I know there are worse closets in the world..but this one always bugged me. It’s narrow, and DEEP…those shelves go a ways back. I can say one thing for this house, whoever built it planned on places for very usable storage. Very small bathrooms, but loads of closet space. Actually, that makes less bathroom space to clean, so I’ll take that too.
SO much JUNK in there though ----The first thing I did was move any pet care stuff to the nearly empty “above the desk” cupboard in the kitchen. It just made more sense to have that stuff in one place away from the cleaning supplies.
What a mix of messy!
And it wasn’t just the mess --- it was DUPLICATES and TRIPLICATES of stuff. I can’t tell you how many different floor cleaners and spot removers and pet odor control products there are in here. Many that aren’t needed because I haven’t had a pet with a problem since we moved Chloe OUTSIDE years ago!
I moved all the hot tub treatment stuff to a separate area also. Things should be CLOSE to where you need them.
What a difference!
I use the clear shoe boxes for shelf organizers a lot. They help keep “like things” corralled. The top white basket holds all the spare light bulbs. My goal is to use this stuff until it’s gone. I shouldn’t need to buy anything for a while due to all the duplicates and half full bottles of this and that.
Isn’t empty space on a shelf just such a nice feeling? MORE BREATHING ROOM!
And because the laundry closet is right next door to the utility closet – I tackled that too:
Much better in here too! But you know what? I notice I have half full bottles of products that I never finished using before I moved on to the next “newest latest greatest” thing. Why do we do that? I want to use it until that bottle is EMPTY – not just let it sit there 1/3 full, thinking it might be good for something some day, and not wanting to throw something out because it is not empty.
If we can ban ourselves from the fabric store to reign in our fabric purchases ---if I can struggle to keep myself from buying more sewing machines ---can we do the same thing with the products in our houses? Why have so many half empty bottles of stuff going at once? I am going to USE IT until it is GONE!
I've gathered all the chemical stuff I want to toss and am searching out a safe place to dispose of them.
The next closet in that hallway is the coat closet ---I think I’ll save that one for tomorrow. It’s time to think about SEWING!!
Oh---Bonnie, i know the feeling of a back log of cleaning products, I am doing better with those---my nemesis is shampoo and conditioners! I have doubles, triples of those items! Thanks for the tip about the plastic shoe box storage. I'm cleaning along with you! Only I haven't posted any pictures---Thanks for the doing this at your house, it's inspired me to do it my house! :o)
ReplyDeletedonate the cleaners to a shelter in town. animal or human. they need these products and have to pay for them.
ReplyDeleteRobin M
Great idea- you can always call and ask if they can use them.
DeleteEXCELLENT idea!!! Hmmmm.....wonder what I have lurking in my laundry room closet?
DeleteLike you, I wind up with half bottles of dish soap, laundry soap, etc. I will admit that I sometimes "combine" like items to eliminate another partially filled container. I don't mix, say, bleach with soap but will combine laundry soap of one brand with laundry soap of another brand and then use it up that way. I just want to eliminate the duplicate containers ASAP. You may have found your next career (if you ever get tired of being the fabulous quilt teacher that you are and traveling a lot ... LOL) ... you could be an "organizer" ... you know ... those people who go to other homes and tell other people how to reign in the chaos. Can I be the first on your list for that?? ENJOY THE SEWING!! Quiltcam tonight???
ReplyDeleteGood for you Bonnie! Such a great feeling to bring order to these places hidden behind doors. I am using the same philosophy for my pantry cupboard and trying to use up all the impulse buys that are taking up space and in the process I will also save on the food budget.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea, Robin. And way to go, Bonnie!
ReplyDeleteDarn it Bonnie! I've been ignoring that cabinet in my house forever, and now you made me feel guilty! I should let hubby do it, he throws out everything. Sometimes too much though and then we have to buy something. So, I guess it's up to me.
ReplyDeleteRight now I'm tackling my "worst" job first. I have to clean off all the iris beds. All forty five 16'x4' beds. :( All the dead leaves have to be pulled off and burned,(to kill and iris borer eggs), and then the green leaves have to be trimmed down to about 6". Around Thanksgiving they are covered with straw. And they got a bit weedy too. B L E H
Oh, and you can relate, I "get" to do this with a bad back. Bulging disc, almost totally gone disc and a fused vertebrae. Can anyone say ow? No, OWWWWW! Two to four a day is my goal.
So... maybe that cabinet doesn't sound so bad after all. Unfortunately the iris won't wait and that mess will. *sigh
Deb
Deb, I have found that if I wear one of those back stabalizers that they use for folks that do lifting keeps my problem back from moving in the wrong direction and I can do some things that I would never attempt without it! Mine is so old, it is about time to get a newer, bit larger, one!
