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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.