What is the ideal height spacing of bathroom linen closet shelves?
August 8, 2020 4:53 PM Subscribe
It's time to install shelves in my new bathroom closet. I'm trying to figure out at what heights they should go, and how many there should be. Tentative plan inside.
My tentative plan is to have four 16"-deep shelves at heights (from the ground) of 14", 28", 42", 56", and then to have two 12"-deep shelves, installed at heights 70" and 84". (12" deep shelves at the top so I can more easily access things above the door frame at 80"). It seems to me that 14" between shelves would be a good height that would comfortably fit all bottles of shampoo etc. but not leave spare unused space (I'm trying to maximize storage). I will be mostly storing toiletries, but I will also have toilet paper in there, and probably towels/wash cloths. I think I will not have sheets/bedding in this linen closet however. This is my first time planning a linen closet, and I am realizing that I never paid much attention to past linen closets in rental houses etc., and how their particulars impacted functionality. Does this all seem reasonable based on your own linen closets and your experiences with them?
My tentative plan is to have four 16"-deep shelves at heights (from the ground) of 14", 28", 42", 56", and then to have two 12"-deep shelves, installed at heights 70" and 84". (12" deep shelves at the top so I can more easily access things above the door frame at 80"). It seems to me that 14" between shelves would be a good height that would comfortably fit all bottles of shampoo etc. but not leave spare unused space (I'm trying to maximize storage). I will be mostly storing toiletries, but I will also have toilet paper in there, and probably towels/wash cloths. I think I will not have sheets/bedding in this linen closet however. This is my first time planning a linen closet, and I am realizing that I never paid much attention to past linen closets in rental houses etc., and how their particulars impacted functionality. Does this all seem reasonable based on your own linen closets and your experiences with them?
I'd want one 16" shelf and a few 10-12" shelves. Whatever the numbers, having a variety of heights will help you organize and waste less space.
posted by SaltySalticid at 6:38 PM on August 8, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by SaltySalticid at 6:38 PM on August 8, 2020 [2 favorites]
Make them all adjustable. Built-in linen closets usually have the sides with the evenly spaced holes so you can use shelf pegs and change the shelves to fit your needs. Mine has one fixed shelf at about 60 inches and the rest are adjustable.
posted by XtineHutch at 6:43 PM on August 8, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by XtineHutch at 6:43 PM on August 8, 2020 [4 favorites]
Response by poster: Just wanted to say that for reasons specific to the construction of this particular closet, it almost certainly can't/won't be adjustable, unfortunately. So I want to try to optimize things with the spacing of fixed shelves.
posted by ClaireBear at 6:46 PM on August 8, 2020
posted by ClaireBear at 6:46 PM on August 8, 2020
Nothing will be perfect for all purposes, but there are more ways to store small things on big shelves than big things on small shelves.
(Our linen closet is irregularly shaped by the leftovers of gas and coal heating systems and some confusing several wiring systems, so I sympathize, but don’t overbuild the heavy parts.)
posted by clew at 7:04 PM on August 8, 2020
(Our linen closet is irregularly shaped by the leftovers of gas and coal heating systems and some confusing several wiring systems, so I sympathize, but don’t overbuild the heavy parts.)
posted by clew at 7:04 PM on August 8, 2020
Measure the height of the toilet paper pack you regularly buy and make sure one shelf is that tall. Unless you want to be decanting your toilet paper all the time.
posted by phunniemee at 7:07 PM on August 8, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by phunniemee at 7:07 PM on August 8, 2020 [3 favorites]
Make them tall spaces. You can always do a sort of half-shelf to split up the big fixed space. A couple of legs holding up another 16" deep shelf that just sits on one of your fixed shelves. Linen closes stuff usually isn't heavy. Say in your case, going from the 14" tall to 28" tall and then just building a 14" tall table like thing to sit on the fixed shelf to double it up. You could go crazy on the customization this way.
Watch Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Air Tools Sorting Boxes! for inspiration about building custom things on the fly to fit your current needs.
Only because you can't do the adjustable thing... Extra height, improvise the subdivisions.
posted by zengargoyle at 8:23 PM on August 8, 2020 [1 favorite]
Watch Adam Savage's One Day Builds: Air Tools Sorting Boxes! for inspiration about building custom things on the fly to fit your current needs.
Only because you can't do the adjustable thing... Extra height, improvise the subdivisions.
posted by zengargoyle at 8:23 PM on August 8, 2020 [1 favorite]
I’ve built a lot of closet built-ins. Your spacing sounds fine overall. I typically put the bottom one 18’ off the floor so you can easily clean under it with a mop and put tall things underneath (fan, boots, bucket, storage bin...)
Here is a great guide to custom closet built-in shelving.
posted by amaire at 12:07 AM on August 9, 2020 [3 favorites]
Here is a great guide to custom closet built-in shelving.
posted by amaire at 12:07 AM on August 9, 2020 [3 favorites]
Deep lower shelves because stooping is not fun. That's where large packages of tp go, a bucket with cleaning supplies, and miscellaneous stuff in clear shoebox-sized storage containers. You want a bit of room, taller than the stuff stored, or you can't see what's there. I find smaller storage bins handy for corralling stuff.
Make a defined space for 1st aid stuff.
posted by theora55 at 9:30 AM on August 9, 2020
Make a defined space for 1st aid stuff.
posted by theora55 at 9:30 AM on August 9, 2020
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posted by Freedomboy at 5:48 PM on August 8, 2020