Maximizing Space in a Small Closet~

Today I thought I'd share two small closet spaces in our home and how we made the most of the space.  One is what we like to refer to as our Utility Closet.  A typical coat closet we turned into a storage space for everyday cleaning essentials.  We are fortunate enough to have a lot of closets...just small ones.  We decided to convert this small coat closet a few years back.  We needed a convenient place to store things such as our vaccum cleaner, mops, extra paper products such as napkins, paper towels, paper plates, cups, garbage bags, etc.  This closet is located in our downstairs hallway just off our kitchen.  The perfect spot.

View of closet to the right, green canvas bins by Martha Stewart found at Home Depot hold items such as extra kleenex, paper plates and cups, vaccum cleaner attachments, attachments for our Sharp steam mop and ziploc bags.

In the center and to the left are stored our vaccum, steam mop and attachments, duster, and cleaning products.

The top two shelves hold extra toilet paper, paper towels, garbage bags, floor cleaners and extra plastic utensils.  Not a huge fan of plastic utensils, but a must for parties and kiddos lunches...I know, not very green.  But, when half of your good silverware is MIA at the school year's end...you too will resort to plastic the next year!

Martha Stewart bins available at Home Depot house extra Kleenex, Ziploc bags, vaccum cleaner attachments, steam mop heads, and more.

The second small closet space I am going to share with you is our one and ONLY linen closet.  Keep in mind both of these closets are no more than 2  1/2 feet deep and less than 4 1/2 feet long (and both have one angled wall to the left inside the door).

This closet is located inside our daughter's bathroom...you open the door to the tub/toilet area of their bath and the main door hits this one!  Let's just say...to get most of these pics, I was standing in their bathtub just 3-4 feet on the otherside.

Full view, top-seasonal blankets and travel cases, then sheets & extra pillowcases, then extra toiletries, followed by extra towels (we buy cheapo bulk wash clothes at Costco to use for makeup removal...saves our good ones!), then on the bottom...seldom used sleeping bags and cleaning supplies.  Makes small messes and weekly clean-ups a snap!

More canvas bins from Home Depot, Martha Stewart line.

Extra fresh towels...oh, and my daughter's neck massage pillow and the infamous red tummy ache bear (filled with buckwheat...can be heated in the microwave and used for tummy pain, or any other pain for that matter)...that bear has seen A LOT of milelage!!!

Sleeping bags and cleaning kit (wipes, toilet cleaner, spray cleaners, papertowels).  Our favorite cleaners are Seventh Generation, but I'll save all that for another post.

The spaces aren't very big, but we've made the most of them.  I find the bins help keep everything in order and looking neat.

Have you organized any small spaces recently?

Linking up to Courtney, A Thoughtful Place, for her Keep C.A.L.M. and Organize Party!