How to Store Seasonal Bed Sheets, Linens and Bed Spreads with a Shortage of Closet Space

Once Autumn rolls around, my summer bed linens and bedspreads go into storage until the night time temperatures warm up again. While some homes have all sorts of linen closets, older homes (like mine) and modest sized homes may only have enough space to store the sheets and blankets that our family is using at the moment. Things like seasonal bed linens and light weight comforters have to be relocated elsewhere in the house so they are out of the way until needed next year.

When storage space is short, storing seasonal bed linens is definitely a bit of a challenge. Here are some easy ways that we've handled seasonal bed linens and blanket storage over the years.

Cedar chest. Back when all the kids were still living at home, several of them had a cedar chest at the foot of their beds for seasonal storage. These handy chests are large enough to accommodate complete sheet sets, blankets and seasonal clothes and were a perfect solution for seasonal linen storage in our home. The best chests are the ones with a flat top which can also double as extra seating for friends.

Contemporary cedar chests start at $700 and up, unfinished pine chests are priced in the $400 range. You can also check out thrift stores and auctions for chests priced between $100-$200.

Steamer trunk. Instead of a cedar trunk, one of my sons preferred using his great grandmother's steamer trunk for seasonal bed linen and blanket storage. While antique steamer trunks aren't near as roomy, they definitely have an element of "coolness" that teens seem to prefer. Steamer trunks can be found at farm auctions and antique shops; expect to pay $200 and up for one of these treasures. A word of caution; some of these trunks can smell a bit musty. I used to seal my son's seasonal bed linens in a plastic, zip up storage bag before placing them in the trunk. Recycled comforter bags work great for this purpose, you can also purchase zippered totes at discount stores.

In a spare dresser. Thrift stores and second hand furniture stores are filled with all kinds of dressers priced as low as $50. My first home did not have a linen closet, and a vintage dresser on the back porch laundry room was where I stored all my bed linens and extra bath towels. A spare vintage dresser in a guest room, in the laundry room, the bathroom, or tucked into the corner of the family room is a great way to create storage space for seasonal bed linens and blankets. Before using one of these dressers for linen storage, be sure to wipe with a disinfectant and then line with plain butcher paper.

Under bed storage totes. One low cost and typical location for storing seasonal bed linens and bedspreads is beneath the bed. Companies such as Sterite and RubberMaid make low profile lidded totes that slide beneath a bed for easy storage. A sealed lidded tote keeps the dust off of seasonal linens and prevents spiders and other little critters from nesting in the sheets. Under bed linen storage is the cheapest storage solution of all for those of us watching costs. If space under the bed is limited, those totes can be pushed back beneath the clothes in the closet and used as a platform for storing shoes.