Chances are that the first thing that comes to mind when you think about a safe is the storage and protection of valuable items. It makes sense because that's been the primary purpose of safes for the last several centuries.

In modern times, using a safe to store your valuable items is still a prevalent protective method. Still, there is much more to modern safes than just having a door with a lock. Depending on how you use it, a safe can help you to get better organized around your home.

One of the most critical factors of using a safe for any purpose is figuring out where to put it. It's usually a good idea to hide your safe away from plain sight. Otherwise, you'd be daring prospective thieves to try to crack it. On the other hand, you don't want it to be hidden away too deeply. You'll need to get into it now and then to retrieve your valuables.

You probably have a few spots around your home that meet the criteria for both of these suggestions. One such location would be your linen closet. There are several hiding spots that a thief will search first during a break-in. Under the mattress, bedroom closets and dresser drawers will likely be raided. One of the last places a thief is expected to rifle through is the linen closet which makes it a perfect spot.

The most important thing that you'll want to do is secure your safe in the linen closet by properly bolting it down. Portable safes aren't exactly light, but they can be lifted and carried away by thieves. Bolting it down will ensure that they either have to crack the combination to get in or leave empty-handed.

Here are 3 things to consider when installing a safe in your linen closet:

1. Get a Safe With Bolt-Down Hardware
2. Find a Safe That Fits Your Closet
3. Position Your Safe in a Discreet Spot

Get a Safe With Bolt-Down Hardware

The hardware necessary for bolting down your safe isn't impossible to find on your own. But it can be quite a headache. You'll need to figure out the correct diameter of the bolts so they can fit through the holes in the safe, the proper length to make it into the anchor point, and remember the washers, nuts, and caps. Then again, you could buy a safe with a free bolt-down kit and avoid making several trips to the hardware store.

Find a Safe That Fits Your Closet

You will not be able to fit an enormous gun safe inside your linen closet. That's fine because bigger isn't always better for safes. Since you're stashing your safe in the linen closet, purchasing a smaller safe will be more beneficial. You'll be able to hide it more efficiently, won't have to worry about it weighing too much, and it will be much easier to maneuver when bolting it down.

Position Your Safe in a Discreet Spot

One of the best things about storing your safe in the linen closet is that you should already have a few shelves installed. That will give you a few options when looking for the ideal spot to secure your safe. Even better, there will be plenty of opportunities to disguise your safe after you've bolted it down. After all, since it's a linen closet, it wouldn't be out of place to have a large sheet or blanket covering up your safe.

Typically, a safe isn't the first tool you'd think to utilize when organizing your home. Things like label makers and clear plastic containers will come in handy a little more often. Using a safe for organization purposes isn't the same as trying to get your pantry organized. The stakes are slightly higher than accidentally filling the flour container with sugar.

Know Where Your Valuables Are at All Times

The goal of any organizational effort is to locate an item quickly because it's in the proper place. The best site for a toothbrush is in the bathroom since that's where you'll be using it. If there's ever a time when you need your toothbrush in a hurry, you won't go looking in the garage or closet. You would go right to the spot where you know you keep it.

That's the same concept of using a safe to organize your valuables. You wouldn't need to wonder if your passport is in your suitcase, the heirloom pearl necklace is under the bathroom sink, or the spare car keys are in the junk drawer. Using a safe, you can store all of these valuable items in one spot and never have to search for them again.

Use Your Safe for Documents and Hard Drives

Using a safe is commonly associated with storing large stacks of cash and expensive jewelry. But it's also a perfectly acceptable option for storing your most important documents and hard drives. While these documents might not seem as valuable as cash or jewelry, they can be worth a lot to thieves.

Every adult will accumulate a large number of essential documents throughout their life. Some of these crucial, widespread documents include:

• Birth certificates
• Social Security cards
• Passports
• Marriage licenses
• Tax returns
• Ownership deeds

Losing these documents can result in an expensive and time-consuming process to replace them. Having them stolen is an even bigger headache and could have severe consequences. A safe is the best way to keep these essential documents as safe as possible.

