We know these spaces aren't always beautiful, but they need to be organized in order to function well for a home. There are plenty of other blogs on this site for you to browse if you just want beautiful things, don't worry! But this...this is for the function-istas (that's not a thing).
Enjoy!
COAT CLOSET
This house has a cedar closet, which makes us feel VERY fancy. It's a great use of space, holds all of our Fall and Winter jackets, layering pieces, and is a great place to keep our clunky snow and rain boots (more boots exist, just aren't pictured).
We repurposed the basket on the floor to hold umbrella and fans (yas, kween). It works well enough, but I'll need to line it with a plastic eventually.
I added S Hooks to hang our daily bags and reusable totes. The hooks are actually Garden S Hooks used to hang potted plants, found here on Amazon for $5. There are other S Hook options like this one from The Home Edit which is acrylic and swivels, or these from The Container Store.
The containers on the shelf hold our seasonal accessories, garment & shoe care, and repellent & sunscreen. This is the perfect spot for these items for us, based on how and where we use the items.
Our dog items that we don't need often (extra leash, clothing, rags, grooming & dental cleaning items, etc) are stored in here, also. No need to label the bin, because the paw print says it all.
Coat Closet thoughts...
Things I'm Grateful For:
- I have a coat closet!! It's big and awesome and it has a light!
- I already owned all the bins and containers featured here, this project cost me $5 total.
Things I Would Like To Improve:
- I would like to add a shoe tray in the coat closet for snow boots/rain boot storage.
- I would like to eventually change out the "seasonal accessories" plastic bins in the coat closet to baskets, and repurpose the plastic bins in the basement or garage.
- I'd love matching heavy duty hangers!
- I'd get joy out of finding a fun umbrella stand that is cute but doesn't break the bank.
UTILITY SPACE
This space is so useful! I love the previous owners for installing the utility storage space by the steps on the way down to the basement. It's tucked away, but doesn't feel too out of the way when I need it. LOVE.
I cannot recommend the Command Gripper hook enough. It's super convenient to just shove a broom or mop on there and call it a day, not worrying if it's going to fall over next time I open the door. Better yet, you can mount it on available wall space and create your own cleaning supply arsenal storage.
The items stored here are vacuum & parts, broom, dusting items, step stool, paper goods, batteries, light bulbs and tools. One container is free to leave room to grow. We have another vacuum on the second floor, which makes me feel like an aristocrat.
We have a full bathroom on the first floor, so it's important to keep bathroom cleaner nearby without clogging up the under-sink storage in the kitchen.
Since I am a full blown Plant Mom, I also need to have easy access to a watering can and fertilizer! Putting it in this closet seemed like a no brainer to me.
Utility Space thoughts...
Things I'm Grateful For:
- I am happy this space already existed and I didn't have to spend money to create it.
- I spent $0 on this space, aside from purchasing the vacuum (ouch).
Things I Would Like To Improve:
- I'd like to put the tools inside a container or tote that fits in that small space, but I'm all tapped out of containers at the moment.
- I'd like to add one more Command Gripper for the dust stick.
Check out other blog posts here!
-Tricia