How To Organize A Small Laundry Room

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Getting StartedOrganization GuideOrganizing TipsOrganization Checklist

Keeping your small laundry organized can be tricky, as clothes are one of the easiest things that we let pile up in our lives. Especially if you don’t have a ton of space to work with, keeping your laundry room neat and tidy will take some intentionality and expert strategy, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be done.

Hi, I’m Ryan

I’m not a big fan of doing laundry. I try to keep my laundry room in my own tiny house as organized as possible so I don’t waste any extra time on daily chores. Keeping it organized lets me get in and out, then move on with my day.

Simple Steps To Start Organizing Your Small Laundry Room

Laundry rooms are often one of the smallest rooms in a home, if you even have a dedicated space at all. When you don’t have a ton of square footage in a house to begin with, this can be a real hassle.

Especially due to the fact that laundry rooms are used for one of the most essential weekly (or even daily) needs. You don’t want your disorganized laundry room to slow down the flow of your daily routine!

Step One: Plan Your Laundry Room Organization While Designing

When planning the design and layout of your small laundry room, don’t forget to think ahead about the way you want to organize. You’ll want to create a setup that allows you to move through laundry day as seamlessly as possible, and that takes intentional planning.

Ask yourself what items you’ll need easy access to, like detergents, dryer sheets, or hangers. Take a look around your small laundry room or nook and assess what areas have the most space and how you can best use every inch of the room.

Maybe you want to create a folding and hanging station along your most spacious wall. Or you might want to store your laundry bins or baskets in one of the corners of your laundry room. Do you need room for an ironing board? Analyze what your personal needs are.

“Utilize gaps. In my laundry room, there is a narrow four-inch gap between where the washer stops and the wall begins. I wall mounted our handheld vacuum cleaner in that nook.”

– Erin Mursch, Organized For Good

Step Two: Design Your Small Laundry Room, Simplify Your Routine

The dream here is to create a laundry room that makes laundry day hassle free! The way you design your small laundry room is truly going to depend on the amount of space your have and what laundry day looks like for you.

Ask Yourself The Following Questions

• What items do I need to access most often?
• What are the steps of my laundry routine?
• How can I design my space to aid these steps?
• How can I best use each corner of my laundry room?
• Are my hangers in an accessible place?
• Is my detergent in an accessible place?
• How can I make use of vertical space?
• How can I make the most of wall space?
• How much storage space do I need for essentials?
• Where will I hang my clothes to dry?
• Where will I fold my clothes?
• Do I have a place for my laundry baskets?
• Do I need storage for cleaning products?
• What other non-laundry items need stored?

Consider the best ways to lay out your space depending on the amount of room you have, the shape of your small laundry room or laundry nook, and the flow you tend to follow when you do laundry. Think about each step in your routine and which steps will need the most space, then use a small laundry room layout that works with your washday groove.

Step Three: Declutter The Laundry Supplies You Don’t Use

Step Four: Categorize Items By Their Purpose On Laundry Day

I’ve found that sorting your items by the specific purpose they serve in your routine is one of the most effective ways to organize a space. Especially in a laundry room where you’re trying to get through your chores as quickly as possible.

In your laundry room, this might look like keeping dryer balls, dryer sheets, and detergents on the lowest, most reachable shelf in your cabinet. You may want ironing boards or hampers in the back and out of the way. It might be helpful to store cleaning supplies in its own corner. There are many ways to spin your small laundry room organization.

Step Five: Create Stations In Your Small Laundry Room

I’m a big fan of efficiency and working smarter, not harder. Creating laundry room stations has been my favorite way to keep my laundry room functional and organized in a way that works for me. The stations you choose to create will depend on the way you do your laundry — how you like to hang it, dry it, and fold it.

However, here are some basic stations that I like and have found work well when you don’t have a ton of room in your laundry room.

Choose One Area Where Your Dirty Clothes Live

Design A Space To Sort Lights, Darks, And Linens

Keep Your Laundry Supplies Accessible

“Find the specific products you like and stick to those! Don’t stockpile a million different scents of detergent just to try.”

