The Linen Closet Upgrade Your Space Needs

The linen closet: nice to have, but so easy to end up a cluttered mess. Don't worry if yours needs a little organization, though. Just one simple hack can take your linen storage into an intentionally curated closet in no time at all. 

Having a linen closet is a great way to keep all those towels, sheets, pillowcases, and tablecloths organized. At least, it is in theory. However, you may find that your linen closet is often in need of a good decluttering. From being the de facto dumping ground for the things we know we need to pack away, but don't have the energy to store properly, to the fact that they're generally on the smaller side, linen closets can get chaotic, fast. 

As The Spruce's Emma Glubiak told Nola.com, one of the key things stopping people from better laid out linen closets is that, "Folks go in without a plan. They just stick everything in, shut the door, and wind up with chaos." For that reason, using a tool that makes it easier to organize the small space is an immediate game changer. So, learn why it's time to add a towel rack to your linen closet door.

Linen closet constantly falling into a state of disarray? Your high turnover items, like towels and bed linens, may be to blame. Quick visits to grab a new towel and stashing away clean sheets can lead to a bit of a mess. This is especially true if there's just simply not enough storage space or a lack of organizational system.

On top of better organization, installing a rack also solves the problem those with small linen closets know all too well. That would be space constraints. Behind the closet door is one space we don't tend to think of as a usable surface. Plus, there's often usable space between the door and where the shelving starts. So, finding ways to take advantage of this is a total game changer.

That said, in order to make the most of this hack, it's important to take accurate measurements of the space behind your closet door. Measure the clearance between the door jam and shelving to avoid any difficulties closing the closet. Then, measure the width of the actual door. This will allow you to select a towel rack that is narrow enough to hang on the door and shallow enough not to encroach on the shelves.

Depending on how much space you have available on your linen closet door, the beauty of this hack is that you can add more than just one towel rack. That's especially helpful for anyone hoping to use the racks to organize multiple sets of linens. Stagger them vertically so you can layer towels or bedsheets for the ultimate space saver. 

If you have enough space between your closed door and shelves, Amazon offers towel racks that come with baskets, perfect for storing both linen and non-linen items. Alternatively, over-the-door organizers like the ClosetMaid pantry door rack can be adjusted so that baskets are placed wherever you need them to be, allowing you to stash items of various sizes.

As for those who have permanently installed towel racks, there's a way to use those for basket storage, too. Take a leaf out of Simply DIY's book and attach baskets to the rack with ribbon. Just be sure to secure the baskets as tightly as possible, and measure the baskets beforehand to ensure that the door can still close without bumping into the shelves inside. Hey presto, you've got yourself some extra storage. Who knew a towel rack could have such a big impact?