Linen closet organization ideas are not just for linens but also for towels. It may even include medicines, toiletries, sewing supplies, etc. What is stored in this area is truly dependent on each person’s space and how much they have of it for other items. We will be only be talking about the linens and the towels for right now.
Understanding Linen Closet Storage
One would think that one of the easiest places in the home to organize is the linen closet. That could be true but linen closet organization really depends on the number of linens you own. While you should have at least 2 sets of sheets per bed, one on the bed and one in the laundry/closet, many people have way more than that. I know it’s hard to resist that beautiful new set you see in the store especially if it’s on sale but just try. Those bed in a bag sets are a sure-fire trap because they are very bulky and make storing them very challenging.
Then of course there are the towels. How many do you need? One a week, 2 a week, how many guest towels? I have heard of people using a new towel every day. It has been said that the general rule of thumb is 2 sets per person in the household. That would include, bath towel, hand towel, and washcloth. If you really need to change them more often that once a week then add 1 or 2 more per person to the total number. Just remember that’s a lot to store…not to mention the increase in laundry. I’m just saying. Now if you don’t use hand towels or washcloths then obviously you won’t have those items to deal with. As with everything it truly is personal preference. If you have the space to store multiple sets then you might have more than the average. But if you are limited in space, I would keep the number of sheet sets and towel sets to the bare minimum.
Linen Closet Organization: Declutter First
As with anything in your you should only keep the number of items that you can store comfortably in our home. This pertains to everything from dishes to clothes to food to linens and towels. In order to begin with the line closet organization, you must first declutter what you own. So many times, we end up with washcloths that have no matching towels and pillowcases without the matching sheets or vice versa. This is probably one of the only times I will agree with Marie Kondo, but in this instance, you should take all of the towels and sheets out of the closet or wherever they are being stored and sort them. If you are starting with the sheets sort them by size and by style/color. This can be challenging if you tend to have sheets that are only one color. For example, too many times I have clients that only have white sheets. This can sometimes be a challenge since sheets are rarely labelled with the size. Hopefully, you don’t have too many different size beds in your home.
Start with one size and find the complete sets and put those together. Depending on the space you have and the number of beds you have, you should only keep about 2-3 compete sets. So that means that those random pieces should all go bye bye. Remember letting go doesn’t have to mean putting them I the trash. You can always donate them to animal shelters who would be more than happy to take them off your hands.
You should repeat the same process for your towels. Remember to be harsh with yourself because you only have but so much space no matter how pretty they are. Pretty has a price just like everything else.
Linen Closet Organization: Folding Linens
While folding is not rocket science, it is a challenge for most people to fold those darn fitted sheets. Because I care and I want the process to be as easy as possible for you I am including a link that will help you when folding those pesky fitted sheets. You can thank me later. Here’s to folding linens. https://www.hgtv.com/videos/so-thats-how-you-fold-a-fitted-sheet-0257622
When you get to the folding towels part of the organization, why not make them look like you are staying in a hotel. It doesn’t take any more time but will make you feel special especially if you store the towels in the bathroom where they are on display. So here’s the link to fold those towels just like the hotel personnel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeVHYmYTMPk
P.S. Just disregard the ads before the videos. Some of them are, let’s say, interesting.
Good Habits for Linen Closet Organization
Now that you have stored and organized your linens and towels and it’s time to care for them, here’s a couple of tips to keep your linens and towels looking like new. According to MarthaStweart.com, these are easy ways to wash and dry your linens. I completely agree so why not just add what she has so eloquently said.
Wash
Regular care: How often you wash your sheets is a personal preference. In general, it’s a good idea to launder them weekly to remove dirt and dust. Use warm water rather than hot, which can shrink fibers, and wash printed and colored pillowcases inside out to protect the color. If your sheets feature delicate trim, check the care label before washing.
Stains and spots: When dealing with tough stains, use oxygenated bleach on whites and light colors (chlorine bleach is too harsh for most linens). Cosmetics and face lotions are a common cause of discoloration. Many skin products contain oxidizing agents that actually can bleach sheets. If you are concerned about these spots, choose white linens or consider purchasing an extra set of pillowcases when you buy sheets.
Dry
Tumble dry sheets according to label instructions, and remove them before they’re fully dry to help minimize wrinkles. To avoid mildew growth, make sure sheets are dry before storing them. If you have the time, ironing your sheets is a surefire way to make them feel new again.
MarthaStewart.com has this to say about caring for your towels as well.
WASH BEFORE YOU USE
The first step in maximizing your towels efficiency starts when you bring them home. Wash your towels before you use them to open up the fibers. “If the fibers aren’t open they won’t be as absorbent,” says the team from Garnet Hill. New towels are often coated in fabric softeners so they’re nice and plush for shoppers. But these softeners prevent towels from soaking up water. To get rid of that buildup, add half a cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle during the initial wash.
THE BEST WAY TO WASH
How frequently you wash your towels is a personal preference. The Home Team at Garnet Hill suggest every 3-4 uses. Most towels require warm water in a regular cycle, but read the tag to be sure. “If the label stresses that you should separate your dark colors from your white colors, you better do that,” say the experts at Garnet Hill. “And each towel could differ depending on the fibers.” Speaking of those fibers, to avoid getting lint all over your clothes, wash towels separately from clothing.
THE BEST WAY TO DRY
Remove your towels from the washing machine, give them a shake and tumble dry on medium heat. Once dry, remove immediately (inhale that fresh scent) and fold. To avoid a musty smell, make sure your towels are completely dry before folding and storing away. And if you’re considering line drying your towels, be prepared for an exfoliation — line drying makes the fibers very stiff and scratchy.
Good Habits for Linen Closet Organization
Now that you have decluttered the linens and towels, it’s time to talk about how to store them. Most linen closets are built in cabinets in homes and apartments. They tend to be fairly deep and the shelves tend to be far enough apart which gives plenty of room to store the linens and towels which can be bulky. Hopefully at this point you have pared down to a manageable number of linens and towels that will easily fit in your linen closet. So, what’s next?
- Now that you have decluttered your linens and towels and have a manageable amount just know that you will need to do this every year or so. If you don’t take care of them with the suggested recommendations, they will get their fair share of wear and tear. This means that at some point you will need to change them out for new ones.
- For organization purposes, decide which shelves you want for the linens and which for the towels. Organize individual sets of sheets together. When you organize linens keep the same size together as well as the same room. So, if you have 2 twin beds but they are for different rooms keep the ones for one room together and the others for the other room. Follow this rule for the rest as well. Towels should be organized the same way with the ones belonging to the master together and the kids bath together, etc. The nice thing is that if you only have a couple of sets you can always store them in a bin or basket. Just make sure to label it so you will keep the same items together.
- In order to utilize the entire height of the shelves, you can always use shelves dividers. These are great in the event you want to store bins without lids on top of each other. You can find them in different sizes which will make things so much easier for your linen organization.
If you follow these tips and tricks I am confident that you will have now have that picture perfect linen closet to make all your friends and neighbors jealous. Enjoy!
