturdy and functional storage items, we’ve jam-packed a lot of things into this little closet!
Admittedly, I often organize areas and only I know where items are. I did a few things really right in this closet, because both Greg AND Henry know exactly where to find what they’re looking for. First, the things stored in here are very logical for a linen closet (at least to us!). Items are corralled into clear categories and labeled intuitively. And finally, each container perfectly holds the items it’s containing. Even though I was initially bummed by the size of this closet compared to our last one…in the end…it functions perfectly for our needs and our family!
Do you have a linen closet? What kind of things do you store in yours’? Do you use similar strategies that I’ve used here? If you need even more storage ideas for your linen closet, check out our last linen closet HERE!
I hope you all have a great weekend! Next week, I’ll be sharing a quick and easy IKEA hack AND a quick coloring caddie DIY! See you then!
Megan
4 Comments on “Storage Solutions for a Skinny Linen Closet”
I’m wishing I had a linen closet, with how pretty yours looks. When we moved in we took out the built in really old not very efficient linen closet. And we put that space back into the bedroom closets that were right there. That meant that I needed to store everything in my laundry room shelves. I did start storing all the extra sheets in the kids rooms where they are needed. But all the towels/rags/washcloths are in the laundry room. You have me thinking that some better bins/baskets would be worth the investment. I don’t know why it took so long to dawn on me! Thanks for posting this.
I too love the Y weave baskets, and like you use them everywhere. It seems as if Target has discontinued the rectangular ones you have, but they do have a large version that’s more square, and an extra large one as well. Just search up ‘y weave’.
Hi Megan
It seems I didn’t see earlier this wonderful post, sorry ! Well I do love your linen closet. Mine is not like yours, it’s not wide at all as yours yes but very deep which is bad to see the things on the second rank and the distance between the shelves is very high. I don’t really put the same things than you do inside. I put blankets, conforters, sheets and the coordinate other stuff in different sizes for all the beds in the house, the towels in every sort of colors and sizes too and no more ! No napkins no medicines lightbulbs or extension cords, in the dinig room for the first or the garage for the others. I put it in order not so long ago and found a great tool, to roll the towels and not pile them, a great tip really ! By the way I take the idea for the extension cords as I’m smitten with your gold and white coralling creation ! Have a nice week, not as rainy as here ! Michèle
Hi!
Maybe I missed this, but where do you keep your other towels, washcloths, etc.? In your bathroom or each bedroom closet? Same with extra sheets? My family of four has a small linen closest and is usually overflowing with the linens and has little room for the toiletries and cleaning supplies which I typically keep under bathroom sinks.
Thank you and loved your post.