This is an easy step by step guide to help you.
Here is a neat idea for a laundry cabinet made from an old TV entertainment center. If you have upgraded to a flat screen TV, don't toss that entertainment center to the curb just yet. Instead, reinvent it as a handy laundry cabinet. All you need is a little paint and extra wood. Keep all your laundry supplies organized and within easy reach with this make-shift entertainment center turned laundry cabinet.
- Select an entertainment center that is still in good structural shape. Dings and scratches don't matter, since you are going to paint it. But it shouldn't be excessively wobbly or falling apart
- Remove all the doors and hardware from the front of the cabinet. You can keep existing shelves in place. Remove the cardboard backing of the entertainment center and replace it with a piece of 1/4 inch wood paneling, cut to size. This will provide a sturdy back to the cabinet and help brace it.
- Add a wooden shelf across the opening where the TV used to sit
- Prime and paint the entire cabinet in a color of your choice. Oil or latex paint will work. Let it dry overnight
- Attach an iron bar in the tall opening where the AV equipment was stored. You can hang garments here to air dry
- Purchase some matching wicker or linen baskets to store laundry supplies. Tuck them into the existing open shelves of the cabinet.
Next few tips are for those who want to unclutter it.
Wherever you choose to keep your linens, the organizing principles are the same: Shelves and drawers should be clean and freshly painted or lined (unfinished wood can stain the fabric over time). You can fold linens to fit wide or narrow spaces. If the shelves are adjustable, set them at the various heights indicated below. If the setup in your closet or cupboard is inflexible, use baskets, plastic bins, dividers, or plastic-covered wire shelving to create customized surfaces and spaces.
- Sheets and TowelsA shelf height of about 10 inches is good for sheets. Keep sheets of the same kind (queen fitted, for example) in stacks together, or sort sheets into sets (flat, fitted, and pillowcases) for each bed. Allow about 12 to 16 inches of shelf height for towels; organize them by size or by the bathroom they'll be used in.
- Comforters and BlanketsBulky comforters, wool blankets, and extra pillows may need 18 inches of shelf space. Stack these linens at the top of the closet, since you probably only reach for them a few times a year. Store blankets and comforters in zippered bags to keep them from getting dusty. A trunk, a chest, or a box that slides under the bed is also a good storage solution.
- Table LinensSets of napkins should always be kept together; wrap each set loosely in a sleeve of clear cellophane to keep them organized and easily identifiable. Tablecloths can be folded flat or hung on sturdy good-quality hangers (but not on flimsy wire ones).
- Antique LinensAntique linens should be professionally cleaned and packaged in acid-free tissue paper, which helps keep fabric from yellowing. Depending on their shape and size, they may be stored folded, hung, or rolled on cardboard tubes.
- LabelsYou should never have to unfold something to find out what it is (and when they're properly folded, fitted sheets are impossible to distinguish from flat). Take a few minutes to tag shelf edges, using adhesive labels or card holders
- Pest PreventionCedar blocks help deter moths when tucked into drawers or placed on shelves where linens are stored. You may also want to use sachets to add a subtle fragrance to linens.
Do You Know?Using sachets to add fragrance to linens is a custom that dates back hundreds of years to when brides were given a trousseau of fine linens meant to last a lifetime. The young women were also often given a chest or armoire to keep them in.
source:marthastewart.com and wiki.
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