KonMari World: Organisation Tips For Sheets & Towels
A few basic supplies and smart storage tips can help you straighten up the linen closet
Laura Gaskill
7 March 2019
Houzz Contributor. I cover decorating ideas, Houzz tours & the monthly home maintenance checklist. My favorite pieces to write center around the emotional aspects of home and savoring life's simple pleasures. Decluttering course + discount for Houzzers: https://www.lauragaskill.com/welcome-houzzers
Houzz Contributor. I cover decorating ideas, Houzz tours & the monthly home maintenance... More
So you’ve whittled down the contents of your linen closet to just the items that “spark joy.” What’s next? After decluttering, it’s time to get organised. But when it comes to choosing organising products, it can be hard to know which are worth buying and which will end up gathering dust (or worse: Making your space more cluttered).
To help you bring order to your linen closet, we’ll look at the basics that everyone can benefit from, plus a few optional organising tools that may work for you.
To help you bring order to your linen closet, we’ll look at the basics that everyone can benefit from, plus a few optional organising tools that may work for you.
The basics
Choose a central location
It may be tempting to store sheets, towels and other linens according to where they will be used, but that’s not usually the best option, and here’s why: When you need to use something, you will go get it, no matter where it’s stored. But if you’re trying to put away a mountain of laundry and it seems inconvenient to trek back and forth across the house to put things away in various closets, the job might not get done.
Choose a central location with enough room to fit all your sheets and towels, and it will be easier to maintain.
Choose a central location
It may be tempting to store sheets, towels and other linens according to where they will be used, but that’s not usually the best option, and here’s why: When you need to use something, you will go get it, no matter where it’s stored. But if you’re trying to put away a mountain of laundry and it seems inconvenient to trek back and forth across the house to put things away in various closets, the job might not get done.
Choose a central location with enough room to fit all your sheets and towels, and it will be easier to maintain.
Subdivide and conquer
Sheets and towels have a way of toppling over – a problem made worse when you have lots of linens sharing space on an undivided stretch of shelving. If your linen closet has wide open shelves, invest in shelf dividers to keep piles upright. And if the shelving is adjustable, move the shelves closer together so you can fit only a short stack of towels or sheets on each shelf. Toppling piles, begone!
Tip: Unless you can tell at a glance whose sheets are whose, it helps to use shelf labels to designate which bedroom the sheets belong in.
Browse through images of linen storage
Sheets and towels have a way of toppling over – a problem made worse when you have lots of linens sharing space on an undivided stretch of shelving. If your linen closet has wide open shelves, invest in shelf dividers to keep piles upright. And if the shelving is adjustable, move the shelves closer together so you can fit only a short stack of towels or sheets on each shelf. Toppling piles, begone!
Tip: Unless you can tell at a glance whose sheets are whose, it helps to use shelf labels to designate which bedroom the sheets belong in.
Browse through images of linen storage
Protect guest and out-of-season bedding from dust
If you have a rarely used guest room or live in a climate that necessitates a full change of bedding (say, from thick duvet to lightweight quilt) twice each year, you’ll need a place to put the items not currently in rotation. Instead of cluttering up your linen closet with items that you know you won’t be touching for three to six months, give them a home that will keep them out of the way and dust-free.
Zippered bags and bins designed for this purpose are ideal – stow them under a guest bed or on a high shelf. And remember to launder bedding before storing it away.
If you have a rarely used guest room or live in a climate that necessitates a full change of bedding (say, from thick duvet to lightweight quilt) twice each year, you’ll need a place to put the items not currently in rotation. Instead of cluttering up your linen closet with items that you know you won’t be touching for three to six months, give them a home that will keep them out of the way and dust-free.
Zippered bags and bins designed for this purpose are ideal – stow them under a guest bed or on a high shelf. And remember to launder bedding before storing it away.
More organising options
Pullout baskets
If you’re starting from scratch or considering a new system, sliding baskets can make an excellent choice for household linens. The open design keeps air flowing around your sheets and towels, and makes it easy to spot what you need at a glance. They also make a great addition to very deep linen closets, since you can simply pull out the drawer to reach what’s at the very back.
See these stylish storage containers for a clutter-free home
Pullout baskets
If you’re starting from scratch or considering a new system, sliding baskets can make an excellent choice for household linens. The open design keeps air flowing around your sheets and towels, and makes it easy to spot what you need at a glance. They also make a great addition to very deep linen closets, since you can simply pull out the drawer to reach what’s at the very back.
See these stylish storage containers for a clutter-free home
Pillowcase trick
One good way to keep sets of sheets tidy (especially when you don’t have subdivided shelving) is to simply tuck each folded sheet set inside its own pillowcase. This makes an easy-to-grab bundle that looks neat and won’t topple. Plus, there’s no need to buy anything!
One good way to keep sets of sheets tidy (especially when you don’t have subdivided shelving) is to simply tuck each folded sheet set inside its own pillowcase. This makes an easy-to-grab bundle that looks neat and won’t topple. Plus, there’s no need to buy anything!
Labelled bins
Big fabric-covered bins with built-in labels look neat on the shelf and make it easy to drop in sets of sheets or towels that go to the same place. Get bins in a range of sizes, and they can handle everything from washcloths to quilts.
Want to have a happy, organised home?
Big fabric-covered bins with built-in labels look neat on the shelf and make it easy to drop in sets of sheets or towels that go to the same place. Get bins in a range of sizes, and they can handle everything from washcloths to quilts.
Want to have a happy, organised home?
Hanging rod
If you have lots of tablecloths and runners to store, hanging them over a closet rod will keep them wrinkle-free.
Tip: If you rarely use your fine linens, store them inside a garment bag instead.
If you have lots of tablecloths and runners to store, hanging them over a closet rod will keep them wrinkle-free.
Tip: If you rarely use your fine linens, store them inside a garment bag instead.
Wrap-up quiz
Read more:
10 Ways to Keep Your Bed Linen Whiter Than White
Tell us:
How do you organise your linen storage? Tell us in the Comments below.
- Are most of your everyday sheets and towels stored together in one spot?
- Is it easy to find what you need right away?
- Do your shelves have some white space (no toppling piles)?
Read more:
10 Ways to Keep Your Bed Linen Whiter Than White
Tell us:
How do you organise your linen storage? Tell us in the Comments below.
What are you working on?
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@sherryhammerl My childhood home, built around 1912, had exactly what you describe. At the head of the stairs were 2 double doors that opened to shelves across the width of the landing, from floor to ceiling. Not an inch of space in that house was wasted.
Ronnie, they don't seem to build houses like that anymore (unless one designs their own!). But you are spot on, in prior times, they did a great job with using every space. Nowadays, builders worry about costs, big bathrooms, kitchens, etc. . . not smart storage - unfortunately. This is especially true in those large track building neighborhoods . . . Just bought a house, custom designed by owner, decent storage (better than current builds), but I'd love even more.