Martha Stewart intelligently uses tissue paper for a storage trick that improves your clothes' lifespan – her decade-old tip remains impactful today

The best storage solutions are those that have already stood the test of time – this is the case with Stewart's drawer tip, and it's replicable for under $9

Martha Stewart
(Image credit: Taylor Hill/FilmMagic via GettyImages)

Every so often, we come across a home-care hack that's simple yet impactful enough to withstand through the decades – because why change what isn't broken? These jewels are rare, but no one produces them quite like Martha Stewart, the mogul who built a lifestyle empire around her accessible home tips.

Recently, we've spent more time than we care to admit watching archival footage from Stewart's old TV shows, and of all her advice, her bedroom storage ideas are most transferable to the modern day.

In the same clip in which Martha Stewart's bedroom drawer storage method came to light, the expert went on to share another storage solution that's best suited to your sleep space. This time, she uses acid-free tissue paper to ensure her drawers are fit for purpose.

'Over on the bed, I have another very nice organizing tip for you. Over here are organizer boxes, and you can get these through some of the catalogs [or here on Amazon, in the contemporary day]. Four of these – two larger ones and two smaller ones- should fit very nicely right at the bottom of the drawer. These boxes are lined with acid-free paper. Notice that my white socks are all organized right here in this narrow one. I can see each and every color right in this drawer.'

Next, Stewart demonstrates how tissue paper is particularly effective in preserving stockings.

'Here’s another way to keep stockings on acid-free paper so there’s no roughness in the bottom of the drawer. I fold up my stockings after they dry, just like this, so you can see what you have. And these delicate undergarments are very nice to keep right here in the drawer. [With a] thin top, it’s nice to fold it with a little piece of tissue paper in it – it keeps it wrinkle-free,' she says.

'Now, acid-free paper, where do you get it? You can get it at very good paper stores, but you can also find it in artist supply stores -or, once again, via Amazon, for shoppers today]. This can be laid down just like that. Then, this drawer is ready to be put back into my chest,' Stewart adds.

'There is something to be said for a well-organized dresser and a well-organized closet. It really is easier to find things if they have a specific place in which to live. And your clothes (and my clothes) will have a longer life if they are properly stored.'


Megan Slack
Head of Celebrity Style News

Megan is the Head of Celebrity Style News at Homes & Gardens. She first joined Future Plc as a News Writer across their interiors titles, including Livingetc and Real Homes, before becoming H&G's News Editor in April 2022. She now leads the Celebrity/ News team. Before joining Future, Megan worked as a News Explainer at The Telegraph, following her MA in International Journalism at the University of Leeds. During her BA in English Literature and Creative Writing, she gained writing experience in the US while studying in New York. Megan also focused on travel writing during her time living in Paris, where she produced content for a French travel site. She currently lives in London with her antique typewriter and an expansive collection of houseplants.