Declutter the Linen Closet

What is the state of your linen closet? Is it crammed with clutter or neat and tidy? While it's tempting to use linen storage areas as a stash-all for homeless items, resist the temptation!

Tossing broken appliances, seasonal decor items or everyday clutter among the sheets and towels in the linen closet can introduce unwelcome dirt, insects and odors into the family's linens. An organized linen closet extends the life of expensive bedding and towels. Properly folded and stored, linens are protected and ready for use — and far less likely to be appropriated for misadventures, such as washing the car or wiping down a muddy pet. Most of all, an organized linen closet is a delight for the eye and for the nose! Honor your family's linens with a proper place to live.

Attention panic clutter
Cluttered linen closets can be found in the tidiest homes. Why? They're the natural place to store panic clutter. "Panic clutter" is born when the doorbell rings unexpectedly. Fearing drop-in guests, family members sweep up out-of-place items and look wildly for a door, any door that will shut them away from view. Enter the linen closet — the storage area most accessible and most amenable to depositing panic clutter.

As a result, expect that STOP clutter sessions in the linen closet will require about twice the normal time for the "put-away" step. You'll also find many more storage items than you would expect. Swept up into the linen closet, lost items find snug hiding spots among the jumbled towels.

Save-your-back tip: Set up a portable table or clean another surface nearby when decluttering the linen closet. There will be a good deal of refolding to do, so make the process easier on your lower back with a good work area.