I'm of no help here because my "linen closet" is (a) the big bottom drawer of an antique wardrobe, and (b) a shelf above the bathtub. Neither looks like much when open or closed because (it has finally dawned on me) my linens don't match (though my towels look OK as long as they're nicely folded). It strikes me as a prerequisite to have matching linens if you want to display. Also, fitted sheets and king size sheets are tough to get folded well enough to showcase, even if the only audience is you.

That blog actually kind of sets my teeth on edge although there is value in it. For example, the blogger comes right out and says "Luckily weÂre also waaaay more compulsively neat than the average bear (to a somewhat insane degree) so itÂs perfect for us."

I think it's important to know yourself before you tackle organizing jobs, for display or not.

I'm quite the opposite of the young house people. I'm the kind of housekeeper who isn't always interested in folding the laundry before putting it away, and I'm also always in a hurry, so if I'm dealing with a basket that I have to take out of the closet to get at something, well, it doesn't always go back in right away. Plus, I use every square inch of space in and on my furniture (sadly, too much stuff). Motto being, plan for things you will actually do and use.

I also find I do much better at taking care of nice things. So for example, if I were trying to organize my linen closet and all my sheets were mismatched, stained, and getting worn out, I'd be far less successful than if I went and bought a couple of new sheets and pillowcases. Those, I would fold.

I hope you've taken a meander through old threads on the Organizing forum. It's a bit slow there, though I think many people drop in occasionally, but there is plenty of good info archived.

KarinL

our only linen closet in the entire house is in the hallway off the spare bath. It has a normal sized interior door on it and expands slightly beyond that width once the door is open (by like MAYBE 6 inches on each side.

there are 4 wire shelves like what you'd see in a closet, spaced about 1 ft 1/2 apart, the top shelf space begins at about 3/4 of the height of the top of the door height and goes up into a void, it's the only space where any comforters etc will fit, so I must SHOVE them up through and then attempt to get them on top of whatever others are already there, the wall above the door becomes what holds them in place from falling to the floor.

There will be no pictures taken of this space in an attempt to protect the innocent.

I have recently been on a hunt for a cabinet of some sort to leave in the hallway. this is the one I have now but I intend to paint it so it's currently empty. The shelving unit next to the cabinet is what DH now uses for towels for his bath (the spare bath he uses exclusively)

These things are no doubt designed by men (men who have never frequented a forum like those on GW)...NUFF SAID.

I can't believe that's a linen closet for 2 people! I will say seeing the title of this thread made me do a little closet cleaning this morning. I'm not finished, but it sure did feel cathartic to toss a bunch of crap away and rearrange a few things.

Not only do you have to be neat, but it helps to have wood shelves instead of those horrible builder wire things.

I'm not in washington to show pics of our linen closets so all I can do is comment on the blog. Ummm that's a linen closet? Do you have just one change of sheets? Now grant you, I bought the house with ten beds so I have a lot more linen that I do in our alaska home...but even there I have WAY more linen than they have in that closet. It appears they have about two towels per person. I use two with each shower. I have a change out for the bathroom rugs in each bathroom (2) and at least half a dozen of each towel size. Our master suite linens include 3 changes of sheets and gad winter and summer weight down comforters as well as a couple of duvets for each. I also have lots of extra pillow cases in two sizes, king and standard. And it's not an obsessive amount, but it fills the drawers in our bed pedastool full. Towels are kept in the bath.

My son also has a closet and he has winter and summer bedding as well as maybe five sets of sheets and duvets (because he's often sick and I've been known to go through a couple of sets of bedding in one night). He has a couple of each season comforters.

So when you show me your "linen" closet...how about some umm linen in it? I can fold two towels and add a couple pretty bottles to make any closet look pretty...but the reality is, there's some other linen somewhere they're not sharing (note in the one pic they have more towels and they're not matched).

