At this stage of the game, your linen closet is probably overflowing with ‘everything and the kitchen sink’ – years in the making of an unforeseen collection of bedding, towels, and what have you not. With my clients, one of the biggest issues with a messy linen closet is too much stuff. Do you really need to keep all those worn out towels? It is not functional and let’s be honest, it’s cringeworthy when you need to find something or put laundry away. How can you maximize your space – and up its curb-side appeal?
Let’s declutter!
The first step to organizing a closet is sorting out what you have. Take everything out and make three piles: one to keep, one to donate and one to recycle. In order to help you declutter, it’s a rule of thumb to have two of everything for every person in your home. A family of four should only need six fitted sheets, eight pillowcases, six duvet covers (one for winter and one for summer) – plus an extra set for guests. Anything more, depending on the condition, can either be given away to charity or recycled. Done. You now have a beautiful, blank canvas to work with, and it’s time to let your inner-organization nerd shine!
Let’s make a plan!
I love baskets and bins. By adding dedicated baskets and bins, you’ll be able to conceal the chaos and keep groupings together – an area for towels, sheets, bath products, etc. I like a nice mix of different storage containers, yet within the same colour pallet and material. The bottom line is function – and ease. Once you determine what you need for your organization solutions – store your items from the top to the bottom and back to front (so basically, the items that you use less often should be placed at the top and the back of the closet, followed by the items which you use every day at eye level and so on).
To label or not? I’m not a big fan of labeling – as I prefer to group items together, sheets/duvet covers/pillowcases, towels/face cloths, etc. – and let’s be honest, the concept of a seriously smart linen closet is to declutter – so finding what you need should be a no-brainer and not based on a sticky label. But if spending your time labeling everything brings you joy – then go for it.
Learn the Art of Folding!
When I lived in Japan, I was amazed by how well things were folded. The technique is genius – and is taught at such an early age (think origami). There are so many valuable online resources to help you to become a folding extraordinaire. I really like the Shinto traditional style of folding (think: KonMari) – it’s incredible how you can maximize your space this way. Learn it once, and it becomes a habit.
Closet Tips
To keep your linens smelling fresh, add a jar of scented bath salts or dried lavender. For small spaces, if one closet is for linens and toiletries, get creative with baskets and bins to organize a multi-functional space. You can arrange items by use to keep the space functional: extra toilet paper and toiletries can share a shelf.
Clean space, clean mind
It’s remarkable how much a micro change like this can affect your daily life. Happy nesting!
Cher xx