Delete"Later" is only 4 1/2 years? But you have inspired me. We moved the house 35 years ago--yes--moved the house so the cupboards did not get cleared out even then. I will start tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteI see you have the stackable LG washer dryer. Isn't that just the best?!! I'll never have a side by side again. We saved so much space in the tiny laundry room. Now...a question...have you found any product in your "inventory" that is good to offset the occasional moldy or stale odor that front loaders develop? I keep the door open to let it dry out and now I've started keeping the soap dispenser open, as well. Hints?
ReplyDeleteI don't have stackable washer and dryer but my low water one came with instructions to run a "Clean" cycle once a month. It uses a cup of bleach, no detergent and hot water. Fills the tub to the top and then runs through a wash and rinse. I've never had a problem.
DeleteCan't say for sure about your washer/dryer but my Samsung owner's book says to take a paper towel and dry off the seals and move the seals with your fingers and dry underneath, all the way around the circular opening of the washer. This is to keep mold from growing. I've had my set a year and no odors at all. I'm religious about drying off my washer, I do it even if I don't feel like it. It takes me about 7 minutes, some of the seals are difficult to move.
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DeleteMy washer/drier set is not stackable or front load, but the washer occasionally gets that smell since we moved to this location....different water?? Anyway, there is a product called "Smelly Washer.com Cleaner" that works wonders. Great for towels that develop a musty smell too. It's a powder that you put in a full load of towels or just hot water, agitate and soak. I got mine @ Ace Hardware. Check it out @ smellywasher.com
DeleteThanks, all. I do clean the gaskets but I'll take a look at the other suggestions...love the idea that we reach out to help one another!
DeleteWhen we moved into our new house in July, and I returned after two weeks away, the urge to purge was strong! We've gone through every single box in the house (the barn is NOT my problem), and we filled half of our garage with stuff to give away. Our closet space in our old house was nearly non-existent, so things were stashed all over the place. Moving into a bigger house meant "like could go with like," so I too have my bottles of use it up and throw it out.
ReplyDeleteDoesn't it feel great!?
Years ago I was in a funk and my ex was not paying any attention to what I did during the day, so I cleaned closets he never opened! When he would ask if I had done anything that day, I could honestly say yes! Haven't had to clean them since he left-and only one is a mess-the one in the kitchen with the junk like your scary closet-could do that this afternoon and then will know how many light bulbs I do have on hand!
ReplyDeleteQuilt cam today?? If so, when??
ReplyDeleteCathy/CO
Bonnie, if you haven't already, call your county's main office and see if anyone knows about a hazardous waste collection day. My county has roving collection sites throughout the year, usually at large malls. I save up all the stuff I want to discard and go wherever it is, once a year, most of the collection sites are far away, so I wait until the closest one, that's why I have to save up the stuff and wait.
ReplyDeleteMy downfall is the half empty dressings & sauces in the fridge. Your cupboards look good!
ReplyDeleteBonnie... You are an inspiration to us all in many ways!
ReplyDeleteIf you take the shelves out it would make a great broom closet.
ReplyDeleteBonnie, Are you going to be sewing on the Quiltcam tonight or are you taking the night off because Hubby is coming home? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteDoes your city have a chemical disposal program? Mine does - one Saturday a month you can take any household chemicals or paint, batteries or electronics to the dump and they will be disposed of in a responsible manner. I mark it on my calendar as "toxic dump day"!
ReplyDeleteBe thankful you HAVE closets! My DH was single for 23 years before we married. The batchelor quarters he built didn't even have one closet! We doubled the house and I now have ONE big closet.
ReplyDeleteNow we have an outside storage building. Gheeze, if he weren't so terrific I'd go nuts!
What is this empty space on a shelf.....I have never experienced such a thing!
ReplyDeleteI never have duplicates of cleaning products but shampoo conditioned......forget it. I used to haven loads of sunscreen from when my son was younger and we kept one in each car and at the sitter and home....then there was a sale.
I probably don't have extras on cleaning stuff cause I bate cleaning so much there is nothing ever enticing about a new cleaning product even if it was delivered by Chippendale dancers.
Its better to have a back up cleaning stuff than having only one and going to the grocery when your out if it just to buy that thing. But you should have emptied the first one before using the spare. Life isn't that simple because I don't follow that rule too, like you. lol
ReplyDeletebusiness card printing
Wow Bonnie, you inspired me to organize a few shelves! I like this! Feels really good. I have a quick question for you. I noticed you have your paper towels on the floor of the closet. Is there any chance of water or flooding on the floor? I use to store my paper products on the floor only to have lost them to water damage. Just a thought...happy cleaning. Love your blog! Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeletethere is a raised platform in the bottom of that closet to keep things off the floor, but thanks for your concern. :)
DeleteWow! You're making tons of progress! :D
ReplyDeleteLooking great. If you run out of things to clean out there I can let you do mine. :) It seems like I have multiples of some stuff and then I am out of other stuff. What???
ReplyDeleteOrganizing really helps.