I wish the young couple a 4 year old or two....let's see how their closets look after that LOL

OK So in the big house...I do have a great linen closet but it's inside my son's bathroom. I also have two other amoires full of linens (towels in one and upstairs linens in another). One thing I've found to really tame the linen closet won't make the pages of anyone's magazines...but it's those space bags. Great with down because it squashes it down to a couple inch thick piece which you can easily stack. I have done the same for the decorator pillows I kept so a few dozen fit in the space that six filled earlier. I just love those things.

What they lack in beauty the make up for in storage capability and for me that's what makes a linen closet really work :)

We're going to add a laundry room and I'm going to pattern it after a linen room I saw at a gorgeous mansion in MN. And what was best about the closet???? It had doors LOL Not one open shelf to be seen.

I use two with each shower.

Ok, curious people want to know ... why 2?

I use 2 also - one for the bod, one for the hair.

I store towels only in my small bathroom linen closet because that's all that will fit!

Bedding is stored in the room where it is used.

I'm with you, igloo. My first thought was, WHERE are all their linens? It sorta reminds me of all those ads for organizing your clothes closet. They always show three beige jackets, two dresses, three white shirts, and 4 pairs of shoes. OK, well, if that was all I owned I wouldn't actually need to rebuild/reorganize! LOL

Anyway like others above, I keep linens in different places so I don't have one "linen closet" with everything in it. My main linen closet is in the hallway and has the stuff least used. The stuff most used is as close to the spot where it's used as possible. My house has a eety-bitty master bath so towels are in an old dresser in my closet, sheets are in a chest at the foot of the bed. None of it on display.

plan for things you will actually do and use
Yup. Best advice ever and words to live by. Don't set yourself up for failure by creating situations you KNOW you won't be able/willing to maintain. Life is easier and happier if you recognize your faults/weaknesses and don't try to pretend they don't exist.

Lurker here. I got my daughters turbie towels for Christmas. Four for 20 bucks from QVC. My youngest is in college and has a ton of long, thick, curly, hair. She is raving about her turbie towels. They both snickered at me when they opened the gifts, but now they think mom was pretty smart after all ;-)

Thought I would share the tip with those that might be interested.

LOL Natal how does a chick not use two towels? Ok this from a girl who's always had shoulder legnth or longer hair so perhaps I'm missing out on the ease of a head you shake and go :) But yes, it's one for the head and one for the bod. I like a huge body towel that wraps so well around me I can run down and get a cup of coffee in it and not see it drop on the way :) And a normal sized one for my hair.

DS (4) uses 4. Three to surround the tub to catch splashes, and one to actually dry off with...am I the one one with this issue?

Well, I loved the open shelves!!
I have to close my bathroom door to open the linen closet door, and while this approach had not occurred to me it may be just what I needed, so thanks.
It's just me and the hub, towels etc. are all white, and bedding is stored elsewhere so I do think that with a few nice baskets it would be an ideal solution.

And karinl- you can indeed fold fitted sheets neatly, someone just has to show you the technique. I should do a pictorial on it- a boyfriend (yep!) showed me how way back when and I have been forever grateful to him for the trick!

Cearbhaill, I'd love to see a pictorial! An elderly gent taught my brother how years ago. I never think to ask for a demo when I visit.

Igloo, my hair has always been long too. I squeeze out excess water with my hands then use a towel to do the same before I pat my body dry with the same towel. Then I put on a robe.

Our largest linen closet is in our master bath. I keep the bulk of our towels and linens in that closet. Also two hampers and a small wastebasket. We have another (smaller) linen closet outside a guest bedroom and bath - I keep towels and linens for those rooms in that closet along with some extra cleaning supplies and a few decorating items like extra candlesticks, vases and a couple of lamps.

There used to be a tutorial of sheet folding on Martha Stewart's site. You fold both sheets and store in one of the pillowcases.

I always use a seperate towel for hair and body also. I have a few of those towels that are specifically for hair that I really like.

tina

Ok, I just checked youtube for videos on folding fitted sheets. I've been doing the corner tucks right, but totally missing the rest. We'll see if that changes next laundry day.

