Prompt Card Example from Declutter Deck™: Blankets and Bedding
Set your timer for 60 minutes and take a before photo.
Step 1: Take Everything Out and Make the Pile
To make your pile of blankets, go to your linen closet or wherever you keep extra bedding and pull it all out. Some people store blankets and bedding by room in deep-drawer nightstands and others store it all together in a hall linen closet. I prefer to store my linens in a linen closet where I can see everything I own. It helps me decide whether I want to return bedding to the same room as it was prior to the change of seasons, or if I want to change up the rooms a little bit.
If your blankets are well folded when making the pile, you can just keep them folded. If not, refold them. If they smell musty or look like they were hastily put away the prior season, rewash them. Fresh linens smell good and feel so comfortable.
Step 2: Group Your Blankets and Bedding
In this situation, you can group a variety of ways. One way may be by color. A color continuum is pleasing to the eye. If you prefer, you can group by size. You can also group by material and season.
After I wash my duvet covers, I group and put these away by size and color. I make sure that I can differentiate the full and queen linens from the king sizes, so I don’t have to unroll them to find the tags; some of my bedrooms have the exact same duvet cover - I find it easy on the eye. I do this by placing a sticky note right by the buttons on the duvet cover, inside the top fold. It’s easy to do and keeps me from having to dig and refold once things are nicely put away. Another idea is bands with the words full, queen and king labeled on them. I get these on Amazon.
I also include warm throws in the blanket category. If you have enough storage room, it’s a good idea to put them together with your blankets so you have everything in the same spot. This step saves you some running around.
Step 3: Edit
In this category, I typically don’t have a lot to edit, since I keep only the bedding that I need. I own only one set of sheets per bed. When I wash, I do all my laundry at once, and return the sheets to the beds as soon as they come out of the dryer. That way, I eliminate wrinkles. But not everyone is like me. In fact, very few.
At The Uncluttered Life, Inc., the organizing company we own, I have seen clients keep an entire storage closet of bed pillows. The client is afraid to part with pillows even if they’ve seen better days. Their pillows are lumpy, smell musty, and made of various types of materials. Some people co-mingle old and new pillows, making it difficult to see exactly what kind of pillows are available for refreshing beds, guest stays, or might need to be thrown away. My suggestion is to keep only what is needed and donate the rest. Extra pillows take up a ton of space and are just clutter.
If your pillows and blankets are still in decent shape, you can investigate donating them. Many organizations have a need for pillows and blankets, bedding, and even mattresses. If you're able to make a few calls to see who is currently accepting pillow donations, you're likely to find the pillows and blankets a happy new home. Many clothing donation locations, such as The Salvation Army and Goodwill®, do not accept used pillows for sanitary reasons. Look instead to your local homeless shelter, animal shelter, wildlife rehabilitation center, or daycare facility for possible donation options. I have found places to take my pillows and blankets and it makes me feel good that they will be used by people and animals in need.
Step 4: Return Everything to its Place
Because blankets are bulky and can take up a lot of space, it’s important to keep only the essentials. I find that in this category, as well as in towels and pillows, less is more. I like my blankets to have enough space to retain their shape - not crushed and matted down because there is so much weight on them. A hall closet is a perfect place to put them alongside other linens.
If this storage method doesn’t work or you don’t have enough space, here are some suggestions for storing your blankets. We offer several options so that you have a variety of ways to store these often-bulky items.
Options for Blanket Storage Include:
Blanket Ladders:
Blanket Ladders are a great solution for getting throws and blankets off the floor and on display. They also add to a room’s decor. This storage option is available in wall-leaning or wall-mounted designs and available in every height, style, and budget imaginable. Storing your throws on a blanket ladder instantly draws the eye upward to make your room feel bigger while simultaneously adding a splash of texture and color to your walls. Style a blanket ladder next to your sofa or lean one against an otherwise unoccupied wall in your bedroom to create instant coziness and order in your space. My daughter uses a blanket ladder in her den, and it looks great. The blankets tie the colors of the room together. It’s important, if you have small children, to mount blanket ladders to the wall.
Quilt Racks:
If you love settling into a well-worn armchair while reading a good book with the softest throw blanket in your house wrapped around your shoulders, this storage solution is for you. Quilt racks serve as free-standing blanket storage that is ideal for keeping throws and blankets off the floor and within reach. I used one in my bedroom for a long time. It occupied an empty corner for which there was no other good design option. Quilt racks are available in several finishes and styles to suit any design preference. Invest in a blanket rack to stand next to your loveseat, recliner or in your bedroom.
Blanket Baskets:
I’ve written blogs about baskets and my preference for square or rectangle boxes when organizing closets and drawers. Blanket baskets are my one exception to my box preference. Floor baskets offer accessible and effortless blanket storage for any room in a house. This storage option is universal, catering to bustling young families, college coeds and single city dwellers alike. Baskets add texture and warmth to a room and take up limited floor space, especially if you can put them on the bottom shelf of a console table or bookshelf. Unlike blanket ladders or quilt racks, floor baskets don’t require folding. Just toss them in when picking up the room and forget about them until it's time to unwind at the end of the day. Remember to choose a blanket storage basket that visually vibes with your interior style. Contrasting black and natural woven baskets will turn heads in modern or eclectic spaces, while a white-washed jute basket looks at home in coastal or French country cottage settings. I have three classic woven rope baskets that are a great option for any style: traditional, modern, farmhouse and every interior design style in-between. My cat sleeps in one on top of his favorite blanket.
Storage Bags:
Store away your winter duvets and blankets with seasonal blanket storage bags. Storage bags are essential for maintaining the integrity of your bed linens and throws between seasons and come in several airtight design options. We like handled bags that are water-resistant with window panels that allow you to see which blankets are stored. To use, fold blankets neatly, place in the storage bag and stack them in a hall closet or under a bed. They also fit neatly on the upper shelf in your bedroom closets.
Take an after photo. Then, you’re finished for the day.
(Instructions provided by professional organizers at The Uncluttered Life, Inc.)
About Life Hack Decks™
Declutter Decks™ are part of the life Hack Decks™ collection. Life Hack Decks™ are powerful micro-prompt motivational cards to make your life easier while reducing stress in your day. These instructional and motivational decks simplify ineffective routines and help you go from stuck and overwhelmed to inspired and empowered.
Life Hack Decks™ take the stress out of decision-making and motivate you to tackle things you’ve been putting off for years. Life Hack Decks™ (52 cards per deck) allow you to focus on the things that bring you joy, happiness, and connection with others rather than lingering in the mundane, anxiety-producing ruts in which we often find ourselves. The Life Hack Decks™ collection currently includes Date Deck®, Declutter Deck™, Dorm Deck , New Mama Deck and Random Acts of Kindness Deck.
Order your Declutter Deck™ to get your blankets and bedding in order. $19.95 plus shipping. And don’t forget to tag us and a friend at @lifehackdecks to show us your before-and-after photos.