Is TikTok's Floating Storage Hack Worth Trying In Your Laundry Room?

Laundry room organization solutions that are both functional and visually appealing can be hard to find. Luckily, TikTok is a great resource for hunting down tutorials that walk you through how to build some of the most popular types of storage options. TikTok user @heyhannahlee took to the platform to share how she built a trendy floating shelf in her laundry room, conveniently placed right above her washer and dryer.

As with any DIY, she gathered a few supplies to carry out the project. She used a drill, sandpaper, drywall spackle, a 65-inch piece of wood, and a paint color of her choice. This hack is particularly intriguing because the TikTokker created the floating shelf by repurposing an existing clothing rack. She also did not need to use any screws or glue to configure the new shelf. If this DIY really works, it may be the perfect easy laundry room storage solution and way to transform your space with a floating shelf. However, with so few supplies needed, this project won't work in every situation.

This tutorial begins with @heyhannahlee removing the supports from under her preexisting laundry room clothing rack. She then sanded down the area. The supports were attached to the wall with screws, so @heyhannahlee spackled the screw holes before she moved forward with the remainder of the project. Next, the TikTok creator explained that she went to Home Depot to have a piece of wood cut down to 65 inches to fit right in between the two panels of wood helping hold up the preexisting self on both sides of each wall. This bare piece of wood from Home Depot was used for aesthetic purposes to cover up the portion of the preexisting shelf that is facing outward.

This wood was cut to perfectly fit between the two side panels to eliminate the need for glue, screws, or nails. It seems that the next step is optional depending on whether you would like to switch up the color of your laundry room's back wall, but @heyhannahlee explained she repainted the wall behind the shelf. The TikTokker then placed three small storage baskets on the finished shelf to display the final results. She revealed that she only spent $50 on the entire project, so it's quite affordable compared to some of the floating shelf pricing across the internet. For example, similar shelves from Custom Floating Shelves cost more than $130.00.

The TikTok video shows @heyhannahlee remove the supports from underneath the preexisting shelf, which raises the question of whether her floating shelf is well supported. She states that the supports were holding up the clothing rack, but they actually appear to have been helping hold up the entire shelf. This shelf could fall off of the wall without the proper support, especially if heavy objects are placed on top. Store-bought floating shelves are typically attached to the wall using internal brackets that run from the shelf to the wall. Users simply tighten the screws underneath these shelves to install them.

You'll notice that after @heyhannahlee removes the two supports from underneath her shelf, it remains secured to the wall and attached to the side panels on either end. The side panels provide support even after the two pieces of wood underneath are removed, but are they enough to keep your items on the shelves and off of the floor? After all, laundry detergent, bleach, and broken wood all over the laundry room floor probably isn't an easy cleanup. Although you cannot see behind the shelf, there is a chance that it contains those helpful internal brackets. If this is the case, you may not have to worry about your shelf falling as long as you're mindful of the weight capacity. If you try this hack out for yourself, you will need to find out how your laundry room shelf is secured to the wall so that you do not remove necessary support components.