Ideas for massive airing cupboard!

[Yayyayitsaholiholiday]

There is a huge cupboard in our upstairs hallway that I’m planning to use as an airing cupboard.
However, there’s only 2 of us living here, so only have so many towels and sheets……
It’s a huge space that you can walk into and stretches back probably 4 feet, so if it was all shelved out there’s no way to reach the back of the shelves.
Would it make sense to shelve just on one side and the back and then use the floor space to walk into the cupboard to get things?
Or am I missing some amazing alternative use of this space?

Airing cupboards are an older invention than central heating, so you need to do to 'air' your linen is allow for airflow. Traditionally, this is done by using slats rather than full shelves, for air to circulate, and for air to enter you'd need some holes in your door - traditional linen cupboards have either woven rattan doors, or a star or hole pattern cut into the top of the door. Air circulation is especially important if you want to hang up wet clothes, or even just store a wet mop.

I have a large airing cupboard which houses my hot water tank with a shelf above.

I have fresh towels and bed linen on the shelf at the back and then the front of the shelf I hang damp clothes on hangers and use a dehumidifier directly inside the doorway - with the door slightly ajar - for drying laundry. Works fantastically well as combined with the heat from the tank I only need to use the dehumidifier for 2-3 hours at a time.

Tumble dryer gets very little use other than for finishing off heavier items.😊

Your airing cupboard would be great for drying laundry using a dehumidifier.

I would say drying cupboard and steaming clothes cupboard.

So dehumidifier plus some form of heat (some dehumidifiers also have that function). Hanging rails to dry clothes on.

Then for 'ironing' get a clothes steamer and 'iron' i.e. steam them on the hanging rail. All nice and easy in one cupboard!

@BIWI nothing! It’s a new build.

I have pillows, towels, spare duvets, bedding etc. also a full size airer up constantly and a ranging rail for more drying/storage. Have a hot water tank in there so it's warm. And means no laundry round the rest of the house. My best mate just had a radiator put in hers to do similar.

I would turn it into a proper laundry space with stacked washer and dryer (condensing if necessary) and drying racks on the walls/ceiling with a small dehumidifier. Much better to have washing machines etc. near bedrooms.

@Yayyayitsaholiholiday what did you decide?! We have a similar space that we're looking to shelve, so wondering how you got on?!