September 28, 2017
A Simple + Organized Linen Closet
I love opening up a closet or cupboard door and seeing an organized space. It’s nice to look at but it is equally helpful in the efficiency of your home. A little organization goes a long way and an organized linen closet (small, large, or somewhere in between) is a welcome door to open. Our ‘linen closet’ is in the upstairs hallway right as you walk up the steps. We use this space primarily for bed sheets, guest items and paper goods. I keep other bath towels in each bathroom to simplify things.
Previously I haven’t always put everything in a basket in our linen closet but after doing so, I love the organization and function this adds to our linen closet. I started by emptying out the space and cleaning it and then I decided on 5 categories to separate everything into. I made these chalkboard labels and tied them on to the baskets.
Then I put everything back in their ‘correct’ baskets and on the shelves. And there you have it, a simple + organized linen closet. Here are the details…..
- GUESTS: I keep two sets of bath towels, hand towels, wash cloths, and a bath mat in this basket. Our guest rooms are in the rooms to the left (in our daughter’s room) and the room to the right (our kids’ lounge room has a pull-out sofa). When guests arrive I pull out this stack of towels and put it out for them to use. This ensures that I always have two sets of towels clean, folded, and ready for their use.
- QUEEN: Two sets of queen sheets are kept in this basket. We only use fitted sheets so I fold those neatly and place one pillow case in the fitted sheet and then put that inside the other pillow case. This keeps the sheet set neat and in a nice little package. Extra pillowcases go on the right hand side of the sheets.
- KING: One set of king sheets are kept in this basket. The fitted sheet goes in the pillowcase and extra pillow cases go on the right hand side of the sheets. I prefer to use white sheets (and towels) for their crisp, clean look. (Pictured is a gray/blue sheet set that I bought to contrast our white duvet cover. I always purchase 100% cotton and 300-400 thread count – the lower thread count gives you that crisp looking and cool feeling sheet.
- PAPER: Toilet paper and tissue boxes go in this basket. Keeping this basket stocked keeps us from running to the garage for more toilet paper (I have a stockpile in there).
- PILLOWS: Four extra pillows fit neatly in this basket for guests. I like having them handy and at the ready for company.
- TAGS: I used chalkboard tags and a wet-erase chalkboard marker for the letters. I used all capital letters for the consonants and lower case letters for the vowels. I spaced them out by putting the middle letter in the middle of the tag and then putting the other letters equally spaced on each side.
There you have it – one simple and organized linen closet! Looking for the sources? You can find them below.
Jennifer Says
Where do you keep your blankets? And the rest of your towels?
I had never thought of using baskets in my linen closet. They look great!
b r Says
Post authorBlankets are on the beds if needed and we keep towels for each bathroom in each bathroom 🙂
Laura Says
Thanks for letting us take a peek into your linen closet! Why do you only use fitted sheets?
b r Says
Post authorThanks Laura! Fitted sheets make bed making easy – we use quilts or duvet covers and wash them bi-weekly or as-needed 🙂
Shannon Says
I have a few questions. Do you store surplus towels for your family elsewhere or wash and use in the same day? What about beach towels – where do they go? And as for not using flat sheets on twin beds, your kids just use blankets? Even as teens? (I have an 11yo child who has never used a flat sheet but I thought he’d outgrow this one day.) Do you wash the blankets weekly?
b r Says
Post authorBeach towels are stored in my boys’ bathroom closet and then each bathroom has a cupboard for towels for that bathroom. Blankets are on the beds if needed and my kids hate flat sheets too and we just use quilts or duvet covers and laundry bi-wekely or as-needed.
Michelle B. Says
My kids also use only quilts. I have blankets folded at the bottom of the beds. They don’t like the flat sheets. We also use duvets in the winter. For summer, the quilt is lighter and I switch to the duvet in winter.