Natal you should dry off with a dry towel after your next shower :oP Such silly luxuries are well worth the price of a little extra laundry :)

I have dry skin and don't dry off completely. I pat and then put on lotion while my skin is still damp.

I just pulled a fitted sheet out of the closet to practice. It sort of worked. My problem is figuring out which is the long end.

cearbhaill, post that pictorial, lol!
natal, do you have a link to the particular youtube video?

Years ago I saw on a Martha episode how she folded the fitted sheet elastic corners a certain way first. Folded is the wrong word, there was a way she tucked them. Then got a perfect fold. (Not tucked in pillow case for storage on that episode tho.) Sounds simple enough but it was different than what most of us are probably inclined to do. Can't for the life of me remember that one trick she did, but a fitted sheet looked perfectly flat and aligned, just like a flat sheet would folded.

I have one of the 'flip fold' as-seen-on-TV deals I got at LNT. It's ideal for folding clothing/small linens going on shelves or especially into luggage. Stays tight and crisp, uses 1/3 to 1/2 the space. Clothes look like a boutique shelf. Come out of suitcase looking pressed, no crinkles. But the flip fold is too small to accommodate sheets, unless they're prefolded a few times to reduce size, which defeats the tidy factor.

Moon, I looked at 3 videos. Basically they were all the same idea. The trick is folding/tucking the long side first. That's a problem for me because my fitted sheets are elasticized all around and it's hard to differentiate between long and short sides.

Here is a link that might be useful: top two videos

That first video is the way I do it :)
Having a large folding table is luxury to some of us, but I find them essential.

Here is a link that might be useful: Folding Fitted Sheets

'kay, there was my problem. (Thanks for those links, natal. You are the undisputed queen of video linking, lol. ;)

I was folding short ends together and tucking on one end, repeating at other end, and folding from there. Not making all 4 form a pointed corner first. That's the trick!

Speaking of towels. Having 6 daughters with long dark hair that just has to be washed every day with 2 towels each,we had to put in 2 laundry rooms when building. Heaven forbid they use a towel twice. I've been washing at least 2 loads a day of just towels for years.

Cear, I imagine it's much easier with a table. It's definitely a challenge holding & folding it in your arms.

I've been washing at least 2 loads a day of just towels for years.

They don't use a towel more than once? I think I would've been sharing those laundry chores with the girls by now. ;)

Only 3 DD's are home now, they do there own laundry (clothes, sheets and things) but somehow I end up with all of the towels.

I definitely need to see that YouTube video on folding fitted sheets. I used to think it was a mom thing, because my mom gets them perfectly rectangular and about the size of a legal pad. But I've been a mom for 13 years and mine still turn out in a big messy lump.

OK, linen closets: nope, mine gotta have doors. I'm not compulsively neat and there are too many things that aren't display worthy. I love our king size platform bed with storage drawers for extra stuff too.

Oh, and I'm also a two towel gal (long hair) as is 13 y.o. DD. She goes through clothes more than towels but usually does her own laundry. :) And when the kids were young I got them Turbie towels! They're great!

So much bonding on the forum...

I got so engrossed in folding sheets I forgot the original question. ;)

I have to have a door on my linen closet. It's at the end of our upstairs hallway going to bedrooms/upper bath. Plus it's visible as you pass through living room. Too public to not have a door. Only linens I keep in there are towels, the rest (it's all shelving) is first aid, medicines, nail polish, light bulbs, extra TP, paper towels, stuff like that. Small items are organized in little organizer baskets, but there's no way that stuff would stay impeccable like the blog example. Especially after DH got done rummaging around for something. I even labeled shelves according to what's on them (they're deep) and he still can't find things. Bedding linens are in closet #2 in Master BR and it's full. A closet I'm very grateful to have. ;)

However, if I had sufficient storage space elsewhere and had a situation like the blog above, where only bath items were required in bath closet with no door, I might be OK with it. Tho it would be a daily ritual keeping it tidy after makeup, lotions, hairdryer, brushes etc. are pulled out and put back. Tho DH would probably get lost in there too. (I'm not big on blogs, but that is one I like to check, they're pretty imaginative on a shoestring budget.)

