Mice In Your Bedroom? Proper Linen Storage Can Make Or Break Your Problem

As winter sets in and food sources become scarce outdoors, mice start to search for a warm place to escape the cold. The comfort and food available in our homes create an ideal place for mice to wait out the bitterest months of the year. Unfortunately, we may unwittingly attract them and provide nesting materials with linens and other fabrics stored in piles or cardboard boxes rather than in sealed plastic boxes and bins.

A few things that attract mice to your home — and specifically your bedroom — include food scraps and fabrics they can chew up for nesting material. This is especially true in winter. Eliminating them will make your home less appealing to these tiny rodents, but it isn't always possible where linens are concerned. The answer? An organized, well-sealed linen storage system in your bedroom eliminates nesting materials, such as linens, fabric scraps, and even piles of laundry, as well as the places mice use to nest.

To stop the mouse takeover, be aware of home invasion signs during the winter. This awareness can help you identify a mouse problem faster. If you spot droppings, nest materials, or chew marks on baseboards or drywall, you may have uninvited guests. Likewise, hearing scratching or squealing is a sign of mice. Getting rid of these troublesome rodents and keeping them out long-term requires removing sources of food and, more importantly for your bedroom, shelter.

When taking steps to keep mice out of a bedroom, most people don't consider their linens and blankets in storage. Drawers or closets full of fabric can provide the perfect quiet, dark place for these comfort-seeking critters. The first step in discouraging mice indoors is limiting access to nest-building materials. Avoid using fabric bags to store these items; mice can easily chew through them or even use them. Another surprising item that is attracting mice into your home, and maybe into your bedroom, is anything made of paper, such as the cardboard boxes some of your less-used or backup linens may be stored in.

Instead, store linens in durable, tightly sealed plastic boxes or bins where mice can't get to them. The same storage method can be used for extra blankets, clothing, and anything else in your bedroom that's made of fabric. In addition to removing clutter and keeping linens in sealable plastic storage bins, you can deter mice by regularly moving things around. Nesting mice don't like to be disturbed. Reorganize fabric items in your drawers and bedroom closet periodically. Don't fall behind with the laundry. Put clean clothes away instead of leaving them piled high. It might be a pain to do, but it will keep mice away.