Organizing Your Linen Closet
Ahhh!
That’s your reaction as you open up your hall linen closet and towels start falling onto you along with everything else.
Tiny or large as it may be, there’s never enough room is there?
When the kids help with laundry their idea of putting things away is jamming everything anywhere just to get done.
The resulting factor is one unorganized closet that is begging you to start organizing your linen closet now!
Where do you start organizing your linen closet?
Is it even possible to lasso the mess inside the linen closet and really make a difference?
I will tell you the answer to this is a big, fat, YES!
No matter how small or how large your linen closet it, you can tame the beastie.
Really, I am not kidding.
Let’s solve that messy linen closet by organizing it!
There are easy, actionable steps you can take to gain control of one of the most used closets in the house and it will make a huge difference.
If you are serious about knowing where your towels, washcloths, and sheets are, read on, I promise it will set you on the path of being organized.
Organizing Your Linen Closet
Today, I will share my story of organizing a linen closet with you, and along the way, links from Amazon too.
These links are meant to help you find the products I used so you too can become organized and create the closet organization system of your dreams in fewer steps.
Please note, I do earn a small commission from the associated links but that does not change the price for you at all!
Read more on my disclosure!
That Moment When Your Closet Attacks You
We’ve all been at the moment I am about to mention at one time or another.
During the moment when you take hold of the handle, open the door and then wish you would not have!
Stuff comes tumbling out!
In fact, you might even find out you speak about 5 different languages you didn’t know you could because of the downhill mess.
Or, you might have asked the kids to grab you a bar soap set you thought you had.
You really can’t remember if you do or don’t because too much is always going on.
After they return and say, “Hey mom it’s not in there, we don’t have anything like that”, you stop your day.
Naturally, you need that item and you get to the store!
When you get back, you open the closet.
No matter that everything in the closet is in disarray you still move things around to peck and search for soap.
Suddenly, you find a 25 pack way more than what you needed, and now reality sets in.
You’ve wasted time running to the store.
Moreover, you have wasted money on what you already had.
Last, you have discovered that your linen closet is in dire need of a revamp.
Frustration, anger, upset and the overwhelming desire to get organized for once and all come to mind right here and now.
It’s time to take control of this closet and show it who’s boss!
Photo The Mess and Then Step Back
I am a firm believer in really looking at the situation.
So photo the mess, and step back for a moment.
Look at what you see in that photo.
Visualize what you want it to look like.
Then, make an action plan to update, makeover, and clean that sucker out!
Take a look at Pinterest to see what organizing a closet might look like?
Good leads and hints of mastering a closet makeover are available, so don’t rethink the wheel!
Now, that you’ve eyed up your mess, and found some great inspiration on Pinterest, you need a few hours to yourself.
What You Need To Start Organizing Your Linen Closet
When I started my closet, I was literally overwhelmed and frustrated.
Being fair, the teens seriously needed their #$@!#$ kicked for creating a mess.
I stepped back, again, because I was not holding myself accountable as well?
Yep, the teens could do their share, but I am in charge and I need to check on things periodically and did not check this closet (eyeroll).
Honestly, I hardly went into this closet since I practically live out of a towel laundry basket.
There’s that one basket that seems to be around forever.
When was the last time I really looked in this closet?
Chores are what kids do to get the job done, but don’t expect stellar stacking or organization.
Face it, this is a mess, that needs to be cleaned up.
Label, organize, toss, donate, then have that Come To Jesus meeting AFTER you clean it up.
Explain how it will be kept, cleaned, and maintained.
Share what goes where (it will be fool-proof so you won’t need to do much here).
Sort. Donate. Toss In Your Journey To Organizing a Linen Closet.
Start with Sheets, it seems to be the easiest.
Everyone has their favorite sheets and a set they really are just like ‘eh’ about.
Put the sheets sets by room in a pile.
Repeat this for every room, and every bed.
Ah, better, that’s all done.
I found my favorite 100% Cotton Sheets in Lavendar and I immediately folded them.
These cotton sheets are so soft and comfortable, I have a few sets in a few different colors, but the lavender is my favorite color!
The boys have their own favorite colors in these oh so comfy 100% cotton sheets, so I knew which one was which teens and I folded and sorted!
