6 Tips to Organize a Small Laundry Room

The laundry room is not anyone’s favorite place. Sometimes, the laundry “room” is nothing more than a closet, with limited space for necessities like detergent.

Sometimes, laundry – especially in a small laundry room – causes so much stress that it becomes something to be avoided. If you’ve found yourself putting the laundry off until you’re having to dig through the dirty pile to find something to wear, maybe it’s time to try a new approach that can not only get you more organized but also keep laundry from becoming an overwhelming and stressful chore.

How do you make the most of your laundry room, regardless of size? And how do you manage laundry more effectively so that it doesn’t pile up and overwhelm you – or end up in a crumpled corner on a chair in your room?

These tips will transform a cramped space into something that will make laundry a little more bearable and help you keep your laundry under control.

LAUNDRY ROOM CURTAINS

Not every laundry area has the luxury of a separate room or even a closet door. Curtains can change an entire space and help you feel more organized. This is especially important if your washer and dryer unit share space with the kitchen or other common living area. A curtain can brighten up a room, too, and is easily installed with a tension rod.

LOOK UP

Have you ever thought about using the ceiling? Standing drying racks are handy, but if there’s no floor space, the only way to go is up. You can easily install a rack from the ceiling from which you can hang clothes that can’t go in the dryer or have been recently pressed. There is no better way to take advantage of space!

WALL TO WALL

Although it’s not as inventive as a ceiling dryer rack, you never want to ignore the wall and corner spaces in the laundry area. Install shelving to offer more space to store laundry detergent and other must-haves. You may even be able to string a clothes line between two walls for indoor drying.

SHELVING

You might have to get creative if you have top-loading machines and a very small space, but if you have a front-loading washer and dryer, adding shelving above them can be an ingenious way to increase your storage space and keep your laundry room more organized. You can install a countertop over both units, or a smaller shelf over the top to create space that you wouldn’t have considered.

BASKETS AND CONTAINERS

Not every laundry area will be capable of supporting an entire shelf or counter, but small baskets and storage containers can be just what you need to use for organized storage. You can even hang them from or mount them on the walls.

PEGBOARD

This is an interesting tip to utilize wall space, especially if you don’t have the capacity for shelving. A pegboard can serve as storage for tools and small baskets so that you have everything you need in reach – or a place to hang delicates and other hang-drying pieces of clothing.

HOW TO KEEP LAUNDRY AND THE LAUNDRY ROOM ORGANIZED

Trying to keep laundry and your laundry room organized can be a challenge, especially if you have a house full of kids. Laundry is one of those chores that, no matter how much you do, there’s always more. We all expect a full basket of dirty clothes, but in reality, it quickly turns into a mountain of clothes spilling onto the floor. These clothes beg to not only be washed, but to be sorted, dried, and folded. These tips will help you keep laundry organized and make your life easier.

INVEST IN A LAUNDRY SORTER

A laundry sorter is the best way to manage dirty clothes. Rather than dump every article of clothing into a single hamper, teach yourself and other household members to sort clothes as they are placed in the laundry. Have one basket for dark colors, one for light colors, and another for towels and sheets. This is also an easy way to form a habit of doing laundry regularly. When a basket gets full, toss it in the washer, no sorting required. This practice saves a lot of time and keeps hampers from overflowing.

USE MESH BAGS FOR DELICATES

Who has time to hand wash anymore? Save yourself the trouble with a mesh bag for delicates. This is a great way to wash socks as well, without losing one in the laundry. Small baby clothes also wash well in as mesh bag, as well as pantyhose and slips. Fill the mesh bag with whatever you need to clean, and toss it in the washer on gentle cycle.

INVEST IN A FREE-STANDING DRYING RACK

A drying rack makes it easier to dry delicates, sweaters, and other items that would shrink or be damaged if they went through the dryer. In climates where it’s not practical to use a clothes line, this can be an inside option that makes life – and laundry – easier.

FOLD WHEN CONVENIENT

Even after all your hard work, you’re still left with the chore of folding the laundry. Get the other people in your household to pitch into keep laundry organized. If not, save the folding for when it’s convenient. This can be when you’re returning a phone call, watching TV, or listening to a podcast. You would be surprised at how quickly things get organized when your mind is focused on other tasks.

Managing the laundry is a great way to stay organized, especially when you have a small laundry room. A room looks like an entirely different space without piles all over the floor. We can’t do anything about laundry being one of the most dreaded chores, but by taking advantage of the space you have and converting it so that it fits your needs, you’ll have a unique space that minimizes stress.