Getting Organized: (The Lonely) Hall Closet

My hallway closet has been a problem since the day we moved in. We needed a place to put about 2350987209487 things, but this tiny closet could only fit about 4. What takes the highest priority? I don't know - this is our first house. I'm literally clueless and winging this. So I tried to be logical - linens (sheets, towels, towels, towels) because there is no other hall closet (and no space in the bathroom), cleaning supplies for the bathroom (see prior), first aid and all other ailment supplies because they should be local, and the brooms/mops/swiffers because again, no other hall closet. It all made sense when we did it. Until after a year we realized that every time the door opened we braced ourselves for falling objects and tipping brooms. Then we got married ---- add more towels, linens, etc. Dear Mama, we have a problem.

The only way I could fix this closet was with purging and diverting.  Sheets, towels, face cloths, and kitchen towels that didn't meet a basic quality standard were either pitched or sent to the basement for rags. Out of season holiday themed anything went to the attic. And a few creative solutions for storage went a long way.

Sheets went (aha!) up to the bedroom in a nice new rolling covered basket. Because really, there is no need for sheets on the first floor where we have no bedrooms.

Most cleaning stuff went under the kitchen sink - ONLY bathroom specific cleaning supplies stayed in the closet.Under the kitchen sink we added these two collapsable shelves to double surface space. Kitchen and dish towels also we in the kitchen (go figure!).

The broom and swiffer went to the cellar stairwell on hooks. I have a steam mop so I pitched the old school mop (aint nobody got time for that).

This is what my closet looks like now. Only the essentials. AND IT FEELS SO GOOD.

I'm still thinking about what I could put on the top shelf... there's so much space up there (it goes up to the ceiling!). Also, disclosure: this is real life, so I'm not going to apologize for the not-perfectly-folded-and-color-organized towels. 

This closet clean-out was a blast. I was able to solve multiple problems by tackling this mess. It all just works better now. Also, I get a little buzzed when I shop for baskets. I could have named this post 'If you have a basket fetish and you want a fix'. This closet allowed me to go to Homegoods about 6 times for baskets.... just to find the right ones and maybe a few more. Guilty. Don't care.

I hope you feel inspired - if so, check out my last post where I organized my dining room closet!

Thanks for stopping by!

Cheers, 

Bridget XOXO