Linen Storage

[gillumhouse]

OK, pix attached here. You can see the sheets stacked up in one pic and the cabinets in the other. This is also where we store the cleaning buckets & vacuum. Paper goods start off in the basement and get moved to a cubby right outside the laundry room for quick access. The sink cabinet here holds the soaps & makeup removers (in the drawers). The sheets of paper taped up everywhere are 'notes to self' about what needs to be cleaned and when. (ie- which quilts, blankets & mattress pads are next in line.)
It's a 1/2 bath, toilet out of sight (actually, the tall basket is sitting on it, today is MY laundry day!)
This is a pretty good representation of the bathroom, the pix are side by side, just the way the bathroom is laid out (you can just see the vacuum to the right of the washer, to the left in the pic of the cabinets. If the light/angle were equal in both pix, you wouldn't realize it was 2 different photos.) And, yes, it IS as small as it looks!
You can see the 'spares' stored on top of the dryer and on the shelf to the left. Hope this helps picture the layout.

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Wow! Thanks for posting these pictures!!! I have upright cabinets just like those in my office, except mine are really flimsy.
In comparison to you I have a disgustingly large amount of space! But I still need to figure out the best way to use it...
Do you have your sheets marked? How do you know which size they are when you take them out of the dryer, or is it pretty obvious and then you put them in the right stack when you fold them?
When you go to flip a room do you load up towels and sheets and take them with you? Do you use a laundry basket? Do you take more than one room at a time?
Inquiring minds want to know...
=)
Kk.
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Wow! Thanks for posting these pictures!!! I have upright cabinets just like those in my office, except mine are really flimsy.
In comparison to you I have a disgustingly large amount of space! But I still need to figure out the best way to use it...
Do you have your sheets marked? How do you know which size they are when you take them out of the dryer, or is it pretty obvious and then you put them in the right stack when you fold them?
When you go to flip a room do you load up towels and sheets and take them with you? Do you use a laundry basket? Do you take more than one room at a time?
Inquiring minds want to know...
=)
Kk.

This appears to be a "workforce" question right?
Rule #1 NEVER go up those stairs without bringing stuff up, as much as you can carry.
If it is sheets, bring up as many sets as you can. (If you have an unused bathroom or room, put them all in there when you can until you can make up the other rooms, ie guests still hanging around). HOOKS ON THE BACKS OF DOORS are very helpful - I won't put sheets down anywhere - there is hair and debris - so I stick em straight onto a hook. The towels stay in the basket til I need them.
This is how I haul them, I grab three sets with spare pillows cases all on hangers and toss them over my shoulder (stronger shoulder - skinny arms) and haul em up. Towels 3 to 4 sets in a laundry basket for hauling up.
IF per chance there is a "workforce" amongst us, as is this week - she can carry the laundry basket up. Always with as much as she can take, this includes trash bags to empty trash, robes, flowers, anything and everything we can stuff in amongst the towel sets.
My workforce have popeye arms, they are not feeble.
So with two of us hauling, stripping, etc it is still MANY trips up the stairs. Certain items like juice glasses from this morning, iced tea glasses from yesterday, wilted flowers in a vase, all of these require extra care.
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I not only take something up when going upstairs, I try to remember to bring whatever down when coming down - like empty baskets for fruit or wilted vases of carnations. I never, ever carry dirty linen downstairs. Too easy to have a corner of a sheet or towel come loose or drop a pillowcase at just the right moment and trip. I stand at the railing and if cannot hear where DH is at the moment, call out, look out below and let it fly (one nice thing about a very small B & B - guests are usually ALL out at the same time). I have been known to have a laundry basket soooo full that I had to take it up lifting one step at a time as I come up one step behind it. Tonight it is the dreaded ironing board again. Skipping band practice because I cannot do the concert anyway - DH's exhibition takes precedence.