– Erin Mursch, Organized For Good

Create A Folding Station

Developing a folding station is crucial to making laundry day go speedy quick. The last thing you want is for your fresh laundry to get all mixed in with your dirty clothes and wrinkled. To create a folding station. Invest in a long table that can sit against the most spacious wall in your small laundry room.

A long, narrow table is the best way to go when creating a folding station because it won’t take up too much room, but can easily be used assembly line-style to fold and sort your laundry and put it where it needs to go.

I even know some people who use a narrow table that folds up into the wall for their folding station. This is ideal because it’s out of the way when your folding station isn’t in use.

Designate A Space To Hang Clothes To Dry

Organization Guide For Each Room Of Your Home

Start Here

Kitchen

Pantry

Closet

Living Room

Office

Bedroom

You’re Here

Bathroom

Garage

Tips And Tricks For Organizing A Small Laundry Room

When trying to organize your small laundry room, it’s important to think about the little things you can do to be creative with the space you do have. Maximizing your minimal space is key to making laundry day simple and breezy.

“Make use of vertical space! We have two shelves above our washer and dryer that we use for detergents, delicates bags, my stain remover brush, and whatever else we might need.”

– Erin Mursch, Organized For Good

1Use Closet Or Under Cabinet Space As Laundry Room

If you live in a tiny house like me, or even a small studio apartment, your place might not include a laundry room of its own. If this is the case, you may have to get extra creative with where your washer and dryer live.

Maybe your apartment has an extra linen closet you can turn into a laundry nook. You could try looking under cabinets as well, maybe in your kitchen space or in your garage. You don’t have to have a built-in laundry room to make savvy use of your space.

2Add In Shelving Or Rods Above Your Washer And Dryer

Taking advantage of vertical space and extra wall space is the way to go when trying to organize any small space. In most laundry room setups, you’ll have some wall space situated naturally between your washer and dryer and the bottom side of your cabinets, or even your ceiling.

Consider adding in some extra shelving along this wall. You can use the shelving to house detergents and sprays, extra clothespins, hangers, and any kid of laundry supplies you could need.

Another route you could try is using a towel rod or another kind of metal rod to hang from your wall. This is great for drying clothes and towels without even having to leave the room.

3Use Wall Clips To Dry Socks Or Delicates

4Go Vertical With Your Washer And Dryer

If you don’t have a laundry room with a lot of horizontal room, stack them! However, before you decide to stack your washer and dryer, it is crucial that you check and make sure the type of washer and dryer that you own are able to be stacked.

Basically, any two washer and dryer models with frontloading doors are stackable, but it’s still important to check and ensure that you have the necessary hardware. Most people recommend that you stack washer and dryers of the same brand, but this isn’t a requirement to go vertical with your appliances.

5Invest In A Magnetic Lint Bin

Using a lint bin is a wise way to keep piles of lint from getting all over your small laundry room. A magnetic, metal lint bin is an awesome way to go because you can simply throw all your lint inside of it and dispose of it whenever you are ready.

6Labels Are Your Best Friend

Labels are a lifesaver in any room that needs organization help, but especially in rooms like laundry rooms where there is a specific chore you need to get done. Wasting time looking for your detergent or dryer balls can add too much time to your washday. Use label stickers or a label maker to identify items in cabinets and drawers.

7Create A Stain Chart

8Use Refillable Detergent Dispensers

Not only do refillable detergent dispensers look aesthetically pleasing, but they also help you keep your space organized and tidy. Additionally, using refillable jars is helpful for the environment and can save you time rummaging around looking for your plastic bottles.

9Create A Bin For Lost Things

10Try A Laundry Cart When All Else Fails

If you really can’t find anywhere to house a laundry nook and your small apartment doesn’t have a laundry room of its own, try a laundry cart! I have several friends who use a laundry cart to do all of their folding and sorting.

Then, they keep their washer and dryer tucked away under a cabinet or in a garage. This might not be the ideal setup for efficiencies sake, but it definitely gets the job done if you’re tight on space.

Minimalists Checklist When Organizing A Small Laundry Room

Laundry rooms can be tricky to organize effectively, as they often get overlooked. Your laundry room may be nothing more than a small nook or cart, but making the most of the space you do have will help you to work smarter and not harder come laundry day.

Your Turn!

• What tips will you use to organize your small laundry room?
• How will you design your laundry room to work with you?