Linen closets are a wonderful thing (if you have one!). They offer space to store sheets, blankets, towels, toiletries, cleaning supplies, personal care items, dirty laundry, medicine or whatever you need to store. Most people keep fabric related items in the linen closet, hence the name “linen”! {According to Wikipedia, “The collective term ‘linens’ is still often used generically to describe a class of woven and even knitted bed, bath, table and kitchen textiles.”}

There are a few things you need to consider when organizing your linen closet:

1. Size – How big is the closet?

Typically, a linen closet is smaller than a bedroom closet and is located close to bedrooms or bathrooms (or both). The size of the closet will determine what items can be stored in it. If you have a tiny linen closet, you may only be able to keep sheets, blankets and extra pillows in it (like my boys’ linen closet). If it is large, you may be able to keep toiletries, towels, cleaning supplies, etc. in it.

2. Location – Where is it located?

The location of the closet will determine what you should store in it. If the closet is next to a bathroom, but nowhere near a bedroom, you may want to only store towels, personal care or other bathroom-related items in it. If it’s next to the bedrooms, you may want to store bedroom-related textiles in it.

3. Need – What items do I need to store in this closet?

Look at all of the items that could be stored in the closet and assess which items to store based on the size of the closet, the location and the frequency of use. Store frequently used items in the most convenient spaces. For example, my boys’ linen closet is tiny and they use a lot of sheets and blankets. Their bathroom has plenty of storage for towels, so even though the linen closet is right outside of the bathroom, we don’t need to store bathroom items in it. We keep only blankets and sheets in it.

Today, I was working with a client who had plenty of space in her linen closet. We ended up with a vacuum, cleaning products, a tool kit and various other frequently used items on shelves below the linens. Another client stores gift wrap and suitcases in her linen closet. There is no hard and fast rule about what you can put into a specific closet. Most linen closets are outfitted with floor to ceiling shelves (thus distinguishing them from coat closets, which have a hanging clothes rod).

4. Fit – How do I fit the items into the allotted space?

After you have determined which items you want to keep in the linen closet, you may need to pare it down. Ask yourself how many sets of sheets you need for each bed. Some people prefer to have a set of heavier sheets for winter and a set of lighter sheets for summer. Some people have one set of sheets that gets washed and immediately put back onto the bed. Every person has different preferences and a different amount of space. The amount of space in your linen closet will help you determine which preferences you are able to fulfill!

To keep the closet organized, you can sort the items in different ways. A typical rule is to keep like items together. In our master closet, we keep the entire set of sheets together (flat, fitted and pillowcases). In the boys’ closet, we sort sheets into stacks of flat, stacks of fitted and stacks of pillowcases. Some people store the flat & fitted inside the pillowcase in order to keep the set together. Again, each person can do it however they desire.

The common thread {no pun intended!} is that the sheets, blankets or towels are neatly folded in a manner in which they will physically fit onto the shelf. I’m pretty sure that every human on the planet has struggled with folding a fitted sheet at one point or another. Here is a video to help you learn how to properly fold a fitted sheet:

Whatever you use your linen closet for and however you choose to organize it, the important thing is your ability to maintain the system. No matter how fabulous it looks, if it doesn’t work for you and your family, you are not going to be able to keep it looking nice! A professional organizer’s job is not to come into your home and organize your belongings to his/her preference. The professional organizer’s job is to help you determine what your preference is and assist you with achieving the level of organization you desire!