 

[YellowSocks]

Not really a workforce question, more just a how I can be as efficient as possible and trying to glean tips from people who do a lot more of this than I do, and have been doing it a lot longer.
I generally don't go up without something, or down, and get irritated with dh if he goes up or down without something.
I have a laundry chute, which is bliss for the down. Sometimes I've thrown recyclables down, too, although then I have to bring them back up from basement to kitchen. But there is a LOT to bring up (as you all already know better than I!) between sheets, towels, glasses, candy, TP, amenities, cleaning supplies. Some of it is stored in the rooms, some in my bedroom (2nd floor) but it needs a permanent home, and the rest is in the basement, which is a long way away from the 3rd floor guest room. How to organize my laundry room is probably the main reason I started the topic.
My workforce is definitely improving. They're good at running to get the phone or take something down to the trash, or their favorite task of all, putting things down the laundry chute.
Thanks again to all for your detailed answers!
=)
Kk.

 

[Samster]

Not really a workforce question, more just a how I can be as efficient as possible and trying to glean tips from people who do a lot more of this than I do, and have been doing it a lot longer.
I generally don't go up without something, or down, and get irritated with dh if he goes up or down without something.
I have a laundry chute, which is bliss for the down. Sometimes I've thrown recyclables down, too, although then I have to bring them back up from basement to kitchen. But there is a LOT to bring up (as you all already know better than I!) between sheets, towels, glasses, candy, TP, amenities, cleaning supplies. Some of it is stored in the rooms, some in my bedroom (2nd floor) but it needs a permanent home, and the rest is in the basement, which is a long way away from the 3rd floor guest room. How to organize my laundry room is probably the main reason I started the topic.
My workforce is definitely improving. They're good at running to get the phone or take something down to the trash, or their favorite task of all, putting things down the laundry chute.
Thanks again to all for your detailed answers!
=)
Kk..

I have to do things a little differently in each house. In the main house, the clean linens are stored near the rooms so it's easy as pie to grab & go

(I only use a laundry basket to to restock the closet.) I have a cleaning caddy in that linen closet too. I have some extra things in the cleaning caddy that are helpful - flat head screw driver, Phillips head screwdriver, scissors, lint roller, Tide pen, bleach pen, note pad & pen. One trick I learned was to stash a tray in my hutch in the guest service area which I use to carry down glasses, flower vases, dirty dishes, etc. When I make the trip down with something, I grab the pillowcases that I need that match the sheet sets I'm using from the laundry room hanging area. An apron with pockets is also handy to stash your portable phone & cell phone AND protect your clothes. (I confess, I don't always remember to wear an apron, but I try.) I bundle the dirty linens and set them on a bench I have in the hallway & I never put them on the floor which is a throwback to my nurse's training

I also have a fully stocked cleaning caddy for the first floor of the house. It is just me so I try to avoid extra work!! I have a vacuum for each floor in the main house too.
In the second house, I load up a laundry basket with what I need from the laundry room - linens & amenities - for each room. Have the same extra things stashed in my cleaning caddy over there. And I keep a tray in the buffet in the hall to gather up things that need washing or returned to the main house so I don't have to carry one or two things. The bummer about the second house is that I have to schlep my downstairs vac from the main house over there, since I haven't bought a vacuum yet for that house.

I'm learning all the time about how to be more efficient and avoid extra trips to where things are stored but then I'll find a surprise in the room and have to go get something. (Like you didn't plan on swapping out the shower curtain, and then when you're down on your hands & knees cleaning the floor you see the big spot that you didn't see when you were cleaning the tub! Ack!)

 

[Morticia]

Not really a workforce question, more just a how I can be as efficient as possible and trying to glean tips from people who do a lot more of this than I do, and have been doing it a lot longer.
I generally don't go up without something, or down, and get irritated with dh if he goes up or down without something.
I have a laundry chute, which is bliss for the down. Sometimes I've thrown recyclables down, too, although then I have to bring them back up from basement to kitchen. But there is a LOT to bring up (as you all already know better than I!) between sheets, towels, glasses, candy, TP, amenities, cleaning supplies. Some of it is stored in the rooms, some in my bedroom (2nd floor) but it needs a permanent home, and the rest is in the basement, which is a long way away from the 3rd floor guest room. How to organize my laundry room is probably the main reason I started the topic.
My workforce is definitely improving. They're good at running to get the phone or take something down to the trash, or their favorite task of all, putting things down the laundry chute.
Thanks again to all for your detailed answers!
=)
Kk..

