No more lost pillowcases. Ever. Again.

The linen cupboard can often be one of the hardest working spots in an entire home. However, with bulky and unruly items such as duvet inners, blankets and pillows filling the shelves, it can easily become overrun and cluttered, making changing the beds or getting ready for guests a true hassle. Use these tips and tricks for organising your linen cupboard to give it the makeover it needs to get in tip-top shape!

1. First things first
Start with a plan. Take an inventory of what you have. Throw out or recycle any damaged, ripped or stained items – these can be great cleaning rags. Haven’t used it in years or simply don’t love it anymore? You can launder these items and donate them to charity. Make a pile of what you wish to keep, and make a list for anything you need to replace. Now you know what you need to store. Write down the width, height and depth of each shelf as this will make container shopping easier. And don’t forget, the inside of the door is valuable real estate when it comes to storage. Consider installing an over-the-door towel hanger or use hooks to hang your ironing board up and out of the way.

2. Pair similar items
Start by popping sheet sets or duvet covers into their matching pillowcases. This nifty hack makes it easier to keep all the pieces of your bedding set together — substantially lowering your chances of losing a rogue pillowcase. Then store frequently used sheet sets, duvet covers, throws and blankets in big baskets, according to size. Dedicate a specific basket or shelf for each of the beds in your house, and label it so you know which bed this linen belongs to. This will save you from reaching for a queen set for the guest room when you actually need a king set for the master.
When it comes to wash day, grab a set for each bed, and place them in an easy-to-carry basket then go from room to room, changing the sheets and pillowcases. Easy!

3. Stay streamlined
Once everything is grouped together, you’ll be able to see exactly what you have too much or too little of. Perhaps it’s time to refresh those yellowed old sheets? Having a place for everything will help you to keep your space organised.

4. Top to bottom organisation
Make the space work for you – an easy to use space is more likely to stay neat and organised. Use those hard to reach top shelves for items that are used less frequently, such as spare pillows and seasonal items like winter blankets and bulky duvet inners. Keep guest bedding separate, storing these up high but within easy reach. Store your everyday towels, sheets and duvet covers in an easy to see, easy to reach position. Everything else — mismatched pillowcases, bleach-stained towels, and spare blankets and throws — can be tucked in baskets on the lower shelves.

5. Keep them contained
Protect your bed linen from dust by storing them in a fabric-friendly container. It may be tempting to leave your linen in the plastic packaging, but this can cause moisture to build up, and cardboard can cause your white linen to turn yellow. Fabric bags, felt, wire or fabric-lined baskets will allow your bedding to breathe, and stay fresh and crisp. Did you know that a large range of our bed linen comes in fabric bags that you can re-use for storage?

6. Label everything
Now that you have filled each of your containers, label them with what’s inside. You can use a label maker, or get creative and use gift tags tied on to basket handles, or bits of card held on with a clothes peg. Having an organised space is great, but it won’t stay that way if others don’t know where everything lives! Having a system that the whole family can use is what will keep the space organised long term.

7. Keep it fresh                                                                                                                                                         Your linen cupboard won’t truly feel clean until it smells clean. Get rid of any musty odours with a compact dehumidifier, or damp absorber. Hanging cedar blocks can help to deter moths from getting at your lovely clean linen. Try putting a fragrance diffuser in your linen cupboard to give your bed linen your favourite fresh scent. Or you can use a scented soap or candle (not lit of course!) for the same effect.

8. Keep it going
Dedicate 15 minutes a week to straightening your cupboard after the “big clean”. Spending this small amount of time each week will ensure you never have to go through a major de-clutter again.

9. Reward yourself
Recognise and celebrate what you’ve done. Treat yourself to some new bedding or buy that throw you’ve been eyeing up – now that you actually have room for it!
Explore Harvey Norman’s extensive range of bed linen here.