How to Organize Your Linen Closet

Linen closet organization is one of those housekeeping tricks everyone should master. It’s not always simple—no one usually sees the inside of this closet besides the people who live in your home, so it’s easy to toss odds and ends in there without too much thought. Before you know it, however, this space becomes a messy catch-all and you start to grow irritated when you can’t easily find what you need inside.

A neat, well-planned linen closet, on the other hand, just feels good. It’s one of those things, like a freshly made bed, that make you feel happier and more productive. Learning the secrets of how to organize a linen closet can elevate it beyond a merely utilitarian space and transform it into a pleasing part of your home that gives you great satisfaction. 

Try some of these tips to help make the job go smoothly; you may want to add this chore to your spring cleaning list, but you can tackle the task anytime if you need to restore some order.  

 

• Start with a clean slate.

Take everything out of your closet before you do anything else. It may seem like extra work but it gives you the opportunity to clean and dust the shelves and reacquaint yourself with the available space you have in the closet.

 

• Assess everything you had in the closet.

Removing all the items in the closet also makes it easier to review each one to see if it’s torn, fraying, stained or worn and needs to be replaced. Some other items may not be used frequently and are good candidates for donation.

 

• Explore the space.

To avoid overstuffing your shelves, make sure you have room for everything you’re stashing in there. For small linen closets, organization is especially important.

First, you may want to re-home some items in a bathroom cabinet or a bedroom closet if everything won’t fit. Then look at everything you have left and determine the best storage solutions. Wire, woven or fabric baskets are popular closet containers; if the baskets aren’t see-through, you may want to label or color-code them so it’s clear what’s inside each one. For smaller spaces, look into shelf dividers or risers to give you more room to work with. Put guest bedroom and bathroom linens in their own section and store them in cotton bags in between use so they stay free of dust.

 

• Pick an organization method that works for you.

In addition to storage containers, think about how you want to group everything. You may choose to organize by item type—for instance, put all your sheets on one shelf and then place them by size.

Another option is to dedicate a shelf for each family member and put their towels and sheet sets together. A general rule of thumb: store infrequently used items on the highest or lowest shelves, and the things you use more often at eye level on the middle shelves. If you have children, make their towels and sheets easily accessible so they can learn to put their laundry away or grab sheets to make their beds. Just remember that the best way to organize a linen closet is usually the method that makes the most sense for your family and your specific needs.

 

• Enlist your closet door for duty.

The inside of your linen closet door can double as functional storage space, which is key if your closet is on the smaller side. A hanging bar like you’d use in your bathroom doubles as a handy towel closet organizer, or use an over-the-door shoe caddy and fill the pockets with extra shampoo bottles, cotton swabs and other small supplies.

 

• Make a list (and check it twice).

You’ll want to keep track of your supplies if you use your linen closet to store personal care items, household goods, cleaning or sewing supplies or other necessities. Put a small dry erase board inside the door where you can jot down a list of items you need to restock to make shopping simpler.

 

• Keep your linens from smelling stale.

Your sheets and towels may get that not-so-fresh odor if they stay in your closet for too long. Layer sachets, dryer sheets or cotton fabric with a few drops of your favorite essential oil in between your linens for a lovely scent.

 

Shop Elegant Strand once you've used these linen closet ideas to get organized. Fill those newly cleaned shelves with sheet sets and towels made with the finest, softest cotton for a sophisticated look and sumptuous feel. You won’t ever want to let your linen closet get disorganized again!