If your linen closet is holding more than just linens—or holding linens you no longer use—it might be time to purge and organize this space. From sheets to towels to toiletries, here are some great tips for getting your linen closet clean and organized:
Purge It
Empty your linen closet and sort through all your items to decide what you need to keep, what you need to put in another location and what you need to purge. “Try to limit yourself to three sets of sheets per bed and as few as three sets of bath sheets or towels, and washcloths per person,” suggests Real Simple. “This gives you one set to use, one in the hamper, and one in the closet ready for action.” Consider reusing what you don’t want—turning old sheets into dusting rags or handing them over to the kids to use for building tents in the playroom.
Placement is Key
In order for your closet to stay clean and organized, your most used items need to be accessible and easy to find. According to HGTV.com, towels should be folded in thirds lengthwise, then into a rectangle and placed on shelves at eye level or below. For sheets, store sets neatly inside a matching pillowcase and store in collapsible storage containers.
Keep Toiletries Hidden in Plain Sight
Invest in baskets or bins where you can store personal care products, cleaning supplies and bathroom staples such as toilet paper and tissues. Use labels or tags to identify the content of each basket, giving you a clean appearance for those often hard to store items. In addition, keeping things in one bin will help you quickly see which items need to be refreshed.
Toss Pillows on the Floor
Bulky items such as pillows, blankets and beach towels often topple down as soon as you open the closet door. Add an oversized basket or tote (we love this one from Pottery Barn) to the floor of your closet for storing the bulkiest of your items.
Think Beyond the Shelf
Shelving attached to the back of the door is a great place for extra bottles of shampoo and bars of soap and hangers hung from the bottom shelf (if you have wired shelving) create a great storage option for table linens.
Don’t have a linen closet? We love this idea from Country Living—turn an old armoire into a storage space by simply adding adjustable shelves and hooks.
Talk to us: What is your greatest challenge in keeping your linen closet organized?
image courtesy of flickr CC/m01229