Show us your airing cupboard/hot press

One advantage of living on my own is there’s nobody else to mess up the airing cupboard. I don’t need much space really. Just enough for spare bedding and towels.

I miss my airing cupboard this new house doesn’t have one sadly.

I don’t have one as I don’t have central heating I m missing out 🤣🤣

Ours is far too small, everything rammed in, so never tidy.

All sets of bedding, even the super king size, are squashed into a pillowcase. I’d never NOT do that any more. The only bits I ever iron are the pillowcases, if guests are coming. The creases so soon drop out anyway.

I've got two cupboards that house hot water tanks with shelving above for linen. Both tanks are well insulated so they are not that warm but they do stop the linen getting damp. I've also got a huge cupboard next to the boiler but IMO it really doesn't get that enough heat from the boiler either. So I have a bit of airing cupboard envy as in the winter I often get bedding and towels out to use for visitors and end up washing them again as they don't have that lovely freshly washed smell.

The hot water tank was replaced with one that is all insulated, but our plumber put a dinky little radiator in so it is still warm.

The bottom half also holds our water softener.

My washing is always ‘aired’, before being put away, but it’s really for bedding, towels, not clothes.

Dread to think how ‘aired’ DIL’s washing is, they just don’t seem to worry about things like that.

I am off to inspect mine!

GrannyGravy13

Allira

I'll send DH round, GrannyGravy13.

He refolds everything after my attempts.

It is under normal circumstances immaculate.

I put each bedding set inside one of the pillowcases, so easy on bed change days.

Christmas bedding and towels are kept separate.

I had to empty bedrooms including wardrobes and the airing cupboard has had to take a back seat as Christmas, Birthdays and sorting out rooms and furniture has taken precedent.

I'll have to try that tip - ie sheets inside of a matching pillowcase. Anything to save a bit of time/effort here in this household.....

Just as well given that I now have 3 different sheet sizes and it's a bit confusing - double bed, king size and super king size (that was down to me landing up buying a bed recently that's not as soft as I thought - so I've now got two mattress toppers on top of it and now need the next size up of sheets).

Yep.....a reasonable size airing cupboard was one of the plus points I noted when I bought this house and a bit of extra space as well once I'd had the hot water tank in it removed and shelving extended.

upon in!

All our beds have storage drawers underneath them.
Plus a couple of wicker hampers upon bedrooms.
I did have a sort-out not long ago but probably need another one.

It is in a bedroom which is being used so not always accessible.

My airing cupboard looks like GG’s with no excuse at all.
I try to keep it tidy but it is mostly towels and bedding not currently in use.
I bought some bedding boxes from Dunelm a couple of years ago, fold down if not in use and covered in pale colours so theylook decent at the bottom of the bed.

winterwhite

No jolly fear re showing my airing cupboard. Everything rammed in is its habitual state.

Is it really possible to get a bedding set into a pillow case? Good idea if so but I'm dubious. Does it have to be ironed within an inch of its life?

I do iron bedding, but I get a king size duvet cover, bottom sheet and five pillowcases inside a pillowcase.

It really does make for easy storage.

Because of the vagaries of our house we still have a hot water tank in our airing cupboard but it is so well insulated that there is no airing to be done in there. And 'hot press' is a misnomer.

So it has towels and a few spare pillows in. Bedding is in a chest on the landing. I drawer per room.

Since we changed to a combi boiler the tank has gone, so now it’s just storage for odd bits, I only keep one set each of spare bedding for our three beds/rooms..

No jolly fear re showing my airing cupboard. Everything rammed in is its habitual state.

Is it really possible to get a bedding set into a pillow case? Good idea if so but I'm dubious. Does it have to be ironed within an inch of its life?

Esmay

I dare not show you the contents of my airing cupboard .
It is choc-a -block with embroidered tablecloths and napkins .
I did use them regularly up until about three years ago .

Mine are in a drawer under a bed.
Can't bear to part with them, some were embroidered by my cousin, some by MIL and GMIL.

I dare not show you the contents of my airing cupboard .
It is choc-a -block with embroidered tablecloths and napkins .
I did use them regularly up until about three years ago .

I'll let you off under the circumstances, GrannyGravy

A hanging rail is handy, mine was in constant use for school uniforms, PE kit and various sportswear when the children where all at home.

As the hanging rail in the laundry was usually full 🫨

GrannyGravy13

I am hanging my head in shame 🫣

Thank you GG for accepting the challenge!

The picture is basically what my airing cupboard will look like soon.

Allira I have hanging rail envy.

Allira

I'll send DH round, GrannyGravy13.

He refolds everything after my attempts.

It is under normal circumstances immaculate.

I put each bedding set inside one of the pillowcases, so easy on bed change days.

Christmas bedding and towels are kept separate.

I had to empty bedrooms including wardrobes and the airing cupboard has had to take a back seat as Christmas, Birthdays and sorting out rooms and furniture has taken precedent.

I'll send DH round, GrannyGravy13.

He refolds everything after my attempts.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202511/medium-7tjpbx-img-1533.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202511/medium-prngi-img-1534.jpeg

I am hanging my head in shame 🫣

I'm not showing you a picture 😁 but yes, it's invaluable.
It has a hanging rail too, for airing clothes that shouldn't be folded.

When we were upgrading the central heating, we decided to have a system boiler and hot water tank because we use the airing cupboard. On reflection, I suppose we could have opted for a combi boiler and to have a radiator put in the cupboard but it's done now.