Now that you have your most valuable items adequately stored away in your safe, it's time to finish generating some linen closet organization ideas. The good news is that linen closets are one of the more accessible areas to declutter. Here are 5 hacks to help you get an organized linen closet:

1. Toss Out Old, Damaged, or Unused Items
2. Use Storage Bins and Baskets
3. Keep the Essential Items Within Reach
4. Use the Door as Extra Space
5. Hide Your Safe Behind Bulky Items

Toss Out Old, Damaged, or Unused Items

The first step can do wonders with clearing up space and saving the time you spend on the other actions. Simply go through everything in your linen closet and throw away anything old, damaged, or hasn't been used in a while. Indeed, a few hand towels or bath towels have been worn down, fitted sheets that lost their elasticity a time ago, and blankets with holes in them.

If there are any old beach towels, then it might be worth cutting them up and using the pieces as cleaning rags. Otherwise, you should recycle whatever you can and donate the rest to your local homeless shelter. Remember that the more you remove from your linen closet, the easier it will be to get organized.

Use Storage Bins and Baskets

Storage containers are essential to proper organization, and you should use them wherever you can. You'll have a few different options here for organizing. The best method is to try to keep similar items stored together. For example, towels in one bin, washcloths in another, bed sheets separated from the blankets, and pillowcases kept apart from fitted sheets.

You could have one for toiletries, toilet paper, and paper towels, sets of sheets and comforters and duvet covers, and another for cleaning supplies. One functional way to separate these is with shelf dividers; that way, multiple bins can go on the top shelf with easy access, and the same for the middle and bottom shelves.

The other idea would be to designate a bin for each room. For example, a container for items that belong in the master bathroom and one for the guest bathroom. A bin for items in the master bedroom and one for the guest bedroom. The upside is that you'll have everything you need for each room in one spot. The downside is that it can get cluttered with many items stored in a single container.

Keep the Essential Items Within Reach

The quickest way to ruin all your hard work organizing is to place essential items in the back of the closet. Instead of removing several containers to reach your desired item, you should just store it in the front of the closet.

For example, it's recommended that you change your sheets once a week. You should be changing your towels after 3 uses at most. Since you'll be using your towels more often than your sheets, you should keep your towels in an easier-to-reach location than your sheets.

Use the Door as Extra Space

If you think about it, a door is just a wall with hinges. Instead of letting this "wall" of space go to waste, you can use it as a way to store more items. Using an over-the-door hanging storage container is an easy way to give you even more room for storage.

Hide Your Safe Behind Bulky Items

As mentioned earlier, hiding your safe in the linen closet is an excellent way to fool burglars. It's improbable that they'll think to look in the linen closet for anything of value. Still, you don't want to leave it to chance by having your safe in the open. It's best to utilize the natural cover provided by the linen closet and shift some bulky towels or blankets to the front of your safe.

The Bottom Line

Using a linen closet to store your linens is a perfectly reasonable idea. But using a linen closet to keep you safe is genius. Most thieves would never think to look in a linen closet for your valuables. Even if they did, you could easily hide your safe inside and make it that much more of a challenge for them.

Organizing is the centerpiece of the whole plan. First, you get your linen closet organized; then, you can use your safe to organize your valuables. Everything will have a place, and you won't have to search for your most cherished items anymore. There is no downside to getting better organized around your home, your linen closet, or your safe.

Visit Mycube today to pick out the perfect safe for you. You can enjoy free shipping, a 35-day free trial, and save 10% off your first offer. You won't be able to "lock up" a deal like that anywhere else.

Sources:

Store More with These Door Storage Ideas | Better Home & Garden

How Often Should You Wash Your Sheets? | Sleep Foundation

Salvaging Old Towels | The Frugal Life

Financial Documents: What To Save And What You Can Throw Away | Forbes Advisor

What Burglars do First When They Get Inside Your Home | KGW8

10 Hiding Spots Burglars Always Look First | Reader's Digest