The sticks that hit his arm are brooms and mops. The object at his feet is a dustpan. What he can sit on is a bucket. There is the smell of dust cloths. All of these are things found in a cleaning supply closet.
A shoe cabinet would not hold such things. A storage room should be larger. A toilet stall often has a window, and does not keep dustpans and sticks.
Diagram of the solution
Key Points
Deduce objects by touch
Combine multiple clues
Think about the features of the place
Why people get fooled
Because "cramped and smelly" makes you think of other places.
