The linen closet is similar to the junk drawer: both spaces tend to attract random odds and ends from all over the house. It feels like you’re just hiding one or two items in a convenient, out-of-sight spot, and before long you can’t open the door without something tumbling from the top shelf onto your head. But a little time spent on organization can help you avoid that. Here’s how to organize a minimalist linen closet.

What you’ll need.

• Garbage bag (to throw out any old beauty or cleaning products and threadbare towels you come across.)
• Shelf dividers, boxes, or other organizers (to keep everything in its place, if your closet configuration requires it.)
• Sachets or cedar blocks if desired.

Why you should simplify your linen closet.

A minimalist linen closet saves you time by helping your everyday life run more smoothly. When you need towels for the bathroom or sheets for the bed, when you’re looking for a travel-sized moisturizer or a bar of soap, when you’re getting ready to host an overnight guest, you want to be able to go to the closet and find what you need right away. A simplified linen closet takes all the frustration out of these little household tasks.

How to simplify your linen closet.

Take everything out. Yes, this is a pain! But it’s necessary. And if you do it thoroughly the first time, you won’t have to do it again unless you move or decide to extreme spring-clean.

Clean the closet now, while it’s empty, and make sure there’s no washcloth stuck at the back of a shelf or scented bath bead hiding in a corner.

Now, start decluttering. Sort through everything in the closet and, just as you would if you were organizing your clothes closet, get rid of anything that is damaged beyond repair, unused, or simply no longer a fit for your life. Discard sheets that only fit a bed you no longer own, pillowcases with stains, embarrassingly juvenile beach towels you would never use, hand cream you hate the smell of, and the like. If you come across anything that would be better stored elsewhere in the house, move it to its proper place.

When you’ve pared down the contents of your linen closet, start grouping items together. Put blankets with blankets, bath products with bath products, and so on. Make sure linens are folded neatly, not balled up.

Now you can start placing items back into your closet. Categorize them and store everything in sections; give sheets, towels, blankets, and toiletries, their own shelf or area. If you own a lot of items that you reserve for guests or travel, you might want to keep these separate. Fold bed linens in bundles – flat sheet, fitted sheet, and pillowcases together – so you can grab one whenever you need to make a bed.

Though organizing products are often unnecessary, the linen closet is one place where they can really make a difference. Drawer dividers can help keep towels in line, and small boxes or hanging bags can keep your extra toothbrushes and soaps neat and easily accessible. If you can, it’s great to have these on hand before you simplify your closet, but sometimes the process of decluttering teaches you which organizers you need.

Finally, you’ll have to stay on top of your linen closet to keep it simple and neat. Don’t shove freshly washed towels into any open space, and try not so stash items that don’t belong into the open space on the floor. It takes a few more seconds of effort, but it will keep your closet clean long-term.

Resources.

Looking for more closet help? The following articles have additional tips on organizing and simplifying your linen closet.

7 Linen Closet Organization Tips

Bathroom & Linen Closet Pictures

8 Smart Small Linen Closet Organization Ideas

6 Easy Linen Closet Storage Solutions

Organize Your Linen Closet

Organize Your Hall Closet

Storage Tips for Any Closet

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