HGTV's Jenn Todryk Shows Us The Perfect Way To Combat A Cramped Laundry Room
Laundry rooms aren't spaces to relax and unwind; they're spaces for messy chores, washing, scrubbing, and storing cleaning products. While doing laundry probably doesn't make the top of your favorite chores list, a cramped laundry room makes the tedious task even worse. Working in small spaces with overflowing piles of clothes is hard enough, but throw in two large appliances, not enough counter space, and tight corners, and it's really a recipe for frustration. Thankfully, there are ways to improve the flow and function in this often-underlooked room that don't require moving walls or adding square footage. Jenn Todryk of HGTV's "No Reno Demo" is the pro at revamping homes without large-scale demolitions, and her insight on how to tackle a squeezed laundry space is ideal for demo-free maximizing of your space.
In Season 1, Episode 3 of "No Demo Reno," Todryk tackled a laundry room with no counter space, bulky appliances, and a door that opened inward toward appliances, making them difficult to access. Her solution to improve efficiency and create flow was a simple swap. "I'm going to swap the position of the cabinet and the appliances, giving [the homeowner] more room to open doors and fold clothes," Todryk said (via Max). Todryk repositioned the washer and dryer farther away from the doors and increased counter space for laundry hampers, folding, and organizing. Below, we discuss how her hack created space and other ways to make the most of a small laundry room.
Jenn Todryk's space-saving swap
Jenn Todryk's space-saving laundry room solution was done in a few simple steps. On the HGTV series, she swapped the position of the lower cabinets and appliances. The bulkier washer and dryer were moved to the far side of the laundry room, away from the entrance. Where the appliances once stood, she placed lower cabinets. Where a sink once sat next to the washer, she removed the sink and opted for a lengthier counter space. This created less visual clutter and improved the laundry room feng shui. Finally, Todryk removed the door that awkwardly opened toward the cramped room and replaced it with a door that swung outward.
The designer also used this strategy in Season 2, Episode 7 of "No Demo Reno" to combat another small space. Again, removing a door that opened inward toward the appliances, she prioritized countertop space and lower cabinet storage and placed the washer and dryer at the back of the room. "I want the washer and the dryer on top of each other, smashed over to the side," she said to the contractor (via Max). "I want cabinets up top all the way to the ceiling, and we're gonna free up all this space for countertop." The result was more space upon entering the laundry room, better flow, lower cabinet drawer storage, and improved counter space for tasks. Todryk's talent for transforming cluttered laundry rooms doesn't stop there. Next, we explore a few more of the designer's ways to create a functional laundry room.
More Todryk laundry room tricks
If the shape of your laundry room or your budget won't let you move doors, reposition appliances toward the back of the room, or extend your countertops, there are more of Jenn Todryk's tips you can use to make your laundry room spacious. In Todryk's own laundry room, the HGTV designer's sink is adjacent to her washer and dryer. Instead of prioritizing counter space, she has a bench with cubby storage for children's items. Her solution to the lack of counter space is simple — she folds laundry on her kitchen island so she can watch television while keeping linens out of reach of her children. Todryk shared on Instagram that although hard to see, "that little tv makes the folding so much better."
Todryk's folding and organizing routine is a reminder that laundry chores don't all need to take place within the laundry room. She also created space by replacing side-by-side washers and dryers with stackable units, installing foldable wall-mounted drying racks, and adding upper cabinets that extend toward the ceiling. She used these tricks to create space in a tight laundry room in Season 2, Episode 7 of "No Demo Reno."
Finally, it's important to remember that utility is important but so is design. Todryk's renovations elevate both storage and decor in a laundry room, never neglecting the design element of this space. Fun floor tiles, colorful cabinets, wallpaper, brass cabinet pulls, and decorative elements like plants are all Todryk-approved ways to turn a chore room into a designed space you'll love walking into.