How to Design a Linen Closet that is Functional & Beautiful to Behold

Imagine opening your linen closet to beautifully folded towels, sheets, and bedding. Your backstock of toiletries and cleaning supplies are all lined up and ready for your use, providing that little boost of encouragement as you prepare to tidy up the rest of your home. A well-organized linen closet can help streamline your morning, evening, and cleaning routines—reducing stress when it matters most. It’s worth the time to organize your linen closet and plan to maintain it for your own sanity and peace of mind. Here are three tips to help you do just that.

Tip #1: Purge & Part With Any Unused Items

The first step is to ruthlessly purge unused items. It is amazing what we can justify hanging onto because we might need it someday. Save one extra set of every day sheets and towels per bed/person; there’s no need to store more than that! Keep a single designated bin for cleaning rags. Otherwise, get rid of tattered and torn items; these can be recycled or donated to a local animal shelter. Resist the urge to accumulate more seasonal linens and keep that space calm and clutter free.

Tip #2: Strategize & Systematize All Essential Items

Next, it’s time to decide on the structure for organization. Soft sided bins, baskets, or zippered storage are all great options for linens. Frequently used items can be stacked, and dividers are really handy for keeping towels corralled. I recommend keeping items such as bath towels, beach towels, and cleaning rags easily accessible if you have kids who can help put things away. This also makes it easier for them to grab their own towels and sheets when it’s time for your weekly cleaning routine. Trying to limit the number of categories you store, which minimizes the need for additional subdividing in an already small space. For example, in our home, all twin beds have the same color sheets, and both bathrooms have the same type of towels. This limits the number of additional back ups we need for guests—bonus, it also makes laundry less complicated which is a huge win in my book!

Tip #3: Label & Learn Where Each Item Goes

Labels are super helpful when used judiciously. When you have more than one person in your household, consider labeling the shelf or basket where every day towels, washcloths, and sheets are stored. I recommend back up linens, sheets, and spare blankets be stored in labeled zipper bags. If these are used very infrequently, it might be worth considering vacuum shrink bags. Generally, we want to store less frequently used items toward the back and be sure that everything is clearly labeled so when you are preparing for guests (or doing a deep clean) everyone in the household can easily grab what’s needed without having to completely tear apart the closet looking for the set of guest towels or winter sheets.

Linen closets have a lot of potential for beauty, order and calm. With some forethought—and a good strategy—it’s worth taking the time to set this area up for success. Since this is a small area, it’s an opportunity for a big win in a short period of time. Why not tackle it today?

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Cheers,

Karina