Our Step-by-Step Guide to Organising Your Linen Cupboard

Regardless of the size of your home, the linen cupboard often becomes a source of stress. Whether you have a spacious cupboard with plenty of shelves or a small one that has to accommodate an entire household’s linens, a lack of organisation can quickly lead to chaos. 

Between bedding, towels, pillows, and the inevitable accumulation of seasonal decor, it’s tempting to cram everything in, shut the door, and hope for the best — but that’s hardly in the Marie Kondo spirit.

To help you reclaim order, we’ve gathered our top linen cupboard organisation tips for making the most of your storage space and bringing a sense of calm to your home.

A linen cupboard is typically located in the hallway, strategically positioned near a bathroom or laundry for convenient access. This essential storage space is thoughtfully integrated into most homes (hopefully) and designed to hold towels, textiles, bedding, and other household items like cleaning supplies, kitchen appliances, or arts and crafts. The term "linen cupboard" originates from the primary purpose of storing linens, a term historically used to describe various household fabrics.

When organising your linen cupboard, it's best to start by removing everything. Clearing out the entire space allows you to manage more efficiently without the hassle of rummaging through items hidden behind others. This also allows you to carefully review each item or box, helping you decide what's worth keeping and what can be given away.

After you've emptied the cupboard and decided what to keep and what to discard, give the shelves a thorough cleaning, including the hinges or track runners, and clear away any cobwebs from the corners — after all, you don't want your freshly laundered linens resting on dusty shelves, do you?

Pro tip: As you clear out the cupboards, check your doors' runners or hinges to ensure they're operating smoothly. If they're not working as they should, use this opportunity to apply some WD-40 and keep them in top condition.

While it might seem easier to store your items wherever they fit, this approach quickly falls apart when you're in a rush and desperately searching for a clean towel, only to find it buried under an array of king bedding or mixed in with your kitchen tea towels.

To avoid this frustration, try folding and grouping similar items, such as towels, pillowcases, beach towels, flat sheets, and fitted sheets. By designating specific closet areas for each category, you'll always know exactly where to find what you need, even in a hurry. Plus, it helps you track what you have and whether it's time to toss out worn items or stock up on new ones.

We suggest organising your linen cupboard into categories that suit your lifestyle, such as the following:

– Kids' bedding
– Kids towels
– Adult bedding
– Adult towels
– Guest bedding and towels
– Beach towels
– Dining linens
– Hobbies, such as sports or games
– Crafts supplies
– Seasonal items and decor. 

Adjust these categories as needed to fit your household's unique needs. If a few categories have fewer items than others, don't hesitate to combine them for space efficiency.

One of the most effective tips for organising your linen cupboard is incorporating storage bins and baskets. Whether you choose plastic containers, wicker baskets, or fabric hampers, the key to the success of storage baskets lies in the labelling — whether on the box itself or the shelf below. Labels keep you accountable and prevent the temptation to toss items haphazardly to keep them out of sight, defeating your organisational efforts' purpose. 

If you’re particular about aesthetics and can’t stand the sight of imperfectly rolled towels, folded sheets, or mismatched bedding, consider using fabric baskets or boxes with lids. This way, you’ll know exactly what’s inside without looking at the contents directly, maintaining order and visual harmony in your linen cupboard.

Pro tip: To stack bedding while keeping all its components together, fold each piece and store them inside one of the pillowcases. This method saves space and ensures that all items stay neatly together.

When organising your shelves for storage boxes, it's helpful to prioritise based on frequency of use and the need to protect fragile or valuable items from children:

Top Shelves:

• – Seasonal Items: Store rarely-used items such as seasonal bedding, holiday tablecloths, and decor on these shelves. They'll be neatly tucked away but still accessible when needed.
• – Less Frequently Used Bulky Items: Keep thicker blankets or throws used only in cooler months on higher shelves to keep them out of the way.
• – Fragile or Expensive Items: Place valuable or delicate items like glassware or ceramics on high shelves to protect them from little hands.
• – Dangerous Cleaning Supplies: Store harsh chemicals or sharp cleaning tools up high to keep them out of reach of children and pets.

Middle Shelves:

• – Frequently Used Bedding: Place everyday bedding sets, such as sheets and pillowcases, on these shelves for easy access.
• – Towels: For convenience, keep bath towels, hand towels, and washcloths here.

Lower Shelves:

• – Guest Linens: Allocate space for guest towels and extra pillowcases. Items stored here are easy to grab when preparing for visitors.
• – Cleaning Supplies: If space allows, you can also store less harsh cleaning supplies, toilet rolls, or extra buckets.

If you're short on space for smaller items, don't forget you can always utilise the back of the door for extra storage!

The best way to organise your linen cupboard depends on your lifestyle and what you need. Whether it's linens, tech gear, hobbies, or kids' crafts, plan where things go and set up a system that works for you — it can be as detailed or as simple as you like!

Need more help with organising your space? Check out these other blogs:

6 Ways to Maximise Space Under Your Kitchen Sink

From Spring Cleaning to Spring Decor, Here’s How to Prepare Your Home for the Season Ahead!

6 Simple Vanity Storage Ideas

How to Maximise Space in Your Home