Staring at a cluttered—or empty—laundry room can feel overwhelming. It’s difficult to know how to make the best use of the space staring back at you. But simple laundry room organization can make all the difference in the world, especially in small spaces!
Growing up, I was used to the perks of a well-designed laundry room. My dad was a home builder, and he knew how to design a great laundry room— space to hang wet clothes, plenty of shelving, upper cabinets for storage, a laundry sink with storage underneath, good lighting—the works!
I didn’t realize how good I’d had it.
Fast forward to apartment life, and the laundry closet my husband and I are working with isn’t quite so glamorous.
Now, don’t get me wrong—I’m very thankful to have a washing machine and dryer inside our apartment! But when you’re already short on space, a small laundry room with limited storage presents a challenge.
Laundry Room Organization on a Budget
Our laundry closet was the very first organization project we tackled as newlyweds two and a half years ago! The space just wasn’t very functional, so it seemed like a good place to start.
When we first arrived at our apartment, the only thing in our laundry closet—apart from the washer and dryer—was a lone shelf spanning the room. From what I’ve seen, that’s pretty standard in apartments.
Here’s what we added to make it more usable…
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1. Small Storage Basket
We purchased this small storage basket to hold our wool dryer balls. We found it at Dollar Tree, so it only cost us—yup, you guessed it—one dollar!
You can purchase all shapes and sizes of storage baskets and bins from Dollar Tree, and they’re great for organizing small spaces.
2. IKEA EKBY Shelf
The IKEA EKBY shelf has been a life-saver! It’s very sturdy and can support over 20 pounds. I love its cheery, clean look.
The shelf only costs $14.99, which is a great deal. It doubled our laundry closet’s functionality!
If you’re doing some laundry room organization on a budget, you should definitely check out IKEA for shelves and storage solutions.
3. Laundry Sorting Bins
Throughout the week, we toss our dirty clothes into the three sorting bins on the top shelf. Our laundry closet is located in the hallway between our bedroom and the nursery, so sorting this way is very convenient.
The sorting bins pictured are from Target. I wasn’t able to find those exact bins because we purchased them a couple of years ago, but these look very similar
NOTE: I recently shared my very simple laundry routine, in case you’re looking for a way to make doing laundry less overwhelming!
4. Command Hooks
Command Hooks
We’re using 4 Command Hooks in our laundry closet, and they’ve all worked perfectly since we first installed them.
Laundry Room Organization in 3 Steps
Working in a clean, organized space is so much more motivating to me than working amid chaos! There’s a sense of satisfaction whenever I walk by a room that’s put together and in order.
Here are the 3 steps I use whenever I’m looking to take a space from crazy to calm.
1. Declutter
Before you do anything else, remove everything from your laundry room. Yes, everything! If you have a larger space, you can do this one section at a time to reduce the overwhelm.
Removing all of the items from your shelves, cabinets, and drawers helps you to better evaluate whether or not you actually need (or want) said items.
Simply looking at them does not have the same effect as handling them. I always end up getting rid of so much more clutter this way!
Here are a few questions to help if you get stuck:
- Do I use this on a regular basis?
- If not, when was the last time I used it?
- Does another item I own serve a similar purpose?
- Do I feel guilty about getting rid of ____ because I spent money on it?
- Is it in good, working condition?
Decluttering takes less time than you might think! Set a timer for 20 minutes and get to work. If you feel like finishing after the timer beeps, then great! If not, come back later and set another 20 minute timer.
Only keep what you really need (or want) and will actually use! Give away unneeded items to charity or to friends and family, and throw away the junk.
2. Clean and Organize
Once you’re finished decluttering, give your laundry room a good cleaning, and make it shine!
Next, it’s time to determine what actually belongs in your laundry room.
If items that don’t belong in your laundry room have collected there over time, return them to where they belong or find them new homes!
As much as possible, only keep laundry supplies in the laundry room.
Once you’re left with your laundry room essentials, group them together by type. This will help you to determine the best storage solutions.
3. Create a Plan
Now that you know which things will be staying in your laundry room, it’s time to create a plan!
First, think about the words you want to characterize your laundry room.
These are the words that I want my laundry room to reflect:
- Practical
- Simple
- Organized
- Clean
- Calming
Clutter and disorganization make me feel restless and stressed, so it’s important to me that my laundry area is characterized by these words.
Next, choose organization and storage solutions that will reflect the way you want your laundry room to make you feel.
- How can you organize your stuff using storage bins and containers?
- Would a laundry sorter help things run more smoothly?
- Are you short on shelf space?
- How can you utilize your wall space?
Get creative and see what kind of innovative solutions you can dream up! Create a plan and write down the supplies you’ll need to make it happen.
Dress it Up
Someday, I’d love to have a nice laundry area that also has more room for decor.
Don’t be afraid to add some pretty touches if you have extra space— they can really brighten up a room!
If adding decor into your laundry room would help motivate you to do your laundry, then make it part of your plan.
Keep it Up
Once you’ve completed your laundry room organization, it’s up to you to keep it looking nice and orderly. Always put items back in their proper places.
Every once in a while, it’s good to reevaluate the space to make sure everything is working for you. Remember, that’s the purpose of having a well-organized space! Your stuff works for you— not the other way around.
What laundry room organization methods are working best for you?
