*Organized Cleaning Closet – affiliate links used
Happy Saturday! Quick post today that will hopefully inspire all of us to organize something this weekend! I actually need some motivation big time since I pulled apart my decor closet a few days ago and literally have random items all over my house. Wish me luck getting that wrapped up this weekend! But let’s not talk about that mess.. let’s chat about another mess that thankfully has been cleaned up and checked off my list! When we built our house I wanted this closet next to our stairs to hold cleaning supplies, but I never really consolidated supplies in this one spot. Over time it just became a catch all for anything I didn’t want to deal with. Spots like that are always fun aren’t they? :)
This is the “before” but I had actually already moved a few piles of things out when I remembered to take a quick picture so imagine it even worse! I pulled everything out and then thought about how I could really make this closet work better for me.
I designed this little closet inside of the closet (ha) to hold cleaning supplies on the top shelf. Brooms, mops etc. were supposed to go below it. The idea was that all cleaning supplies and products would be tucked away from my 3 year old. (Kole was so little when we built our house!) But my idea was a fail because the bottom space was too short for brooms so I ended up hanging them on the wall. This little closet became wasted space with one little shelf at the top and my cleaning supplies ended up spread out all over the house. I knew the best solution would be to add more shelves so I called Chuck (my bff and carpenter). He built this little closet and everything else in my house! I asked him if it would be easy to add a few more shelves and he said not only would it be easy, but he had a few shelves that would fit on hand and happened to be in my area. He swung by after work and 30 minutes later I had new adjustable shelves in my closet. Talk about same day service! Love him. :)
Ready to see the after?
GOOD-BYE piles! Hello floor. :)
I already had this system hanging on my wall next to my central vac and Dyson so I cleaned it up and got rid of items I wasn’t using anymore.
I kept Addison’s old nightstands in this space because they fit so well and work as a table for storage. This space next to the little closet was originally supposed to be a spot for an extra fridge, but we haven’t needed one! Our fridge is big and I don’t cook enough to need two. ;) I added a basket to hold all of my shopping bags. I keep them and always reuse them for returns or if the kids need to carry large items to school.
Ready to see my little cleaning closet?
Ta-da! And NOW I hear the angels. So good right!? Just a few extra shelves gave me all the storage I need to keep everything in one spot!
ALL cleaning supplies now have a place to land and I am one happy girl. This closet is finally being used the way it was supposed to!
I added one more basket in the top corner because I like to have a spot to set items I need to return. I use the empty space in this closet all the time for work stuff. I set my tripod here when I’m photographing things and packages here before I get to them. I need the empty space for my daily “work mess” so that we have room to live. It’s an interesting set up when your whole house is your office. ;)
One more pic with the cleaning closet door closed..
and open! I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of opening the door to this closet and seeing it so clean. This is a spot I’ve wanted to tackle for a long time! I’m so happy it’s finally done.
Now time for that decor closet. Unfortunately I have WAY more vases than I do cleaning supplies (yikes) so my current project might pull me down and drag me under. Wish me luck!
Is there a spot in your home you’ve been wanting to clean out for a while now? Turn on a good audiobook, podcast or some music and tackle it this weekend! Best feeling! We’ve got this.
:)
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Looks fantastic, Erin! So happy for you to have this done and off your list. Yay for bffs who are carpenters and can help you out. And yay for closets you can walk into like that. What a dream! Good luck with the decor closet. But I know you can do it. I actually need to get my crafty space cleaned up. I have piles and overflow galore. I think it’s partially why I am avoiding the area and not crafting as much. Sigh. Maybe I’ll attempt to get it back to being a workable space again. Good luck to you and to me! :)
Spaces like that get busy with piles quickly don’t they!? I’ve got piles in my office too and I’m planning on tackling that space next. There’s always a project that needs to be done. Good luck to both of us for sure! I think we’ll need it. :) Thank you Jeanne! xo
Hi Erin – I keep meaning to drop a note to tell you how fun it was to meet you when we crashed your ward with our YW from Phoenix while we were doing Disney in the rain! I love your blog and all your great ideas although you “force” me to spend money all the time! I’d love to live in San Diego and be part of all your fun parties and activities! Have a great weekend!
~ Marci
Marci! So fun to hear from you on the blog. You made my day! I loved meeting you. You are so kind and fun and you all need to come back when it’s not raining! This winter has been crazy and definitely not our norm! So sorry about “forcing” you to shop.. ha. I’ll have to work on that. ;) Or you could just move to San Diego and go shopping with me! Even better right? You’re welcome to join our parties and actives any time. Take care and come and visit again soon! XO
Love your huge closet!! We could be good friends with our need to clean out closets, drawers, pantries etc!!
Thank you so much Dianne! That’s my favorite thing about blogging.. meeting so many people who love what I love! I have no doubt we would be closet cleaning besties. :) xo
It’s always so nice to get a space organized and the before and after is a plus. It looks like that closet is even a few inches deeper than the shelves so there’s more room to upgrade for deeper shelves in the future.
For sure. Thanks Debbie!
Erin,
OHMYGOSH! I missed sending in a comment on your last post! Really, I meant to. I will have to go back and reread the post. We had a bad illness relapse here (OR yet another bug!) Between that and the intermittent snow and ice, Hello summer, goodbye summer and HELLO AGAIN Winter….. it’s been NOT great.
Well, onto it before I feel bad again. Yes, that product/cleaning equip. closet looks just great! Sometimes a few shelves is all it takes….. Now for the central vac. My firehose, as that is what we call it. There actually is a SPECIAL hook in the hall closet for it but THAT is a coat closet and such a hassle getting at the “firehose”. so, for a long time it just was out. Just OUT. Right there plugged into the wall wherever it was left and then I decided it could just live its life hiding out behind this large, vintage pine trunk. so now that trunk is just a bit away from the wall and the firehose is kind of on its side in layers behind the trunk. I end up mostly using my Dyson and my Dust buster which I just could not live without (the Dust buster!) Now onto the decor closet. Now Erin, I know that space is just horrendous. REALLY! There are just so many vases. My solution is to send me a vase! I think you should KEEP the robe and send me a vase ;-D I did a robe count and I already have a few old ones plus a HEAVY new Pottery Barn w/sherpa inside that I have not even worn yet! Also, I am hoping to get the barefoot dreams robe to match the blanket for Mother’s Day! Who is reading!? Are you there? YOU KNOW WHO you are! Stone/cream is the color, BTW! ;-)
Sharon you crack me up! Ha ha.. you deserve that barefoot dream robe to match the blanket 100%! Now I’m thinking I need one too! I’m sitting on my couch with my barefoot dreams blanket over me as I’m typing this. It’s so cold right now! I know I can’t complain but this has been a colder than normal winter for sure. Fingers crossed we both have sun in our future! I was cracking up about your “firehose” being left out. Sounds like something I would do too. The vintage trunk is a perfect solution for it! I loved my central vac the first few years we lived in our house and then one day I was just over it! It really can be such a pain to haul that big hose around. I bought a Dyson and have never looked back! I hardly ever use the central vac anymore. I’m so sorry to hear you were sick! I hope everyone is feeling better. Stay warm and keep that fabulous sense of humor! Such a gift. :) XO