I only use one towel at a time.
Shared a bath with my sister as teens, she probably used at least 4 and tossed them where ever when done. Drove me nuts. Bet she doesn't do that now with two teen daughters of her own! If they followed her lead there would be nothing but wall to wall towels in the room.

My shelves are neat and I have a lot of sheets. I still prefer a closed door. The black cat disagrees and opens every door that isn't locked. It's a losing battle.

Igloo, you aren't the only one. When a friend's girlfriend moved in he quipped, "If anyone gives us monogrammed towels for the wedding, they need to say 'his', 'hers' and 'her hair'! Her hair was only chin length.

Parsuzi thanks for that link, I love looking at blogs but don't believe everything I see. I think, in order to have any cupboard or closet look neat and organized one has to have a place for everything and most importantly put everything in it's place after using.

I *could* stage one of my linen closets but then I'd have 3/4 of it on the bed while I took the pics and that's just not gonna happen! ;-D Fact is, I have several places where linens are stored in our home. Towels are in cabinets in or near bathrooms, sheets and extra pillow slips to our bed are in DH's bottom 2 dresser drawers, sheets for guest beds are in those bedroom closets. We have an old painted dresser in the upstairs hall with 4 drawers which hold guest towels and the dog's towels (different towels LOL). It also has the 'fraidy cat's' pillow on top where she sleeps and feels safe. I also have extra blankets, duvets, comforters, and pillows on the upper shelves in closets in the appropriate rooms. Table linens are in sideboard and drawers in kitchen and a few in the nearby hall cupboard. Sounds disorganized but it's not and I know where everything is.

I think it was Martha who had a good idea on how to store sheets which I sometimes use - after folding place sheets and one pillow case in the other case and make a bundle. Place on shelf - stays nicely together until needed and looks neat.

I also use 2 towels every shower/bath and never use a body towel twice but that's a different (and controversial) topic which has been discussed previously. Different strokes and all, and everyone has to find what works for themselves. :-)

I think I learned how to fold fitted sheets in junior high (back in the day). Mine aren't quite that neat, but I use that same method, didn't know about the pillow case option though. Horror of horrors, I only use one towel and even hang it up to dry in the bathroom and use it a few more times. My parents instilled the need to be frugal with water, gas and electricity...so reuse as appropriate. Of course I don't expect that of guests...LOL!!!

Gad I can't wait to take a pic of my linen closet (the biggest one) for all to see. I just spent a month (not kidding) going through the linens in the new house (they were included in the sale). I had bedding strewn all over the dining room for that entire month, and it ended up in the upper hall, smoking parlor and main hall by the time it was done. I have bedding now wrapped in spaced bags under each bed in the house, summer bedding is now bundled and when summer officially arrives winter bedding will go back where the summer bedding is. But I still have avery large closet filled with bedding linens. And you can EASILY tell which are flat and fitted because the fitted sheets are sort of umm circular in shape by the time I finishe making a mess of folding them LOL And I'm not gonna go back and fix them for all the tea in china...but if I take a pic, ya'll will feel better about yours very quickly LOL

Wow. Never expected this to be such a popular topic. After reading the Young House Love blog, I WAS motivated to do some reorganizing of my linen closet. I keep towels, bathroom cleaning supplies, a hamper, and cosmetics/health & beauty stuff in ours. Sheets are in another, smaller hall closet.

First, I checked the expiration dates on cold medicines, etc., and found a lot of stuff expired. That was easy to pitch. THEN, I looked at old make up, etc. (Much harder to part with, even though I haven't used some of it in ages...) Also pitched half-used bottles of shampoo I tried but didn't like, etc. It felt VERY wasteful.

