Linen and Medicine Closet Makeover

A few weeks ago, I moved our “medicine cabinet” from our over-the-toilet cabinet in the master bathroom to the hallway linen closet.  In our master bathroom, if that’s what you want to call it, we have a miniscule cabinet that is over the toilet.  (See below.  And please overlook the 1980s wallpaper and gold lightswitch cover.  We are currently saving for some much needed home renos.)  Over time, the cabinet had become jam-packed with medicine, first aid supplies, and other various health items.  It was getting full enough that, when opening the cabinet, you had to be ready to catch anything that was going to fall out!  Truthfully, we didn’t have a great deal of extra medicine and such in the cabinet, we just had too small of a space.  Those are all my beauty supplies on the open shelf.  I will show y'all what this cabinet looks like now in tomorrow's post.

I went to Dollar General and purchased two 12 quart plastic lidded tubs.  I figure that those two tubs should be more than enough room to store the medicine/health needs for Frank and I.  I shucked anything that was expired or appeared to be damaged.  I then went to my linen closet and starting purging and reorganizing.  Some of our “less than beautiful” towels and washcloths went to a basket to be used for rags and to be used in my husband’s shop.  I also tossed any worn out and ripped sheets and pillowcases that I had.  I have at least one more set that will likely be purged, but it is in a little bit better condition, so I think I’m going to see if the local Humane Society would like to use it for bedding.  Here's a before picture.  Nice, huh?

I then labeled the two tubs I bought at Dollar General "Cold Medicine" and "Medicine and First Aid."  The top tub is filled with cold and flu medicine, cough drops, and our tubing for a nebulizer.  The bottom tub is filled with Misc medicine and first aid stuff.  Over to the right, you can see our blue heating pad and our peroxide and rubbing alcohol.

For now, I have two sets of regular cotton sheets and one set of flannel sheets for our bed.  We also have a twin bed in the guest room and I have two sets of sheets for that bed.  I do have several blankets and comforters, however.  And I have absolutely no intention of getting rid of them.  My blankets are all handmade quilts that were given to me as gifts (and I have many of them).  I actually use all of my blankets, though.  I have two twin size comforters that I love to cuddle on the couch with, so they are definitely staying.  See that striped comforter?  I love it.  My other big, fluffy comforter was in use when this picture was taken...the puppy was laying on it.

This is the top shelf of the closet.  Over on the far right are my two fabric table cloths and the dust ruffle for our bed.

Overall, I made a large impact on my linen closet.  I now wish I had made before and after pictures, but that was before I figured out how to upload pictures to Blogger.  It is so nice to see that I have room to spare! Here's another look!  Doesn't it just make your heart SING?!?  My goal is to one day paint the inside of this closet, because paneling makes me die a little inside...