Lori Says
You have a skinny minny linen closet like we do! Not sure why the builder made it so small! Anyway first of all I love posts like this and am looking forward to the series. Secondly, gosh your house looks so pretty and CLEAN – the carpet, baseboards etc. look fantastic. and its so bright and airy looking. My question is, where do you keep health and beauty aids like bar soap, backup bottles of body wash, shampoo, etc? I have that stuff in my skinny minny linen closet and even though I have plastic shoebox bins on each shelf, it ends up piled up and a mess! I should send you a picture – you would probably faint……
Renée Says
Thank you!!! Very interesting. However each of my beds have two sets of sheets and I have five!!!!!! I have a walkin closet and will try the baskets. I place my sheets into a pillowcase as well…
mac Says
where do you store extra blankets?
b r Says
Post authorIn the corresponding bedrooms 🙂
Jill Peterson Says
Great post! Do you put anything in your closet or baskets to keep the sheets smelling fresh? I find that the guest sheets start to smell like the stained door in the closet. (new house)
b r Says
Post authorI use sachets with dried lavender or a bar of soap to freshen drawers and closets 😉
dclarkpap Says
I now have two guest room in our house. Do you keep the guest beds made all the time or do you leave them stripped down and make them when you are expecting guests?
b r Says
Post authorI keep them made and ready 🙂
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Mimi Says
Where are those baskets from?
b r Says
Post authorTarget – they’re linked below the post too 🙂
RebeccaTI Says
Hi Becky,
I love your website- and this post. So helpful! Where is the gray sofa from that is pictured in the kids’ lounge room? Thank you for your time.
b r Says
Post authorThank you! It’s the Willow Grey Queen Sleeper Sofa from Crate and Barrel:
http://bit.ly/2DzdTxF
Christine Says
Thanks, that was a fun peek! Always inspiring, and you’re so kind to post all those links. I’m funny about smells, and I feel like rattan type baskets may transfer an odor onto sheets. I guess you haven’t noticed anything. ?
Starla Kreider Says
Looking forward to more inside peaks. I love orderly spaces behind closed doors. =)
Jackie Says
Love the idea of the peeks and the questions that come up. Keep it up. Just got your book.
Julia Rasche Says
I live in a small 1939 home. No linen closet. I do have a space in the small bathroom, I’m trying to figure how to best utilize it. It’s tall and deep. At top is has 3 deep shelves. Bottom has 4 drawers very deep too. By deep it’s about little over a arm length. How do I organize it when I can’t see everything in it? Help!
b r Says
Post authorI would use pull-out bins or baskets 🙂
Gabrielle Says
Would love to hear more about how your kiddos bed situation works, like how many fitted sheets per kid you have and your wash routine for their quilts and duvets. I am about to move my older two (5 & 3) out of toddler beds into twin sizes and know they will need help making their beds. But I don’t want to do it for them every day!
b r Says
Post author2 sets of sheets per bed and we launder duvets/quilts bi-weekly 🙂
Cindi Says
Love this post! Thanks for always linking where to buy the items, too! We have the bed from Pottery Barn that has drawers on the sides and it fits sheets and blankets perfectly. Just moved into a new house with the exact size of linen closets you have and this has given me some great ideas where to store the extra shampoo, body wash, etc.. can’t wait to see the other peeks!
Mary Says
I am unable to see the pictures. Will try again later. It all sounds nice, but our house has one very large linen closet in ONE bathroom and none in the other two and a half. I use some baskets, but I think I will be adding some for the sheets and towels now! I keep seasonal towels, seasonal table linens, and shampoos, soaps, and several different hygiene items all in it as well. It’s a blessing, but can become unmanageable with very deep shelves.
Cynthia Says
Hi Becky! I look to you as the expert on towels :-). So….my question is are you supposed to cut the tags off of towels? I never do, but we have guests coming and I think it would be a good idea…
Clean Mama Says
Post authorI don’t, but you definitely can if you’d like to 🙂