15 Genius Linen Closet Organization Ideas
Maximize your space with these expert tips and tricks.
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At this rate, your linen closet is probably overflowing with years — maybe decades! — worth of accumulated towels, bedding and sheets. No matter how diligent you are about adhering to your cleaning schedule, it’s hard to keep any linen closet organized: Fitted sheets are hard to tuck into neat squares, stacks of towels inevitably tip over and excess shampoo bottles sprinkle shelves haphazardly.
But you don’t have to accept the clutter and chaos. No matter how big or small your storage space is, there’s a method out there that can control the madness. It all has to do with plotting out an orderly way of stashing similar items together, then stocking up on the right items to help contain it all.
Ready to tackle one of the home’s biggest pain points? We've tapped the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab experts as well as some of our favorite home bloggers for their best tips and tricks for a cleaner linen closet. After you're finished, It'll look so beautiful, you'll actually want guests to open the closet door!
If you're looking for more home organization ideas, be sure to check out our guides to the best small bathroom storage solutions and the best laundry room ideas.
Store Rarely Used Items Out of Sight
Store your everyday towels and sheets on the center shelf. Everything else — mismatched pillowcases, bleach-stained towels and your daughter's hot pink shams — can be tucked in baskets on higher or lower shelves. Our cleaning pros love structured storage bins because they can sit squarely on the floor, hold their shape and have lids to help keep everything neatly tucked out of sight.
Add Vertical Dividers
Our cleaning pros love acrylic stackable drawers and bins because they keep everything contained, but still allow you to spot what you need. There’s a downside, though: The cost of these kinds of storage containers admittedly adds up quickly. For a more affordable option, install adjustable shelf dividers to keep your sheets, towels and other linens separate. Just take note: Our cleaning pros suggest opting for clear acrylic dividers instead of the wire versions, since they allow items to slip through the cracks.
Repurpose Office Supplies
Say goodbye to toppling towels. Like plastic shelf dividers, file sorters can fit onto most shelves and immediately create stackable compartments for washcloths, hand towels and dish rags.
Keep Products Handy
If you're short on storage space, it's likely that your linen closet is also home to cleaning products and extra toiletries. Lean on this creative bathroom storage solution: Divide everything into Lazy Susans or plastic bins for easy access. Remember to categorize, too — cleaning products all go together in one grab-and-go bin, shower accessories in another and so on.
Maximize Shelf Space
Typically used in kitchens and pantries, try repurposing an under-shelf organizer in your linen closet to hold rolled-up towels and linens.
Roll Washcloths
Washcloths and hand towels can sometimes feel awkward to fold and store since they're smaller than regular-size towels. Instead, roll and store them in bins.
Decant Small Items in Jars
Rather than stack things haphazardly, fill pretty glass jars with small, hard-to-contain items like cotton balls, bars of soap, cotton swabs and travel-sized shampoos and conditioners. The next time you have someone staying the night, simply pull them out for your guests. You can even tell your visitors to head to the closet and grab whatever they need themselves.
Stash Sheets in Pillowcases
This nifty hack makes it easier to keep all the pieces of your bedding sets together — substantially lowering your chances of losing a rogue pillowcase. Just make sure to fold everything nicely before putting each set into their respective pillowcase. This way your stacks will be neater and less prone to tipping. Plus, you’ll have the added bonus of climbing into crisp, unwrinkled sheets once you make the bed.
Fold Fitted Sheets the Right Way
But don't just stuff crumpled up sheets into a clean pillowcase and hope for the best. Instead, learn how to fold a fitted sheet like a pro — you'll save time and space!
Use Empty Door Space
Hang an over-the-door towel hanger on the inside of your closet door to make it easy for everyone to find their towel next time they shower. Alternatively, you could install over-the-door racks and use the space to group excess shampoo, conditioner and other toiletries.
Hang Your Ironing Supplies
If you don't have extra towels to hang but you do need space for your ironing board, iron and handheld steamer, hang an organizer on the door (or right inside the closet, if you have a nice, big walk-in). This way, the next time you're running 10 minutes late and need to press your dress, you can find everything you need to get rid of those pesky wrinkles.
Make It Consistent
No matter what organizers you choose to stock, settle on a color theme to give the closet a more cohesive, less cluttered look. For peak organization, give each type of linen — sheets, bath towels and spare bedding — a specific color so that you can find what you're looking for quickly.
Label Everything
Once everything is broken out into sections and exactly where it should be, it’s important to make time for one more very important step: labeling it all accordingly. Just don’t get ahead of yourself. Hold off on sticking bookplates and labels directly on shelves until you've figured out what system works best for you — then stick away! For this task, a label maker is your best friend.
Keep Track of What's Inside
No matter how well everything is labeled, you know how things go: You reach for a cotton ball only to find that you used all of 'em up the day before. Solve this problem by keeping track of what you need to buy with a makeshift organizer, a marker tied onto either a clipboard or dry erase sheet.
Remove Moisture
Finally, go the extra mile to make sure all your hard work doesn’t go to waste thanks to a musty closet. Your closet won't truly feel clean until it smells clean, and a compact disposable dehumidifier made with drying crystals can help get the job done without taking up too much precious space.
Amanda Garrity is a lifestyle writer and editor with over seven years of experience, including five years on staff at Good Housekeeping, where she covered all things home and holiday, including the latest interior design trends, inspiring DIY ideas and gift guides for any (and every) occasion. She also has a soft spot for feel-good TV, so you can catch her writing about popular shows like Virgin River, Sweet Magnolias, Hallmark Channel’s When Calls the Heart and more.
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