Wondering how best to store your linens? We don’t mean how you fold them, but rather the temperature and size of the cupboard you keep them in.
The reason for this is that too much light or too little air can negatively affect the material’s texture, meaning your lovely linen won’t feel as soft and thrilling to the touch if you don’t look after it properly when not in use.
A dark and dry space
Not everyone has the space to devote to an entire cupboard for their linen. Some people only have a shelf. So, instead of cramming all your linen into one tiny space, why not consider keeping it in a trunk? That’s what they did in the old days, after all. If you don’t have a trunk then what about long, narrow containers with castors that you can keep under the bed and wheel out when you need the contents?
Protect with a fabric bag
Keep the dust off linens by keeping them in a clean fabric bag. You can also keep them in a large pillowcase if you have one. This makes everything easier to find, since it’s all stored in the one place.
Group together for space
Group similar linen items together when you’re storing them. Or, if it’s bed sheets then keep the whole set together. Don’t go overboard with sheets or towels though. Try and restrict yourself to three sheets for the bed and likewise three towels per person. If you do have a large linen closet – or lots of boxes of linen under the bed – then label shelves or boxes to make items easier to find when you need them.
Add scent
These days you don’t just have to stick with lavender when you want to add scent to your linens while they’re being stored away. There are lots of lovely fragrances you can buy in the form of sachets which you can then tuck away with your linen bedding, towels, table cloths, napkins and clothes, etc. Alternatively, scented drawer liners last surprisingly long if you buy some quality versions.
How to iron linen
@thespruceofficial: ‘Linen shirts, pants, dresses and bedding are perfect choices to wear during humid, hot weather. The natural flax fibres help to wick moisture away from the skin. Linen clothes can be made from light to heavy weight woven fabrics and will wear well if handled correctly.’
As well as a sturdy ironing board and a good quality steam iron, you will also need a spray bottle to dampen the linen, together with a pressing cloth (or old tea towel) to act as a buffer between the fabric and the hot iron.
In the case of the buffer cloth, the hot iron can flatten the linen fibres, causing them to shine. Spraying the linen with clean water dampens the linen, making it easier to press. This is where the spray bottle comes in, but a quality iron with a spray feature can work equally as well.
