This is a hard task to do-Cleaning out Linen Closet!! I know when you think about it right now. You are not looking forward to it at all. You know what is in there, well, most of it. I know we all don’t know what is really inside that closet.
We hope we know what is all inside it. But I bet, you will find things you forgot you even bought inside that closet. That is when it needs to be cleaned out. YOU JUST HAVE TO GET TO CLEANING OUT THE LINEN CLOSET. This is a never ending thing, I have realized I have to use up what I own and not buy anymore of anything. I used to love to shop and now I window shop, and I only buy when I need something.
This is what I do for everything I have in my place now. I don’t just buy things cause I want, but I buy when I have to get it/ need it. Less of things filling up my house, and having me to declutter. I want to have to less and been looking into minimalism. I know that is unrealistic for me I know, but why not try.
Get Going And Just Go!!
This is what I did this morning. I thought of what I had in my closet, and I keep inside it. My linen closet holds
Cleaning out linen Closet
- sheets/pillowcases
- shampoo/conditioners
- medicine
- bandaids
- nailpolish
- cotton balls and swabs
- a bunch of random medicines and
- pills when we get sick
- extra laundry soap/dryer sheets
So if you can imagine, all this stuff is spilling out of the closet they are in. Because I was looking for some band-aids, couldn’t find any. Mainly, cause I couldn’t see what was in there to begin with. I had no idea where in the closet it could be. And if you have noticed that things do eventually expire. I found this post and it is a good reminder.
Was stressful just standing there trying to find them. Because what if it was an emergency and I needed something for my kids. I didn’t know where to really look in there to find what I needed. I had went as far as adding decorative boxes with labels. Even those started to spill over.
Got me thinking about, maybe it was time to get to cleaning out the linen closet. So then, maybe I could actually find something in there and not have to stress out!!! I had even added a shoe organizer on the door, that actually does work. Only thing is I need to have what I use more that other things there. Sunscreen and afterbite and headache pills, and even baby meds are there. Box of bandaids didn’t fit there though. So they now are at the front of the linen closet. Polysporin is on the door too- for Mosquito bites, along with boo-boo spray.
Easy access and no issues finding what I needed. Take a few minutes, rather than half an hour. Sounds great right?? Well, I thought so too.
Starting Cleaning Out The Linen Closet
- take everything out
- clean along the way
- put items in with like items
- put things away that don’t belong in there
- fold the items that need folding
- throw away expired items
- move laundry items to the laundry area
That might look like alot, but it actually isn’t that much. As you slowly move along, it gets easier. I have looked at many things to figure out how to declutter. Cause there are many ways to clean up and it is just a matter of finding what works for you.
The hard part of it all was finding all I had in there. Looking at it all and placing into baskets. Sorting them all and seeing actually all that I had bought. Never knew I had in there, and just found it now. It was like I was shopping in my own closet. Cause I forgot about most of the things that were in there, so it was good that I was finally cleaning it out.
When You Realize You Have So Many Same Items
I was in a store and just about went and bought some more lotion. I got to thinking that I may already have lotion at home. So of course I didn’t buy any. I did go home and look around in my closet and you know what! I found 10 bottles of lotions that I could be using. The more I dug around the more things I found. 3 bags of Cotton Balls, two bottles of Nail Polish remover, 25 bars of bath soap, 4 boxes of band-aids.
I remind myself about my things I own at home, when I go shopping. I love checking out the new lotions and new shampoos. Now, I just smell them and do not buy. I would rather save my money for something I do need, and not a want. Now this change in my thoughts have not come easy, it is alot of work to not just buy when I want. My new goal now is to stop and really ask myself if this is a want or a need.
I found out also that I have lots of body wash, and am not gonna buy any till I am done with what I have. I love a good deal and love all the new smells of the body washes. I think I have about 3 I can think of right now.
Everything Neatly In Baskets Now
After you have put everything in baskets, you are ready to put it back in the closet again. Now you need to think:
- what is going back in there
- where are things going
- what do you need inside the linen closet
- the most used items
- how you use it
- the size of the linen closet
- how things fit inside
- does it all need to go inside the linen closet?
- shelves needed for easy access
- all easy to get to?
- can you easily see what is in there
- need to add labels to the baskets?
This is all the things we were thinking about when we were organizing it all to put back. Now when I placed it all back inside the closet, they all fit. Plus, we actually gained more space. Really??? Yes!!! More space!!!
Update: Well it went back to being messy again. Things falling out of the baskets, and now over-filling in the shoe organizer on the door. So I think that I did not keep up on my tidying up my closet. But it may be because I now store my tissue boxes in there. I was given 2 twelve packs, even though I still had 8 boxes. So it is over-flowing, and don’t leave much room for other things.
GAINED MORE SPACE!!!!
Yes!!! YOU HEARD RIGHT, I GAINED MORE SPACE. Because all my items were neatly placed in baskets and not falling over everywhere. Which gave me more space to work with. Decluttering does work.
I also had all items with like items and the tall items with tall items too. Amazing for sure, but I have more space inside and the same items inside the linen closet.
So you too can tackle your linen closet and get it organized and be able to find your things too. Just get to it, quit over-thinking it all and just pick a day this week to get it done!!! I have faith in you and you can accomplish this task too. Another one off of your to-do list.
Especially if you are just decluttering in your house and this is one of those tasks you dread.
After all the cleaning, I am so glad that I took this little boost we call a snap. Now this has helped me to keep my mind clear to help me get my decluttering done. I was able to keep my energy up and get it all done. Love it and so I share whenever I can, and this is only one of the fabulous products that is there. Oh and you can even earn an income with this. Once you try, just test it out and see for yourself, and you can also see them here.
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