Oh yeah, the basement...that's where the OTHER washer & dryers are. We keep a laundry basket at the top of the stairs and just throw the towels in there until it is full, THEN lug it down the cellar stairs.

 

[Samster]

Not really a workforce question, more just a how I can be as efficient as possible and trying to glean tips from people who do a lot more of this than I do, and have been doing it a lot longer.
I generally don't go up without something, or down, and get irritated with dh if he goes up or down without something.
I have a laundry chute, which is bliss for the down. Sometimes I've thrown recyclables down, too, although then I have to bring them back up from basement to kitchen. But there is a LOT to bring up (as you all already know better than I!) between sheets, towels, glasses, candy, TP, amenities, cleaning supplies. Some of it is stored in the rooms, some in my bedroom (2nd floor) but it needs a permanent home, and the rest is in the basement, which is a long way away from the 3rd floor guest room. How to organize my laundry room is probably the main reason I started the topic.
My workforce is definitely improving. They're good at running to get the phone or take something down to the trash, or their favorite task of all, putting things down the laundry chute.
Thanks again to all for your detailed answers!
=)
Kk..

Oh yeah, the basement...that's where the OTHER washer & dryers are. We keep a laundry basket at the top of the stairs and just throw the towels in there until it is full, THEN lug it down the cellar stairs.
.

At least you have a basement!

 

[Sunshine]

ok, so I thought I would buy really nice high thread count egyptian cotton sheets for my guest rooms.... yeah, their nice, but they wrinkle unbearably! Any suggestions? What do you all use? Do any of you use wrinkle free sheets? what kind and where did you get them?

 

[Samster]

ok, so I thought I would buy really nice high thread count egyptian cotton sheets for my guest rooms.... yeah, their nice, but they wrinkle unbearably! Any suggestions? What do you all use? Do any of you use wrinkle free sheets? what kind and where did you get them?.

I don't buy anything higher than 350 thread white all cotton sheets - most are 320 count. I have to iron everything. The guests comment on the linens all the time! But ironing is my least favorite job...I'd rather scrub toilets.

 

[Sunshine]

I agree. ironing is my least favorite part of the job

 

[Morticia]

ok, so I thought I would buy really nice high thread count egyptian cotton sheets for my guest rooms.... yeah, their nice, but they wrinkle unbearably! Any suggestions? What do you all use? Do any of you use wrinkle free sheets? what kind and where did you get them?.

ok, so I thought I would buy really nice high thread count egyptian cotton sheets for my guest rooms.... yeah, their nice, but they wrinkle unbearably! Any suggestions? What do you all use? Do any of you use wrinkle free sheets? what kind and where did you get them?

I followed all the 'best' B&B info on sheets...MUST be 100% cotton, MUST be high thread count, etc. Replaced all the sheets here one year (over $1000 in linens...I DID get a good deal at Ralph Lauren) only to find myself ironing until midnight every night in the summer. The following year I replaced almost all the linens with poly-cotton and finally had some of the summer evenings for myself. I bought them at Penneys and they have softened up quite well after numerous washings.
Sorry, guests, I need some down time and that was where I got it. And now the homeless shelter has nice linens.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

ok, so I thought I would buy really nice high thread count egyptian cotton sheets for my guest rooms.... yeah, their nice, but they wrinkle unbearably! Any suggestions? What do you all use? Do any of you use wrinkle free sheets? what kind and where did you get them?.

ok, so I thought I would buy really nice high thread count egyptian cotton sheets for my guest rooms.... yeah, their nice, but they wrinkle unbearably! Any suggestions? What do you all use? Do any of you use wrinkle free sheets? what kind and where did you get them?

My 2 cents. High cotton are HOT, they are not as comfortable as poly-cotton blends. I find myself not able to slide out of bed in the high count cotton. That is how I feel about it.
I have them on MY BED as they are wrinkle train wrecks. All the high cotton ones are NO LONGER on the guest beds.
I cannot iron the sheets, cannot, and will not. I do iron the pillow cases and even most of those do not need it if you take them out promptly from the dryer. If you line dry, then iron away...
There are some nice soft poly-cotton blends out there.