I have had a past tendency to “preserve” linens in quantities that exceeded most linen closets’ capacity (we move every few years for my husband’s job, so I have more than enough opportunities to compare linen closets, unfortunately).

After the last two moves, I finally understood that it was truly absurd to keep (OK, hoard) more than three changes per bed. Two blankets (different weights) per bed is plenty, with a couch throw or two just in case.

I have three changes of bath towels. In my last rental house I didn’t have a dishwasher, so I did use a lot of kitchen towels weekly–but no more than seven sets. I’ve since got that down to four in a dishwasher-equipped house.

So these are the new rules for quantity, but as for quality? Easy! The best. No stains, fading, pilling, stretched out elastic, etc. It’s old, it goes to rags. And I cut them up in a convenient rag size to be SURE I’m not tempted to “preserve” them, even accidentally.

My storage, packing, and laundry problems with linens are now zero. Something about six blankets must have made me feel “safe” or something, but enough’s enough. I’m cured.

Sometimes in winter I end up with two sets waiting to be washed because it’s been raining for two weeeks straight so I’m not able to get them dry…

Back when I had a crazy, 80-hour-weeks-at-the-dot-com job, I actually had five sets of sheets for my one bed — this way, I could change the sheets every few days as needed, but do all my laundry in one fell swoop. However, now that I’m wallowing in comparative luxury with the 50-hours-a-week job and an in-house W/D, it’s pretty much down to three sets for the bed: a set of cotton percale, a set of cotton jersey, and a set of flannel.

I do keep extra pillowcases, though. That comes in handy when someone’s ill, or sweaty. There’s nothing like a cool, clean pillow, you know?

My take on the kitchen is different. Being trained in food safety I can say that you should use a clean dishcloth each time you wash the dishes and a clean tea towel (I think that is the same as a kitchen towel??) every time you dry the dishes. Better still, don’t dry your dishes with a towel!

I also like to keep one ratty towel (that you’re not afraid of ruining because it’s pre-ruined!) for big spills.

Also note that sheets and pillow cases can be used to make other things such as curtains, quilt backing, shirts, and nightshirts. Similarly, towels can be cut up and the edges bound to make smaller towels, quilted to make potholders, used to make swimsuit cover-ups, beach totes, and all kinds of other things. Blankets can be used as quilt batting and to help block light from a window if someone is sick and trying to sleep in the daytime.

Of course, saving stuff in case you want to make things out of it is very dangerous, too!

Also, if you mess up your sheets somehow at bedtime (I remember throwing up in my bed as a kid–sorry mom!), it’s nice to throw the old sheets in the washer, and not have to wait to put new sheets on and go to sleep.

Also I’ve heard that letting sheets “rest” between uses is helpful. I don’t, however, understand what that means. Maybe having some time to not be stretched out on the mattress lets the elastic recover and last longer?

I like having a spare set in case of that.