Linen closets are often found near bedrooms or bathrooms. They are meant to store, well, linen. At least that is the intention. In practice, however, we usually find more than just linen in them. They can also hold tissues, extra and unopened toiletries, medicines, and cleaning materials. For this reason, it is necessary to allocate specific areas of the closet to these different items in order to avoid a chaotic storage where your things are jumbled in a heap, with the result that you can never find anything when you need it.
Installing a rack behind the door can add extra shelves for small and medium sized medicine bottles that would empty at least one of the main shelves. Tissues, since they are lightweight, can also be stored on them. You can even configure the rack to hold detachable boxes so that when you need to look for something or to examine its contents, you can take the entire box out to your table.
Standard height of shelves in linen closets varies from 12 – 15 inches. It is not advisable, however, to stack your towels or bed sheets up to their full height. Pulling an item out, especially the one at the bottom, can be difficult and can even lead to the pile tumbling, or throwing the remaining items in disarray. Further, in order to keep your linen smelling fresh, you will need to leave enough space above them to allow a free flow of air.
If you are designing or purchasing a new linen closet, consider one with adjustable shelves. This should give you the flexibility to adapt to your personal storage needs. You also do not need extra deep shelves. A 12-inch depth is fine since bed sheets and towels can be folded to such a length. Towels can even be rolled.
Since the top and lowest shelves are the most difficult to access, store the least frequently used items in them, such as quilts, comforters, and extra pillows for guests. On the other hand, towels should be accessible as they are frequently used. The middle shelves would be suitable for them.
Try to keep your linen closet tidy at all times. Periodically remove all items to sponge them clean. Acid-free tissue paper can be used to line the shelves to help keep your linen clean and fresh smelling. Additionally, you will need to inspect your things regularly for mold and mildew. Left unchecked, these can stain your linen.