Plan a space to organize your cleaning supplies

Does a cluttered home have you stressed out? Hate cleaning your house because you just can’t find time and cleaning supplies are scattered everywhere? Yep! That was me. It’s time to organize your cleaning supplies.

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I’m a little late to the scene, but I recently heard about Marie Kondo and watched a few episodes of her show on HGTV. The simple concept of ‘Everything needs a home’ set off a light bulb in my head.

If shoes, purses, backpacks, clothing and kitchen gadgets don’t have a home, clutter is inevitable. It’s easy to overbuy when you don’t know what you already have because you can’t find it. I am inspired by this organization strategy and am slowly working my way through our home reorganizing closets and cabinets to make spaces work smarter and harder.

cluttered kitchen with disorganized cleaning supplies

One of my first projects was my ‘new’ bathroom storage closet. When we bought our home, our laundry was located in the bathroom. The washer and dryer were next to the toilet. Gross.

When the wash machine died and we had to replace it, it was time for a change. The new washer and dryer were relocated to a hall closet. Yay 😀!!! Eventually, I might put a shower in the vacant space but for now it makes a perfect place to organize cleaning supplies.

Planning

Over the years, I stashed cleaning supplies anywhere I could find space. Everything felt disorganized and nothing was located where I needed to use it. Add to that the fact that I’m a Costco shopper! Recipe for storage disaster. Initially, everything was relocated to the new storage closet. This certainly made everything easier to grab when needed, but throwing stuff behind the curtain was not the optimum use of space.

Make a list and check it twice

My first step was to make a list of everything I wanted to store in the space. I then began to take measurements and count items in the Costco bulk packages. Step two involved sketching out ideas for how I could add shelving and organize the space for the items.

drawing of plans to organize cleaning supply closet

Scour the internet for inspiration

I searched Pinterest for ideas and inspiration. Check out my Pinterest cleaning and organizing board. Check out the closet ‘blank canvas’ below. The former laundry room offered a good sized space and even power to charge appliances if needed.

Preparing the closet and adding shelving

Painting & Constructing a Built-in Shelf

I went to Lowe’s during non-peak hours, late morning on a weekday. I was able to have plywood and two-by-fours cut to size.

wood being cut for custom cleaning supply storage shelf

While at Lowe’s, I grabbed some paint to paint the closet. I painted the interior before installing the shelf. I also painted the plywood and two-by-fours, giving them a chance to dry before installation. Once everything was complete, I touched up the paint.

painted closet ready for shelf installation

I used my cordless drill to screw the two-by-fours into studs using a stud finder. Then, I placed the plywood on top. I painted the wood in advance and did quick touchups after installation. A little rustic, but gets the job done.

freshly painted cleaning supply closet with wood storage shelf

storage shelf made from two-by-fours and plywood

Flooring & Standing Shelves

I wanted the flooring be more resilient than painted plywood and I was worried that a wet bucket might cause the wood to swell and paint to peel. These peel and stick ceramic-look tiles were just what I needed for durability and style.

vinyl peel-and-stick tiles for cleaning supply storage closet

This 5-shelf metal storage rack provide a perfect solution for storing smaller cleaning supplies. It was very easy to put together by myself and the shelves are adjustable. The rack also includes a few hooks to hang cleaning gadgets. Perfect for my Swiffer Duster.

metal shelf rack in cleaning supply closet

Organization at last!

The last step was to add a few few baskets to organize cleaner bottles…..no drips. Creating this space allowed me to remove cleaning supplies from under bathroom and kitchen sinks. Overall, a more organized home.