8 Must-Do Projects for an Organized Laundry Room
Laundry. Ugh. It just never stops, does it? We might not all be ready to fully transform our laundry room into a beautifully organized oasis, but we’ve rounded up a few projects that anyone can do to keep their laundry room organized and beautiful, and maybe even ease a little bit of the dread that goes along with the never-ending chore.
Hang laundry sorters
“The sorter we DIYed has been a game changer,” Kim Vargo of Yellow Brick Home writes. “If something is tossed into the hamper, it goes directly into the corresponding bag, making laundry itself much less of a chore!” She says one bag contains colors, one bag contains whites, and the other is for reusable mops and microfiber cloths. Having the bags hang on the wall saves precious floor space and keeps them within easy access, too.
DIY a wall-mounted ironing station
When Hannah Schlachter of Handmade Weekly made this DIY ironing station, she doubled the available storage space in her tiny laundry room. “Before I organized my laundry room, the ironing board was stored on the floor next to my dryer,” she says. “By building a wall hanger I was able to make room for a DIY rolling storage cart in between my washer and dryer.”
Create extra storage with open shelves
These easy DIY shelves by Kierste Wade of Old Salt Farm serve her family’s needs while keeping the design aspect in line with the rest of her beautiful home. She uses the shelving as storage space for detergent, soap, fabric softener and towels. Open shelving also allows her to have a better sense of when she’s running low on those items.
“I keep all of it in glass jars so it’s also aesthetically pleasing, keeps everything organized, and adds to the overall look of the space,” she says. “Plus, it keeps everything high out of reach from my little ones!”
Make a slide-out pegboard
Is your laundry room just for laundry or do other things end up creeping in there, as well? Might as well embrace it and make an organized space for them, as well. Kristen Jackson of Hunted Interior did just that when she installed this sliding pegboard in her laundry nook. It has a spot for all of her tools and gift wrap. When it slides out, you can see everything clearly, but she also has the ability to tuck it away, since those aren’t everyday items.
Take advantage of vertical space
If you’re crunched for space, like Jackson was, don’t forget to use all the space up to the ceiling. When Jackson redid her pegboard laundry nook, she DIY-ed a tiny hang-to-dry rack, and was able to keep her existing shelf for sorting, with a space for laundry products on top. She also DIY-ed those beautiful cane doors, so that she can shut away that chore anytime she wants.
Build a space-saving counter for folding
Why not use the space your washer and dryer are already taking up for a folding table? This DIY waterfall counter makes folding laundry actually look like something we might look forward to. In fact, Mandi of Vintage Revivals says it’s making her “laundry couch” quite lonely. You know, the couch that you throw all of your clean laundry on until you get around to folding it? You might actually get to sit on it once that there’s a designated folding spot in your actual laundry room.
Make a mini ledge to keep the small stuff handy
Love the look of a waterfall counter but have a top-loading washer? Sherry Petersik of Young House Love DIY-ed a mini waterfall shelf for their laundry room makeover. It’s perfect for keeping the little things organized.
“We thought things on the shelf should largely have simple functions to make life easier, so there’s a basket for lost socks… and a dish for change and other random stuff we find in pockets before things go into the wash,” she writes. “We also like the idea of keeping our everyday detergent out on the shelf so it’s easy to grab.”
Repurpose a ladder to make an ultimate drying rack
I mean, come on. Repurposing an old ladder for something you can actually use everyday and it looks adorable? Sign us up.
“I love when style and function meet, and this ladder is a prime example of that,” says Brittany Hislop of Vintage Society Co. She says she knew having a designated space to hang their laundry was important, so she had her builder install extra bracing in the ceiling. “This ladder can hold the largest loads of laundry and even one of our kiddos swinging from it, too.” (She keeps that last part a secret from the kids!)
Here’s to hoping you (or someone you love) is able to stay on top of your laundry this year—but, at the very least, you can make sure your space will be organized and energized with purpose.