Linen Closet Sheets in Cubes
For me, large storage bins (that were also collapsible to flat) were key in this process.
I made a small investment in these 13 x 13 x 13 cubes in different colors.
You could also designate one color to a person (for sheet sorting) if you really want to go all-in.
On other shelves, I used 10.5″L x 10.5″W x 11″H, storage cubes to fit those shelves.
Admittedly, I think for a more cohesive look, I should have used ALL one color, but it is what it is not.
At least it is well-organized.
Last I added my favorite tags, they are mini chalkboard tags and I use them all over the house in different ways!
Trust me, use these mini chalkboard tags once, and you will never want to be without them, so grab your own chalkboard tags here in a 48 pack!
Pillowcases and Organizing A Linen Closet – Cubes For Storage
Before we had kids, I had an obsession with pillowcases.
In fact, I would buy pairs of pillowcases in many different colors.
However, the pillowcases I love are cool, comfortable, and love to be washed.
It’s crazy how the soft pillowcases that are all cotton get even softer when they are washed!
Needless to say, I needed to sort through all of those really comfortable pillowcases you want to get if you don’t have them!
As for the cubes, I used the same cubes as above I used 10.5″L x 10.5″W x 11″H, storage cubes to fit those shelves.
Cleaning Products and Bathroom Products
I pulled all of the cleaning products and bathroom products out of the closet.
Not really certain if those products belong in this closet or not.
Why?
Well, I believe that extra shampoo and sprays like my favorite stain remover SHOUT belong in the bathroom.
You know, where you actually need them when you need them?
I buy the 3 Pack of Shout on Amazon because I have Prime and it’s a really great deal for the 3 Pack.
No, I don’t want to run out of the good stuff!
Towels and the Linen Closet
Primarily, towels are stored in this closet, but there are other things.
However, looking at my closet, you would never know there were other things because the towels took on a life of their own.
While we have four full bathrooms, not every bathroom is stocked right.
Again, I’ll attribute this to a very busy lifestyle and shame on me!
So I sorted all my towels into colors.
I have my favorite Pink bath towels, that tis how I keep the BOYS off my towels.
My favorite towels are these pink large dark pink, soft, yet dense towels.
Also, did I mention you want to add a few of my favorite luxury hotel towels to your own collection?
Consider those towels, hands-off to anyone else in the house, and a reward to yourself. Your welcome!
After sorting, I checked each towel for fraying, stains, etc.
Those that did not make the cut, get put into a ‘car wash’ bin and will no longer get a fabric softener on them!
Now, they have been upcycled to outdoor towels for washing vehicles.
NO waste here!
Don’t fold your towels to store them, roll them.
As a travel pro (you know I am usually off globetrotting, I know for a fact, rolling gives you more space than stacking!
Roll and sort (if you want) into colors and replace them from side to side on one shelf.
My pinks as you can see are Front and Center, finally, they have a home, and aren’t living in a laundry basket!
Hand Towels and Wash Clothes and Organizing Your Linen Closet
Don’t fool yourself, just because wash clothes and hand towels are small, doesn’t mean they don’t contribute to the mess.
On the contrary, they are a huge part of what makes the mess!
So to capture the mess, I used a large 6 pocket over the door hanger.
I love these over the door hangers, in fact, I have several I use for cruising in the bathroom to stay organized when I travel on a cruise ship!
However, I discovered a really great over-the-door organizer on Amazon that is squared off and more shelf-like, and you can use this link to grab it >>Door Organizer!
Instead of fighting space on the shelves and instead of losing the washcloths between the wire racks, I rolled them and placed them into the Over-the-door organizer.
Now they are easy to find and use because of the clear plastic and no labeling necessary.
Plus, as a bonus, shelf-space is freed up.
Supplies You Will Need When You Start Organizing Your Linen Closet
Collapsible Cubes with loops/handles on them in this same color or many colors and maybe a few different sizes.
A metallic marker set, I have one very similar to this set on Amazon, and I use them way more than I anticipated, and I bet you will too!
Chalkboard Mini Tags with Twine for hanging and you will find they are useful beyond just this closet! I have them on hand always!
Hanging Pocket (over-the-door) organizer with clear pockets.
Have fun with this project and getting organized! ~ Dana XO
Take before and afters and share them with me on Pinterest ~ @danavento1