Transform Your Laundry Room With These Must-Try IKEA Hacks

In most homes, the laundry room functions as a purely-utilitarian space. It might have a small amount of organization to help make it look a bit less cluttered, but overall, it's one of those rooms that is frequently overlooked when it comes to more intentional design choices. Now, however, many people are looking for ways to create a more aesthetic and functional laundry room, and for good reason. According to data gathered by Arm & Hammer in conjunction with OnePoll in 2020, the average American spends nearly five hours doing laundry each month. Sprucing up the laundry room can make this dreaded chore much more pleasant, and IKEA's supply of low-priced items can provide plenty of opportunity to explore creative DIY projects.

If you're unfamiliar with the world of DIY, IKEA hacks are the perfect place to get started. The massive retailer is well-known for its wide selection of minimalistic designs. These pieces are usually enough to get the job done, but creative uses, slight alterations, and minor adjustments to the overall style allow people to create a custom-feeling piece without having to build from the ground up. It's not very common to find items specifically-designed to fit in the laundry room, so laundry-focused IKEA hacks and DIYs are one of the most popular varieties out there.

Custom built-in cabinets are expensive and are often much more pricey than people are willing to pay. Instead, with a bit of help from IKEA, you can create a similar look for yourself. As it turns out, three Pax/Grimo Wardrobes from IKEA will fill nearly 10 feet of wall space for only a fraction of the cost of the average quote by a cabinet company. Stack a few side-by-side to fill an empty wall in your laundry room, and you'll have created your very own floor-to-ceiling organizational system. If you have any awkward gaps, consider adding on some trim to make everything look complete.

The average laundry room setup is often utilitarian at best, featuring bare minimum wire shelving that works well but is a bit of an eyesore. This hack is a great way to bring in some storage that's both functional and attractive. Instead of opting for the typical open shelving, install two IKEA Knoxhult Wall Cabinets with Doors and add on a bit of trim to the doors to create a shaker-style detail. After painting them, hanging them on the wall, and adding handles, the cabinets will look almost unrecognizable from their original simplistic design.

The top of your front-loading washer and dryer can act as a convenient surface if you need to quickly fold or sort your laundry, but there's a way to make it feel much more intentional. Instead of just placing things directly on the metal of your appliances, make your own countertop with an IKEA tabletop and a few steel pipes that are slightly taller than your washer and dryer to act as legs. Something like the IKEA Anfallare Tabletop can act as the perfect piece, but the exact specifications depend on your existing setup. 

Finding an organizational method that works in your space, especially if you don't have shelves that allow you to stack things vertically, can be difficult. Thankfully, however, there's a unique organizational item from IKEA that can help to solve this problem: the Sortera Recycling Bin with Lid. These boxes might be intended to stow cans and cardboard boxes, but the unique angle of the lid allows you to stack them while still being able to access what's inside. Use them, in conjunction with an empty cabinet or blank wall, to sort dirty laundry into different loads before tossing them into the wash.

If you have kids or frequently have to cycle through several outfits in a day, you know how overwhelming keeping all of your laundry in the correct category can be. With IKEA's Nysjön Laundry Cabinets, however, you'll be able to create a simple sorting system that looks more modern than messy. Pair two cabinets together if you go through a ton of clothes, or stick with one for a smaller household. Each cabinet has two holes on the front that lead directly to a hidden basket, so you can easily toss your laundry into the appropriate bin and remove it when it's time to wash.

Laundry rooms are typically one of the smaller spaces in our homes. Because of this, after installing your washer and dryer, it's not uncommon to be left with a foot or so of awkward space around your appliances. Filling the area with a narrow shelving unit like an IKEA Pax Wardrobe Frame can work, but the lack of wiggle room can make it hard to access the items you choose to store. Instead of just sliding in a stationary shelf, consider also adding some wheels to the bottom like the Ronlap Furniture Washing Machine Dolly from Amazon, so you can slide the shelving around.

Sometimes, IKEA hacks are as simple as putting two items together. As it turns out, the IKEA Ekenabben Open Shelf Unit just so happens to perfectly fit a standard-sized laundry basket on each shelf. If you're in need of baskets, the Sterlite Ultra HipHold Laundry Baskets from The Container Store could work. The convenient sizing makes this hack the perfect setup to sort dirty laundry into darks and lights, and the easy-to-transport baskets will make it easy to bring them in and out of the room. Additionally, the flat surface on top will provide you with a place to store your detergent or fold your clothes.

If you haven't been blessed with built-ins in your laundry room but you still have a bit of free space, consider creating a standalone setup on an empty wall to incorporate both storage and a functional surface for either folding or ironing clothes. Instead of using the beloved IKEA Kallax Shelf Unit as a bookshelf like most people do, transform it into a laundry station. Because this shelving unit is so simplistic, it's easy to customize this project to your needs, but adding in a few Kallax Inserts or Dröna Boxes to create some concealed storage is a good place to start.

Most of these hacks have to do with larger-scale organizational changes, but if you're looking for a simple switch that can make you feel a little more put-together, consider incorporating some glass storage jars. IKEA carries shorter 64 ounce and taller but skinnier 61 ounce Vardagen Glass Jars with Lids. For just about $8 each, they're one of the lowest-cost options on the market, especially when looking for a jar with a sealable lid. Use them to store scent beads, laundry pods, or powder detergents to upgrade your existing setup and cut back on the visual clutter of colorful packaging.