Martha Stewart has a clever formula for organizing her linen closet – it involves cardboard rolls and lavender sachets for under $9
The lifestyle expert gives us some expert advice on folding towels, keeping linens organized and making your closet smell fresh and clean
Organizing a linen closet can be an endless project. Towels and sheets can easily become mixed up, and piles of neatly folded dinner napkins can go awry (we have all been there).
Leave it to Martha Stewart to give us some helpful tips on how to organize a linen closet, with wisdom and simple steps that are easy to follow. Those tips stem from an old clip found on the treasure trove that is the Martha Moments Instagram account, they are just as applicable today.
'I think I first started dreaming about having a real, organized linen closet when I was a young girl in Nutley, New Jersey, babysitting for a very nice couple on Elm Place,' Stewart explains of her affinity for organizing linens. 'They had the nicest house on the street, and the woman was very organized. She had the most beautiful cupboards, all down the long hall, and in the cupboards were all her neatly folded sheets and towels, dinner napkins, tablecloths, and I thought then,' Wow, what a great idea. Maybe someday I'll be that organized.
She continues, 'It's hard to be organized like that, but I think finally, in this nice room that's devoted to storage, I have a place where I can organize all those linens that I need on a daily basis.'
A post shared by Martha Moments (@martha_moments)
A photo posted by on
Lavender Sachets
This pack of 10 lavender sachets conveniently comes with attached hooks for easy closet placement. There's a reason why this scent is so popular with Stewart, and it's just as popular today as it was when she first released this footage.
Handy for closets
A roll of cardboard is essential for following Stewart's method – but where can we get one quicky? Amazon is a safe bet... it'll arrive quickly so you can experiment with Stewart's method even faster.
Popular pick
In the footage, we see Stewart utilize the handiest tool of all: A label maker. There will always be a need for some appliances, and this closet hero is one of them. Use it in the same way as Stewart for a cupboard that stays tidier for longer.
Stewart gives a great tip for table linens, which are notoriously difficult to keep neat and tidy in the closet due to their size.
'It's awful hard to find a spot where you can keep great big squares of linen, the napkins, in an organized fashion,' Stewart says in the video. 'This is finally how I've solved the problem: take a roll of cardboard, and just roll your napkins around the cardboard. Then, I cover the roll, leaving the ends open for air, with clear cellophane. I have several rolls of different widths of cellophane, and this works so well. Then I just keep them right on the shelves, and all the napkins are kept just that way.'
With towels, Stewart recommends a simple technique of folding and stacking them in piles.
Sign up to the Homes & Gardens newsletter
Design expertise in your inbox – from inspiring decorating ideas and beautiful celebrity homes to practical gardening advice and shopping round-ups.
'As far as bath towels and all the towels for the bathroom, I keep them folded all the same way so that they hang very easily over the towel bars, and they look good,' she says. 'They're folded in thirds and then in half, and in half again. I just keep these on the shelves, organized according to size and color. Everything has its place now, every washcloth and every hand towel.'
Finally, she suggests keeping a linen closet smelling as good as it looks with the help of a dried flower.
'To keep everything really fresh, some homemade sachets made out of little handkerchiefs. Just tuck them in on the shelves. Lavender, really fresh and lovely.'
Hannah is Homes & Gardens’ News Editor, with a focus on celebrity style and entertainment content. She got her start in media as a digital editorial assistant at ELLE Canada, and has since written about lifestyle and culture for publications such as Nylon and i-D.
Her love of film is rivalled only by one with a great soundtrack, and she hopes to someday decorate a Nancy Meyers-worthy kitchen.
-
Sabrina Carpenter embraces 2024's most stand-out Christmas Tree trend – her subtle take on the look is so magical
Pastel shades seamlessly blend on the singer's Christmas tree for an enchanting effect that elevates her living room – and it's simple to recreate
By Sophie Edwards Published
-
How to use an air fryer to elevate your charcuterie board – tried and tested tips from a trained chef
Here are my low-effort air fryer hacks for maximum, festive effect
By Lydia Hayman Published
-
Martha Stewart's top-drawer storage method 'enables you to get dressed faster' – her decade-old lessons are just as impactful in modern bedrooms
Archival footage shows Stewart's cabinet storage solutions have no expiry date – we're sure her lessons will continue to work years from now
By Megan Slack Published
-
Martha Stewart's tabletop Christmas tree proves that the best holiday decor can be done on a miniature scale – her look is replicable in every home
Stewart has decorated her home with green and gold ornaments, wreaths, and glass icicles – but one feature stands out as our favorite
By Hannah Ziegler Published
-
Martha Stewart curated a last-minute gift guide for every hard-to-buy-for person left on your list – her top picks begin at $25
Stewart's failsafe selection includes flameless candles, a landmark cookbook, and essential kitchenware – designed to impress long after December
By Hannah Ziegler Published
-
Martha Stewart says clever storage systems 'boost productivity, and helps minimize stress' – her versatile solution is available under $30
Stewart's six-piece desk storage bins are stackable, affordable, and perfect for keeping surface space clutter to a minimum – it's a must for every home
By Hannah Ziegler Published
-
Martha Stewart says this wreath has 'elicited the most comments' – her design is a surprisingly affordable and festive alternative to the traditional evergreen
The lifestyle maven's a whimsical twist on the classic green Christmas wreath will bring sparkle, color, and fun to your decor this holiday season
By Sophie Edwards Published
-
Martha Stewart's cleaning method settles the dusting vs. vacuuming debate once and for all – her simple rule translates to every home
The home-care expert clarified a cleaning debate in the decade-old clip – but her argument still rings true in the most contemporary of spaces
By Hannah Ziegler Published
-
Martha Stewart keeps her 'favorite room' organized with this 'old-fashioned' storage method – it's timeless and reliable (even after 25 years)
'A room like this can be so orderly and so old-fashioned at the same time': The expert's foolproof technique still resonates after a quarter of a century
By Megan Slack Published
-
Martha Stewart's gold Christmas tree trailblazes the metallic trend that's taking over this year – replicate her striking style for under $30
The lifestyle maven's mind is a treasure trove of Christmas decor ideas and this metallic design is right on trend– it's oh-so-easy to recreate
By Sophie Edwards Published