How to

Remodel and Organize Your Laundry Room

The laundry room might be one of those spaces in the house that you don’t really notice, but it is certainly one of those catch-all rooms that is prone to collecting clutter. Fortunately, a simple redecoration and reorganization plan will transform the room and make it a fresh space you'll love spending time in. Additionally, keeping all of your laundry supplies organized can help you get the job done faster.

Invest in Front-Loading Appliances

Front-loading washers and dryers might be more expensive, but they are worth it if you're short on space. They clean better, are easier on your clothes, and are more energy efficient. Additionally, front-loading washing machines use less and wring out more water to reduce energy consumption when you dry clothes. Another big advantage is that front-loading appliances are stackable, so they free up some floor space and create more room to work in your laundry room.

Use Wall Space

Don’t neglect wall space when it comes to storing laundry essentials. Add shelves and wall organizers to keep detergent, dryer sheets, stain remover and other supplies within reach. Add hooks to the wall to hang up garments to dry or keep hats, scarves and other accessories organized. Decorate the room with wall art or pictures to make the space more vibrant and energizing.

Make a Place to Hang and Fold Clothes

There’s a good chance that once the laundry comes out of the dryer, it might go straight into a laundry basket that you carry to your bedroom, kitchen or living room to sort and fold. There’s also a good chance that it might not get folded at all if it is a busy day. If you have front-loading appliances, build a countertop or workspace on top so you can immediately start folding clothes without having to transport them. Add a rack or hooks to the wall for line-drying your clothes so you don’t have wet items hanging up in the bathroom or over closet doors. As an added bonus, folding your clothes right after they come out of the dryer cuts down on wrinkles, which smooth out when you fold while the clothes are still warm. A countertop also creates a staging and storage area for all of your laundry supplies.

Stay Organized with Baskets

Use baskets to organize your laundry room and brighten up its appearance. You can place decorative baskets on the countertop to hold small items or tuck them away in the cabinets to keep items together. It’s important to make sure that you have enough storage and that everything has a place. If not, you might end up with some clutter on top of your appliances or counter. While it may be convenient to have everything on top of the counter, it can make the room look a bit messy.

Separate Laundry Before Laundry Day

Organizing clothes is one of the biggest tasks on laundry day. It can take time to sort lights, darks and whites into separate loads and then treat them for stains. Instead, opt for three separate laundry hampers, each labeled with the types of clothes that go in the basket. Once the hamper is full, it’s time to wash. Consider installing a hanging rack for delicate or stain-treated clothes in the room. Additionally, have separate laundry baskets for each member of the family. Once the clothes are clean, each person can be responsible for putting his or her own clothes away. This way, even if one person is responsible for washing clothes, everyone has a hand in the process. It helps decrease the workload and keeps everything organized.

Make a Space for Your Pets

If your pet’s belongings are slowly taking over your home, then creating a dedicated space in the laundry room is a smart solution. This not only helps to reduce clutter in other areas of the home, but it also facilitates odor control, particularly if you have a cat. Place your pet’s bed, crate and a basket full of toys in the room out of the flow of traffic. Hang hooks on the wall to store pet leashes, harness, jackets and other accessories. Consider storing treats, toys or bags of food and other pet supplies on a handy wall organizer, too.