30 Ways To Organize Your Laundry Room

Doing laundry is an arduous chore for many as it is, but having a disorganized laundry room can make it seem even more so. Many times it's the lack of space that makes it seem difficult to keep it tidy. Other times, it's the amount of clothing parading in and out that creates chaos. And yet, it can often be a combination of both issues.

Whether you have a large laundry room, a small laundry room, or a laundry closet, there are fortunately an abundance of ways to get and keep it organized. Some ideas require major changes, such as if you're looking to completely renovate your laundry room and add in, say, custom cabinets. However, plenty of them only need minimal effort and investment to maximize the space.

Taking the time to get your laundry room in order not only feels good but it also increases efficiency and productivity. According to Martha Stewart, alleviating the task of doing the laundry may actually even make the whole process pleasurable. The following 30 ideas just might inspire you to take action and reap the benefits yourself.

Maybe space has always been an issue in your laundry room, so use a stacking washer and dryer unit, as it can save significant space. If you're working with a double-door closet, it can open one whole side to a shelving unit that can store more than a single high shelf.

If space is a serious issue in your home, a washer and dryer combination unit may a great solution. They take up half of the space and may be more energy-efficient. The caveats to be aware of is that the drying capacity is not as substantial as a standalone dryer and may use more water.

Lacking space to fold your newly laundered clothing? As long as your washer and dryer are front-loading, you can install a surface or table over them and get to folding before anything wrinkles.

Many washers and dryers are made available with pull-out storage drawers underneath the units. These can be used to store away backstock cleaning or paper products, as well as small vacuum parts. If you're not in the market for new machines, an alternative is to build a drawer and prop your washer and dryer onto them.

If your laundry has virtually no storage space, but it would make a world of difference if it did, consider having custom cabinetry installed. Being that these rooms are generally small square footage, the investment should be minimal compared to renovating the kitchen or bathroom.

While having cabinets installed, opt for one or two to hold pull-out or pull-down hampers. This will minimize the space needed for hampers and potentially keep clothing off of the floor.

If you use traditional hampers and have an open area under a counter, take advantage of it and slide them in. This will greatly free up the walk space, especially in a small laundry room.

Save time by pre-sorting your laundry. Having separate bags or bins for lights, darks, and even delicates, linens, and towels will keep you more organized when it's time to start the next load.

Whether it's next to the wall or between the two machines, there's often a bit of wasted space in a laundry room. Utilize it by rolling in a narrow cart that holds your laundry essentials, such as detergent, spot treatment, and dryer sheets.

Rather than adding cabinet doors, leave shelving open to create cubbies for baskets. Alternatively, place a cube storage unit either vertically or horizontally, depending on how much open floor space you have. Use them to store clean, extra linens, or as individual hampers for family members.

In lieu of cabinetry, floating shelves can be just as effective in giving you additional storage. Use baskets and bins to keep items neat and organized. If your laundry room or closet already has one shelf installed, feel free to add as many as you need to maximize the vertical space.

An often-overlooked space to organize products? The back of the door. An organizer can be installed or hooked over it so you can sort and store everything from soaps to paper towels. The best part is this method works for either laundry rooms or laundry closets.

This one's a bit obvious but you can take it a step further by using opaque baskets to really hide any visual clutter as opposed to clear ones. Natural materials such as hyacinth or seagrass blend into the laundry aesthetic nicely.

One way to save space in your laundry room is to get rid of bulky packaging and use glass apothecary or air-tight sealed jars with scoops to make the process of doing the wash simpler. If you have small children in the house, it's worth it to note that these should be placed out of their reach.

Labels go a long way in helping keep things tidy. It helps everyone in the family know where to find things and where to replenish them. Whether it's detergent pods in jars, dryer sheets in a container, or cleaning products in a bin, be sure to label everything if you want your laundry room to stay organized.

Trays can come in handy when organizing any space, so don't rule out putting one in the laundry room. Use it to corral your most reached items and perhaps a piece of decor. An extra advantage of a tray is to prevent spills on the top of your machines or the counter.

Lazy susans have a similar organizing effect as a tray, except you can place one up on a shelf or in a cabinet and simply spin to grab what you need. Round items work best when stored on them as they help to maximize the space.

Hooks are an inexpensive and easy way to add storage into your laundry area. Install some on an empty wall to hold items such as a dustpan or mesh washing bags.

In addition to or in lieu of a drying rack, install a rod to hang dry clothing on hangers. It can be standalone or placed just below a shelf, utilizing otherwise unused space.

An alternative to a clothing rod would be a wall-mounted drying rack. These can be disassembled and lay flat when not in use, saving precious space.

Yet another option to hang dry your clothing in the laundry room is to install a ceiling rack. This can be especially useful in a space where you have high ceilings but not a lot of wall or walk space.

Ironing boards are a necessary tool in most laundry rooms, but they're bulky and tend to take up entirely too much space. Hang them on the back of the door or on a wall to give them a home and take advantage of vertical space.

Rather than pulling it out and putting it back each time you need to use it, hide the ironing board either in the wall or in a drawer. When it's time to get some ironing done, simply pull it down or out from its hiding place, saving you time and space in the long run.

Organize all of your ironing needs in one place in the laundry room. Store the iron, starch, and even a steamer together to make the chore as seamless as possible.

It's important to clean out the lint trap of your dryer after every use, and adding a trash can into a laundry room is always a good idea. Make the process even easier by attaching a magnetic bin to the dryer itself. 

No matter how organized you try to be, missing socks will inevitably be a part of your life. Pin the solo ones onto a board for a month or so until the mate pops up. If it doesn't, cut your losses and use it as a cleaning rag.

Being organized is all about saving time. Being able to access a laundry guide quickly and easily can prevent researching symbol meanings online. Consider hanging a sign with a cheat sheet of either laundry washing information or stain treatment solutions to get the job done fast.

Do you have clothes that need to be dry cleaned but not enough to warrant a trip yet? Rather than let them clutter up your space, place them in a bag and hang it until it gets full. Once it is, take everything to the cleaners at once.

Whether you have cabinets or shelving, chances are that some levels are too high to reach. Those shelves may start to collect clutter or simply be wasted space. Keep a step stool in the laundry room to make it easy to reach everything. If space is an issue, look for one that folds up.

Perhaps your laundry room is on the larger side, but you don't necessarily need all that space to store laundry-related items. However, you lack a mudroom, office, or gift wrapping/crafting area in your home. Use the extra space to give way to what you really need instead.