Peek inside a readers' closet

Monday's post about organizing your linen closet inspired a few readers to email me with stories about their own closets.  One of the emails was from my friend and new blog follower Phaedra (don't you love her name?).  She has agreed to let the world (or at least the 50-60 followers of my blog) see the insides of her closet.  Isn't she brave?  I've included my own comments in bold so you can tell when I'm putting in my two cent's worth! (it is my blog after all)  OK, Phaedra, take it away. . .





First of all I would like to say YAY!! I received your email/blog… and I’m very excited.


Second, I would like to share with you my closet because I have a feeling that it is one of the few times I will get your blog and say “Hey, I already do that!”  I think I have told you before but I am a self proclaimed Organizing junkie… one of the reasons I am excited about your blog because I’m always looking for new and better ways to organize and reuse items.  (I was very impressed with Phaedra when I first met her because both of her son's carried will stocked backpacks  and she carried a darling green totebag to church - so organized )



Pictures of my “linen” closet are attached. This closet is in a hall way thus the “top” and “bottom” shots… I couldn’t get far enough away to get a full picture. (Don't worry - we all have camera issues )

(love the labeled containers)

Things I like about my closet:

The door is a great place to hang the ironing board since my laundry room is literally a walk thru space between the garage and kitchen! (You can purchase these cool hangers pretty much anywhere ironing boards are sold - go get yourself one )

I created the “shelf in shelf” idea by reusing a shelf designed for shoes. I turned it upside down so that it wouldn’t fall in between the cracks of the wire shelving system (something I don’t like but was already in place when we bought the house). (I love this idea - you can see it in the first photo)

I like keeping the big clear bags that sheets, blankets, comforters come in… they are great for putting a lot of smaller items that I can’t seem to part with yet – decorative pillows that are not currently being used, baby blankets given to the kids, extra pillows, etc. They can easily be stored on the top shelf since there is lots of room up to the ceiling inside the closet but I can pull out a whole bag without disrupting a lot of individually stacked items. (Great idea - save those bags)

I wrap my sheets/pillowcases together by folding the top and fitted sheets into long strips about 10 inches wide, then I place the pillowcases on one end and roll like a sleeping bag but flat not round. I only have one extra set for our bed and the boys’ as well, but it is a great way to grab everything for a bed at one time and they stack well since the pillowcases are inside.

Towels. My mother always told me that it wears your towels out to wash them every day, so I change out the towels about twice a week. Since it is just our bathroom and the boys’ bathroom then that’s how they are folded and stacked in the closet. Wash clothes are in baskets that remain in the bathrooms so the towels are folded with hand towels directly on top. I currently have three sets of towels for each bathroom. One set is being used and the other two are stacked with one set for the boys stacked on top of the set for us. When it is time to switch I pull one stack of towels and off I go to the bathrooms. (I really like the towels folded into thirds - I think they fit much better on shelves or drawers that way)

The bottom is a perfect place to store the laundry baskets. They can easily be slid in and out when I need to gather up laundry upstairs and take it down to the washing machine. (I SO miss our first house that had the laundry machines on the second floor! J ) I do put the extra TP on the floor but I keep it in the packages. There is just enough room to buy a big package at Sams, which usually has 4 big packs – one gets split between all three bathrooms and the others go in the base of the closet (my fear is not having enough TP IN the bathroom itself! ) (See, I'm not the only one with this issue)

We have a TON of beach/pool towels since we have a pool in the backyard… why is this something I like about my closet? Because I recently went through them all and kept only what I could neatly fold and store on one shelf along with the sun screen! (I'm jealous.  I want a pool!)



Thank you for allowing me to “brag” just a little…

Phaedra


P.S. I forgot… yes, my medicines are in this closet with a child protective gadget over the knob… (Good Girl)


Thanks so much, Phaedra, for letting all of us "peeping toms" peek into your linen closet.  Now, when does the pool open?