How to Organize a Linen Closet in 6 Easy Steps

Your linen closet is a powerhouse—it holds spare bed sheets, extra towels, beauty supplies, medicines, rolls of toilet paper, boxes of tissues, and all the other items that don't fit in the bathroom or bedroom. But a frequently-used storage spot for so many different items can quickly become disorganized. Rather than trying to maneuver your textiles into an already bursting space, opt for a total closet makeover instead. Use these steps to clear, clean, and reorganize one of your home's hardest-working spaces.

6 Steps to Organizing Your Closet

1. Assess Your Space

Before you plan major changes, consider what is or isn't working about your current setup. "Maybe you just need a quick 'systems re-set'—re-fold things neatly, clear out some [excess], and put items back into their homes," says Lisa Zaslow of Gotham Organizers. "Or if it's a state of 'everything everywhere all at once,' you probably need a full overhaul."

2. Take Everything Out of Your Closet

As your linen closet fills up, it's common for stray pillowcases and hand towels to get shoved into smaller nooks and crannies. For this reason, it's helpful to take everything out before trying to organize. "I always remove everything from the closet," says Malaika Lubega, professional organizer, interior decorator, and owner of Huza Home Harmony. "This step will allow you to access and assess all of the items in the closet, including what has inevitably been hiding in the back."

3. Downsize Your Linen Collection

Though you may still love those sheets you scored on sale five years ago, they aren't doing you—or your linen closet—any favors on the shelf. "Don't hold on to old linens that you don't use," says Missy Almester of California Closets. "Sheets should be replaced every two to three years, so it's a great time to go through what you have and donate what you're not using." The same goes for towels: If they're threadbare or you've recently upgraded to plusher options, it's time to toss the extras.

4. Throw Away Old Beauty Products

Linen closets are also a hub for excess beauty items, like makeup, hairspray, and bath products. Remove all these items from your closet, toss what is expired, and donate unopened items that no longer fit into your beauty routine.

5. Categorize Your Items

Though keeping similar items together makes it easier to navigate a storage space, "similar items" can mean different things to different people. Maybe you want to keep sheets organized by bed size and put towels on a different shelf; maybe you prefer to keep the kids' character sheets and hooded towels together and your guest bedding and towels in another spot. Keep extra toiletries in one basket and medicines in another, or divide by at-home and travel items. "Categorize items in ways that make sense to you," says Zaslow.

6. Plan Your New Layout

Professional organizers use the concept of "prime real estate" to organize closets and other small spaces, says Zaslow. "Put the items you use most often in the prime spaces that are easiest to see and reach. Use the floor space for bulky and heavy items. If your shelves adjust, determine if switching the height between shelves will make it easier to organize your closet," she says. Take the time to try several different layouts before you invest in bins, baskets, or other supplies, and be sure to measure your shelf depth, height, and opening width before buying.

How to Organize Sheets

"Keep your linen collections together so they're easy to find," Almester says. "Fold the pillow cases and store them inside your flat sheet, and then fold your fitted sheet and fold it around the flat sheet and pillow cases." Another popular folding format is to fold the flat and fitted sheet and store them inside the pillow case. "Shelf dividers help keep stacks of linens from toppling over and keep different types separate," says Zaslow.

How to Organize Towels

The debate over whether towels should be folded or rolled continues; the answer is a matter of personal preference (and how much space you have).

If you opt for rolling, keep the cylinders upright in a basket instead of stacked. "Rolled towels stay much neater over time as items are removed and tend to [no longer] stack as stably," Lubega says. Larger towels can be rolled to converse space, but don't need to be placed into baskets since they have more structure than smaller linens.

Zaslow often finds that rolled towels aren't the best fit for small closets. "While Instagram loves the look of towels rolled in a basket, this can actually take up extra space," she says. "It’s usually easiest to simply fold towels. Some exceptions: small hand towels and washcloths can be easier to keep neatly stored if they're in a bin or if your shelves are very deep, you may make better use of the space if you keep towels and linens in a basket or bin."

Store Small Items in Clear Bins

If you keep a shelf in your linen closet open for beauty products, you know how unruly these products can become when they aren't contained. "I allow space for back-stock items—extra toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, hair, nail, and other beauty products," says Lubega. Keep these items organized by storing them in separate containers: one for makeup, one for hair tools, and one for bath products.

Zaslow recommends see-through bins for smaller items so you can easily check what you have before restocking. "Clear plastic bins or stacking drawers make it easy to categorize different types of items—and ensure that nothing gets lost in the back of a shelf, which is why you probably have five boxes of Band-Aids," she says.

Store Ironing Board Vertically

Tucking away an ironing board is a surprisingly tricky task, but your best bet is to think vertically. "When storing an ironing board, create a vertical storage area inside the linen closet so you can fold it up nicely," Almester says. "If you're in a space crunch and an ironing board is a necessity, opt for a pull-out style. It takes up 2 inches of horizontal space and does a 360-degree swivel so you can iron in any direction."

Use Labels

Your new system should be designed to limit rummaging, which will ruin your neatly organized closet. To ensure this, use labels so you know exactly where to find what you're looking for. "I will generally label all the bins, containers, and sections so that over time, regardless of who is restocking the linen closets, items land back in the intended place based on the initial system established," Lubega says.