I went to the Christmas Tree Shop and bought 8 square baskets - 2 of 4 different sizes. (They actually nested inside each other.) Nearly $80. (A-Hem? For a BATHROOM CLOSET? Hmmm.) Took them home and was thankful they didn't really work to hold the stuff the way I had hoped. Returned them.

Since I used to be a Longaberger Basket consultant, I have an attic full of baskets. I decided that, in the meantime, I would just grab some of those baskets and use them to corral my cosmetics, etc. It works, but isn't as neat as I'd like. I also have two plastic 'drawers' that I use. One small one has 3 little drawers - I use it for eye makeup and lipsticks. The other is bigger (about 8x10x16 deep) that I have cold medicines and anything else I don't know where to put. I guess the mix of plastic and baskets, to me, make the whole effect a little sloppy.

While at the Christmas Tree Shop, I noticed photo boxes for $1.99. They stack neatly on top of each other and have a little metal label spot on the side. I may go back for those. Would especially work for stuff like first aid items and other things not used daily.

So...if I ever get the closet looking 'photo' ready, I'll post a picture...

Parsuzi.

PS I also was taught the 'right' way to fold fitted sheets so they fold flat, but mine never look that nice. I don't generally put them on a table to fold, though. That might be the key.

I love that video showing the folding of fitted sheets; this old dog learned a new trick. Thanks for posting it! Fitted sheets are a peeve of mine and this looks like it resolves all issues; can't wait to try it! I also just love seeing a male folding sheets since that has NEVER happened in my home! :)

I have two 'linen' closets; one is right outside the kids bathroom upstairs and houses all towels. On the upper shelf, I have storage baskets that hold medication and first aid supplies. We have three kids and when they were smaller, I didn't want them into anything. They are a bit older now, but I still like having things out of reach.

I have a larger double closet which isi 6 feet long and 2 1/2 feet deep with bi-fold doors in the hallway that goes to 2 of the kids bedrooms. On one side, on the shelves I store summer sheets (one set per room) and extra sheets, pillows, blankets, comforters and sleeping bags in those air tight storage bags. On the very bottom of that side is where we store our luggage.

The opposing side holds labelled storage boxes that contain my cake decorating supplies, art supplies, halloween makeup, etc. On the bottom are three labeled boxes where I store special items from the kids throughout the year. I don't keep everything, but I do pick out the best reports, tests, art work, etc. to save for when they are older. My mom was a pack-rat (still is) and I grew up with tons of stuff shoved everywhere. In my own home, I can't stand clutter, although it is hard to avoid with the kids. I am constantly de-cluterring things and make use of labelled storage containers all over the place. There's nothing fancy here, but it's all organzied and behind closed doors. I end up emptyng this closet once or twice a year and re-organizing it. It only takes one trip upstairs by the kids to throw everything out of balance and they don't put things back as well, it's normally a push it in and try to get the doors to shut type of approach for them.

I have 3 linen closets in this house. The one in my husband's bathroom holds towels for that room and his toiletries.

In the hall, I have a wide but not terribly deep, double door closet. That holds all the other towels, sheets for all the beds (neatly folded just like the video), extra blankets, extra pillows, and a few wedding gifts that I don't know what to do with but can't bring myself to dispose of. Things like multiple, and I mean multiple, 8x10 frames, a hand painted ceramic plate with the date of our marriage (16 years ago) that his sister made, our invitation surrounded by quilled flowers in a shadow box style frame that his aunt made us, and a Princess House crystal candy dish. Now that I'm thinking about them again I'm going to donate all the frames & the candy dish to a thrift store. The handmade items will remain in there, out of sight/out of mind.

In the narrow but deep closet across the hall I keep first aid stuff, extra shampoos & soaps, all my travel make-up bags & products, multiple extra boxes of tissues (I'm an allergy sufferer), and odds & ends.

While all of my closets are neat I do prefer doors. It's would be too visually distracting to have all that stuff on view.

As to my towel usage: I use one for hair (smaller than a full towel but larger than a hand towel) & one for body.