How to makeover a small linen closet area?

I have this cubby area for linens, medicines, etc. It's deep (3' ish) and narrow (1.5' ish). Any ideas how to make it aesthetically nice and still functional?

  11 answers
  • Tinyshoes Tinyshoes on Mar 31, 2019

    Catherine....You will be surprised how much room you can make by rolling your towels and wash rags. You can also buy some small vinyl covered wire shelves that will raise some of the items then give you space below them. Good luck!

  • Bbunny42 Bbunny42 on Mar 31, 2019

    I would measure carefully, then find baskets or other containers that would slide in and out. If these are hard to find, consider making your own out of cardboard boxes and ConTac paper. I suggest using the real thing, not cheaper knock-offs, and use the original ConTac, which I find works better on corners than the repositionable. You can adjust it well enough to meet your needs. You might also be able to use plastic shoe boxes. Maybe a narrow, colorful curtain hung over the opening.

  • Hi Catherine,

    Since the cabinet is sooo deep you could install a door with hinges that would help hide what is inside. If that is not an option what about painting the inside and adding some faces to the front of the shelves? Could also wallpaper the inside. Baskets and bins are also nice to help hide clutter and stuff we don't want everyone to see.

  • CJ CJ on Mar 31, 2019

    Since your shelves are so deep, you might consider storing seasonal or other infrequently used items in boxes or baskets in the back. This would also prevent your regularly used items from disappearing in the back.

    A label could be taped to the side wall or to the underside of the shelf above to remind you what is stored in the back.

    I agree, a pretty curtain would hide your medicines, first aide supplies and bath linens while adding a nice bit of pattern and/or color. A tension rod would work to hang the curtain or even a dowel rod hug on cafe curtain brackets.


  • Pamela Pamela on Apr 01, 2019

    Hi ! I would paint the inside of the book and maybe use contact paper on the shelves . Since your shelves are so deep , get baskets to use for seldom used items or out of season things . You can buy shelf dividers it just gives you an extra shelf within a shelf for more storage of smaller items .

  • Ruth Mattson Ruth Mattson on Apr 01, 2019

    i've considered sliders in my similar cabinet. you could box it like a drawer but because of the contents do see thru sides so you know whats in each slide out. and then you can decorate the "drawer" face to match your decor

  • Ohiorn Ohiorn on Apr 01, 2019

    Measure and look for plastic coated wire shelves. Get the shelves that can be moved out. I have ones in my kitchen cabinets, under my kitchen and bathroom sinks, in bedroom closets, my laundry room and linen closet, and I get a lot more storage in my 1,000 square foot home. It also makes it easier to see what I have, so I don't end up spending $$ on things I already have. ? you can get a narrow, cheap shade and cut to size to cover up the closet.

  • Rymea Rymea on Apr 01, 2019

    You need drawers. Remove the shelves from the supports on the cabinet walls. Make wooden boxes that pull out on slides that attach to the bottom of the drawer and shelf rather than attaching to the cabinet wall. Make the drawer fronts higher than the sides to hide the contents. Re attach the shelf with the installed slides. Then put in the drawer that has the other half of the slides attached to the bottom of it..

    If the space is wide enough for you to get a drill into it (and some of your body) you could probably mount more shelves with drawers in between the shelves you have.

  • Diana Deiley Diana Deiley on Apr 01, 2019

    PAINT! Yup, that will do it. Empty the entire space and paint it bright semi gloss white, then add self adhesive floor tiles to each shelf. I did this to every cabinet and closet in my home and I love. The bright white automatically brings light into the space. The floor tiles work best opposed to contact paper for easy installation and cleaning purposes. For under $100 you can do all your cabinets! Best of luck.

  • Twyla J Boyer Twyla J Boyer on Apr 02, 2019

    The shelves in that area look pretty easy to remove. I would remove the lower couple of shelves completely and put in roll out trays like used in kitchen cabinets. That would give you access to the back of those spaces. The plastic drawers you have in there could sit on the front of such a roll out with a laundry hamper behind them, and all of it would still be easily accessible.


    You can spray paint plastic drawer units like that to make them opaque, which makes them look a bit nicer and also hides the stuff stored inside. I sprayed mine from the inside so that they would still slide easily and not get dinged up. I then put cheap boxes (cut down and repurposed from things like cereal, tissues, etc - the thin cardboard kind) inside to fit the drawers so that stuff doesn't shift around or get all tangled up. It also protects the paint.


    I would store only lightweight stuff on the upper shelves and it would go in baskets or pretty boxes so it could be slid out easily.


    As for towels, I am on my third bathroom that has no towel storage in the bathroom. I bought a wall mounted hotel-style towel rack online years ago when I was in the first such place. I fold towels neatly, tuck them into the towel storage rack, and store what doesn't fit there in the bottom drawer of the guest bedroom dresser. There are always fresh, clean towels available right there in the bathroom and I don't take up other precious storage space in the bathroom with them.