Getting the Linen Cupboard Organised

Another example of a quick project that will take under an hour is getting the linen cupboard sorted out. We have a rather small linen cupboard and it seems to get easily cluttered with bits and pieces that get popped in there. I have found the easiest way to get it back in shape is to think of what the function of that cupboard needs to be and to remove things that do not fit with its function and store them elsewhere. The function of our linen cupboard is to hold linens, various bags and beach/swimming necessities.

I even went so far as to think about the function of each shelf, so that things have a logical place to live. These were the categories that I ended up with:

• Spare plastic bags, extra cloths and spare tablecloths
• Sheets, pillowcases and hot water bottles/wheetie bags
• Towels and facecloths
• Spare blankets and beach/swimming things
• Cooler bags and kit bags

Although they are not all logical pairings, they neatly fit the space and are accessible to everyone in the family to use and hopefully put back again! I also used bags to store like items together. For example, the spare blankets are in a big bag that can be pulled out from the shelf, and all the swimming and beach paraphernalia are in a big beach bag, ready to go. I also keep a check list of what we need to take to the beach stuck on the inside of the linen cupboard door as a helpful reminder.

Image by Martin Vorel

I choose to store spare toiletries, medicines and paper products elsewhere in the house as they will not fit in the linen cupboard as well as everything else that I need to keep in there.

I am so pleased with the newly organised cupboard, it has motivated me to get stuck in to other small projects around the house!

Do you have a dedicated "linen cupboard"? What are your tips for keeping it neat and organised?

Handbag Organisation

Recently I watched a Youtube video by www.athomewithnikki.com on handbag organisation, and was inspired by her to sort out my own handbag. (One of those “quick wins” I mentioned in a previous post).

I have always been drawn to handbags, particularly the bigger variety, and tend to carry around a lot of items “just in case”. My daughter calls it my “Mary Poppins” bag. I realise now though, that unlike when I was working outside of the home, I actually need not pack so many things! So I took a critical look at what I was carrying with me when I was out and about, and sorted it down to the real essentials.

Nikki suggests using smaller pouches within a larger handbag to keep like items together – which is a great tip for finding those smaller items that might otherwise get lost. In her handbags she co-ordinates her small pouches, planner, notebooks and glasses case with the colours of the handbag to create a stylish and co-ordinated look.

After my organising session (which only took about 10 minutes), I managed to only keep the following items in various pouches:

• Pens, business cards, notepaper
• Cereal bar snack
• Tissues and wetwipes
• Sunglasses
• Wallet
• A few personal items
• Keys on a chain

After getting a bit more organised, I can now downsize to a smaller bag, or easily swop to another handbag. (I was tempted to say here that I can now fit more into my bag – but that would defeat the object of downsizing!) Hopefully it will also prove easier to find things now that everything has its own specific place!

Image by Anna Hamilton

What are your handbag essentials? Do you also have a “Mary Poppins” bag or are you more streamlined in your approach?