Everyone has a linen closet that won't stay organized – we've all been there! Thankfully there are a number of storage/sorting methods to remedy the situation. Here's how to get your linen closet in order in five easy steps.

1. Clean It Out

The first step is to clean everything out so you can reimagine your linen closet and its storage opportunities.

• Donate any items you have not used in the last year.
• Put old sheets or towels aside to throw away or use as cleaning rags.
• Group similar items together, such as pillows, bedding, sheets, beach towels, medicine, and toiletries to make reorganizing shelves quick and easy.

2. Map Out Each Shelf

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Next, redesignate each shelf for specific groups/items. Here are the most functional ways to sort them:

• Everyday, frequently-used items should be stored on eye-level shelves.
• Items used seasonally or infrequently should be stored on high or low shelves or at floor level.
• First-aid items or medicine should be placed on higher shelves so children cannot reach them.

Tip!

If extra out-of-season linens or bedding are taking up precious shelf space, consider storing them in under-bed bins until they're needed.

3. Maximize Space

(Shop this image: fabric storage containers, small woven baskets, oval-shaped woven baskets, textured quilts, and grass cloth wallpaper.)

One of the main ways that linen closets get disorganized is by a lack of structure. Stacks of bedding or towels easily turn into piles when you try to retrieve a specific item. That's where storage containers and other savvy organization methods come to the rescue. Here are some options to help keep your linen closet tidy and organized:

• Use baskets or shelf dividers to help organize stacks of linens and keep them from falling over.

• Labeled baskets will keep items in their proper place and make everything easy to find.

• If you need more shelf space, add under-shelf baskets.

• If your linen closet doesn’t have a lot of shelves, install your own!

• If space allows, we recommend adding pantry door organizers to your linen closet to free up shelf space. Door organizers are perfect for storing sheets/pillowcases, hair products, bath products, and toiletries.

• To take advantage of the space under the bottom shelf, place a storage container there and use it to store toilet paper, paper towels, or extra bedding.
• If you plan to use the storage container specifically for bedding or sheets, make sure it has a sealable lid. This will prevent spiders or other bugs from getting inside.

4. Make Sheets & Towels Easy to Grab

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Since bed sheets and towels are items you should change out regularly, it's super important that they're organized and easy to retrieve.

• If your sheets are dedicated to a specific bed or room, store those together so when it comes time to change the sheets, they can be easily plucked from the right stack.
• Households with multiple bed sizes should store sheets by size in labeled bins, such as “queen fitted sheets”, or “twin flat sheets” so that making the bed is always a breeze.

• We also recommend folding your sheets from the same set and tucking them into the corresponding pillowcases, so you can easily grab an entire set at once.
• Instead of folding towels and placing them in a stack, roll towels and place them in a basket to make them easier to grab.

• An over-the-door towel rack hung on the inside of your linen closet is another way to make towels easily accessible.

5. Keep the Closet Mildew-Free

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To keep your bath towels and sheets fresh – especially if your linen closet is inside or right outside the bathroom – try one of these methods.

• Use wire baskets to encourage airflow, which will reduce mildew growth.
• If you do not want to use baskets, we recommend lining shelves with an acid-free liner to absorb moisture and reduce towel or bedding discoloration over time.
• We recommend also placing a box of baking soda in your linen closet to absorb moisture and keep your linens and towels smelling fresh.
• For linen closets outside of bathrooms, a baking soda box will need to be replaced every two months. For linen closets in bathrooms that are exposed to more moisture, consider changing out the baking soda box every month.

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