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4 Storage Solutions for a Small Laundry Room

Storage Solutions for a Small Laundry Room

The smaller your laundry room is, the more creative you get to be when it comes to storage. Making small spaces beautifully efficient is one of our favorite things to do here at Pottery Barn. We’re happy to share ways to turn even the tiniest laundry area into one you won’t mind spending time in sorting and folding. Learning to maximize space just takes a little thinking outside the laundry basket. These laundry room storage ideas for small rooms will make your housework feel a whole lot easier.

 

That Space Between the Washer and Dryer

 

Many people overlook this little nook when they need laundry room storage. Lots of side-by-side sets have a few inches of space between the appliances. It typically turns into a black hole for missing socks. Plug up that space with a roll-out basket or storage rack to hold detergents and other necessities.  Make a DIY pull out cart from plywood and casters. Or, find a utility rolling cart that fits the narrow space. Wiggle the appliances a bit apart if you need more space to fit a cart. If there’s no space between appliances, look to the sides for empty space to fit a narrow cart.

 

That Gap Behind the Washer and Dryer

 

Hoses, pipes, wires and other parts of appliances and plumbing can keep your washer and dryer from sitting right up against the back wall. This leaves a gap that becomes another sock-hiding zone in your laundry room. One of the best storage solutions for small laundry rooms is to put that gap to work. Do you have an unused console table gathering dust in your basement? Put it behind the washer and dryer for instant storage. No table? Add shelving to bridge the gap. If you have front-loading appliances, you have even more room for a much wider shelf that covers the tops of the washer and dryer and the gap behind them. 

 

Those Walls Around the Washer and Dryer

 

Wall space is a compact laundry room’s best friend. It doesn’t matter if your laundry room is located in a closet. There’s still wall space to utilize! The possibilities are endless when it comes to wall storage, so plan well. Go beyond hanging hooks to hanging lightweight hampers, expandable or fold-out drying racks, wire cubbies and shelves with hooks underneath. Take those corners seriously with corner shelves to store laundry essentials or hold a coin jar to catch all the forgotten change that you find. Mount a couple of decorative oversize clothespins on the wall to hold socks without mates. There are plenty of organizational tools and ideas that you can borrow from other areas of the house.

Now that you’re looking at your laundry room with a fresh perspective, you may find even more wall space than you thought possible. Put it to good use by creating a folding station. Use a credenza or bureau that you can relocate from another room. When you choose the right storage for your space, it doesn’t always mean customizing the space. You just have to reimagine what you already have that can take on a new life in the space.

If you’re ambitious about maximizing the wall space in your laundry room, add peg board or slatwall panels. This way, you can hang even more storage bins and shelves that hook snugly into the wall. 

 

That Space Under the Washer and Dryer

 

The space under front-loading washers and dryers  is perfect for storage. Though appliance pedestals with drawers are available, there are other ways to lift your appliances to take advantage of that space. Place your appliances on sturdy upper kitchen cabinets. You’ll have a different type of storage space than what a drawer offers. The average height of washer/dryer pedestals is about 15" or so, but don’t feel married to that height. Even taller cabinets work to give you more storage for full-size bottles of detergent and a more comfortable, ergonomic lift as you’re loading and unloading clothing. Or, find an oversize and indestructible coffee table to place appliances on. Add large baskets underneath the table for added organization and sorting.

 

The Ceiling Above the Washer and Dryer

 

That forgotten fifth wall, the ceiling, is ideal for hanging drying racks. If you have a plumbing pipes that are just the right configuration, paint them a fun color and use them as drying racks. A ceiling free and clear of pipes is ideal for hooks to hold a drying rack plus a hanging sweater dryer. Use up every square inch of wall and ceiling space above the washer and dryer. Turn to wall-mounted stock kitchen cabinets that go up to the ceiling. Space two apart with enough room to add a pole to use as a drying rack. 

Welcome to your new and improved laundry room where a tiny space has never looked so organized!