Laundry Room Inspiration & Ideas

You can be more efficient and spend less time doing laundry if you take a few steps to make the laundry room a practical place to work. Here are a few tips that can go a long ways toward improving the space:

1. Choose a smart layout: Don't position washers, dryers, ironing boards, etc. behind doors or in awkward corners. If you purchase front-loading washers and dryers, consider pedestals to raise them up and make access easier.

2. Add adequate lighting: Since laundry rooms are often located in basements or rooms without windows, they can feel dark and dingy. Add plenty of overhead and task lighting so you can see what you're doing and don't feel like you're working in a troll cave!

3. Include plenty of storage: If you can afford it, built-in cabinets and shelves are smart (and can even add to a home's value), but there are plenty of inexpensive free-standing or between-the-washer-dryer caddies, cabinets, and bins too.

4. Choose easy-to-maintain floors: Don't put something like carpeting in the laundry room--ceramic tiles, laminate flooring, vinyl, and other "hard surfaces" are practical to keep clean and won't be damaged if a bit of water splashes on them now and then.

5. Install a real laundry sink: Washing delicates in a bathroom sink is a pain. A deep, dedicated laundry sink is a smart choice if you have to wash a lot of garments by hand, and it can also be useful for rinsing off sandy shoes and the like.

6. Decorate the walls: So many laundry rooms are drab, utilitarian places. Don't be afraid to continue your home's décor into this space. You'll enjoy working in there more if it feels as warm and inviting as the rest of your home.

7. Consider a fold-out or hide-away ironing board: Having an ironing board set up all the time takes up a lot of space. There are a lot of models that are meant to hide behind the door or fold up on the wall when not in use.

8. Add a TV or a radio: Make laundry less tedious by giving yourself something else to pay attention to while you fold and iron--a little entertainment can go a long ways toward making laundry chores less oppressive!

9. Paint the walls: As with decorating, a cheerful paint job can work wonders at making the laundry room a brighter and more appealing place to work.

10. Create a sorting and folding area: A table and/or laundry sorting bins give you a place to work (aside from on top of the washer and dryer). You can find foldable versions of these items so they only need be on the floor when you're using them.

Laundry rooms are often small, and if that's the case with yours, you may not have much floor space to work with. That's okay, because chances are you've got walls!

Place some cabinets on the wall to instantly increase storage space without cluttering up the floor. (You can choose floor cabinets, too, if you don't want to deal with mounting items to the wall and don't mind freestanding pieces.)

You can buy brand new laundry room cabinets, or you can also save money by purchasing recycled or reclaimed pieces. If you're remodeling your kitchen, you might even reuse the cabinets you take out and replace. Let's face it: laundry rooms aren't places guests usually hang out, so they don't need to be all that fancy. Practicality is more important!

If you don't want to add cabinets (or already have and still need more room!) there are inexpensive storage solutions that can be handy without taking up a lot of space.

Places to add storage can be above the washer and dryer, under and on top of the washer and dryer (if you have front-loading units, they can even go under a counter), and between the washer and dryer.

Shelves, bins, and drawers can all be easy-to-add items that can make a big difference without costing a lot.

Click on the links below for some popular laundry room storage and organization gadgets:

Not only is the laundry room itself important, but you should consider practical ways to transport clothes to and from the washer and dryer. Often, washing machines aren't located on the same floor as the bedrooms and bathrooms, so it can be a chore toting clothes. Easy-to-carry laundry baskets are practical and can look good too.

Also, if you don't want your laundry basket sitting out on the floor in your bedroom, it can be smart to get something sized just right for a closet.

If you're into closet organization, you can get systems that include a slide-out or pull-out laundry basket. Some of these are portable (meaning you can take the whole basket out and carry it to the laundry room) while others are meant to stay in the closet (so you'll still need another basket for transportation purposes).

You may also want to consider foldable baskets or hampers if your goal is to save space. In addition, a basket with multiple bins to allow you to sort clothes can be helpful.

Check below to see some of the laundry basket options available online: