Love Your Linen Closet

love your linens

“Love”? A little strong? Perhaps. But, opening up and peering into a decluttered and organized linen closet CAN conjure up all the happy feels. A little slice of peace and calm. Here’s how to get there…

lovely linen closet

1. Remove

Yep, just like you would in a pantry or other space, everything needs to come out first. You may discover duplicates, stained items, and things that don’t belong.

2. Purge

How many old or mismatched sets of sheets do you have? You shouldn’t need any more than 1 extra set per bed. Or, you could even get away with one set. Wash them, then put them right back on your bed. What else do you have that is unused or excess? Old quilts or comforters? How many pillows do you have vs. need? Some of these things take up lots of space, so be sure there’s a purpose for what you own and that everything gets used.

Determine what belongs in the linen closet. Be deliberate. If you have the space and it’s convenient for you to keep extra bath and personal care products here, then by all means, do so if that works for you. If not, find them a better home.

3. Contain

love your linens

Containing like items in the linen closet helps you to find what you need quickly, and prevents piles from toppling over. Not a fitted sheet folding expert? Neither am I! Put it in a bin and call it a day! You can absolutely have an organized linen closet without perfect or fussy folding.

There are lots of great containers that will work well. Just choose what you like, taking note of dimensions to be sure these sometimes narrow shelves can accommodate your selection.

4. Label

You knew that was coming, didn’t you? Unlabeled containers have a tendency to become catch-alls in the absence of labels that defines what the space is allocated for. Chalkboard labels are great for smooth surfaced containers and bin clip labels are helpful for basket materials.

Three Final Tips:

  1. Keep bulky or seldom used items on the top shelf.
  2. Be wary of “Excess Bath Towels Syndrome”. Extras that are looking a little worse for wear can be downgraded to cleaning towels.
  3. If you don’t have a linen closet, determine where to store things based on proximity to where they’re used. Towels could go in a bathroom cupboard, and an extra set of sheets could go in an under the bed storage box.