The Best Small Laundry Room Ideas

Add Woven Laundry Baskets

a pair of woven laundry hampers — Ryan Liebe

Even if your laundry room is lacking in square footage, you can update it for style and function by using attractive storage options, like woven laundry baskets. Opt for iterations like these; their handles make them easy to transport in and out of the space.

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Consider a Laundry Cleaning Kit

laundry hamper cleaning kit — Chelsea Cavanaugh

If your shelving space is limited, make your laundry baskets more functional by adding a cleaning kit. Attach a miniature caddy to the basket and fill it with items like vinegar and rubbing alcohol, which will help you tend to stains in a pinch.

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Add Pops of Color With Canvas

Since your laundry room is likely tucked into your basement or another out-of-sight area of your home, you likely don't spend much time thinking of ways to beautify it. That's where these canvas laundry baskets come in: They are vibrant and collapsible, which means they combine style and function.

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Hang Up Cleaning Tools

If you need your laundry room to pull double duty as storage space for larger cleaning supplies, consider hanging up your bulkier tools, like brooms and dustpans. This will keep your floors free for other laundry-related essentials (like baskets).

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Keep Organization Clear

It's much easier to tend to your laundry when you have small storage vessels that clearly display your supplies. Use glass or plastic containers to store borax, baking soda, cotton balls, and cotton swabs on a rack in your laundry room.

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Brighten Things Up

You never want to spend more time than you have to in dark, cramped spaces, which is why it's important to remember that a coat of paint and some extra light can make a world of difference when it comes to your laundry room.

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Use Open Shelving and Storage Solutions

mcgee cheery blue laundry room — Courtesy of Studio McGee

With open shelving, you have more storage options—and these floating pieces also make your laundry space more fun. Include some soft structured baskets and serving trays to elevate the look.

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Add a Copper Pipe Towel Ladder

Get the Copper Pipe Towel Ladder How-To

copper pipe towel ladder in bathroom — Courtesy of Lennart Weibull

Whether you need a place to store towels, blankets, or other hanging fabrics, this DIY option will take your linens to the next level. Use copper piping to make this project really pop in your small laundry room.

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Implement Breezy Coastal Updates

southern california house laundry room — Lauren Pressey

Your laundry room doesn't have to be utilitarian. Dress it up and give it a theme all of its own, like this breezy coastal style. Lobster baskets and a cool minty color palette help make laundry less of a chore.

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Incorporate a Laundry Room Hideaway

mcgee laundry built ins — Courtesy of Studio McGee

If you are dealing with a truly tiny space, consider tucking it away. Use built-in cabinetry and doors to conceal your washer, dryer, and all other laundry-related essentials. Just make sure to keep everything you need close with nearby shelving.

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Add a Chair

Standing to fold laundry can be a pain, literally. Place a minimalist-style chair in your small laundry room and use it as a shelf, with a decorative basket full of clothes or laundry essentials, when not in use.

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Use Tools of the Trade

Keep a sewing or mending kit near your washer and dryer, so you can fix split seams and loose buttons as soon as you see them. Plus, you'll be more likely to use your mending kit if you know where it is!

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Try a DIY Storage Tray

rope caddy with bathroom essentials — Yunhee Kim

Pair this decorative tray with nautical themed hues and create a dreamy scene for your wash days. To make your own, drill two holes 4-1/2 inches apart on the ends of the tray. Cut a 13-inch length of rope for each handle. Feed it through the holes. To hold the rope in place, wrap the twine around each end three times, gluing it as you wrap. Use tape to secure the twine until it's dry. Remove the tape, and trim the excess rope with a craft knife

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Organize Shelves

Sometimes, it's not so much the mountain of laundry you dread, but how much work it takes to get it all done—especially if you have to track down everything you need (where is that stain stick again?). It doesn't have to be that way, though. Use sectioned off shelves to your advantage, allowing for every laundry essential to have its own nook.

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Make DIY Dryer Sheets

Skip the store-bought dryer sheets with this how-to, which will help you keep your family's chemical exposure (and grocery bill) lower. Pour 1 cup of vinegar and, if desired, eight to ten drops of your favorite essential oil over fabric squares, then seal and shake. Add three to four squares to each dryer load to give laundry a natural fabric-softening boost while keeping static at bay.

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Create a Pretty Plastic Bag Organizer

Get the Pretty Plastic Bag Organizer How-To

Don't let your laundry room become a messy dumping ground. Keep items like plastic grocery bags organized and together with this pretty plastic bag organizer.

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Make One Big Set

Add a large-scale shelving unit next to a stackable washer and dryer and create a station that's equipped to handle your family's heaviest loads. With open shelving, you can incorporate matching baskets and pretty packaging swaps to make it a place you'll enjoy spending time in.

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Add a Sink Skirt

Get the Sink Skirt How-To

kitchen sink with decorative diy sink skirt — Lennart Weibull

Don't let exposed shelving or pipes become an eyesore in your laundry room. Create your own sink skirt and make a space to tuck those items you want out of sight and out of mind.

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Put Up a Terry-Cloth Caddy

If you're especially tight on space, consider creating a DIY a terry-cloth caddy to get all the little bottles and soaps off your shelves. Hang it on the back of your laundry room door or above your washing machine so that everything inside of it is easily accessible.

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Consider a Peg Rack

DIY your way to a more organized laundry space with a peg rack. Use it to hang your laundry room storage items and get your mop and broom off the ground—or use it to hang your "too delicate for the dryer" items.

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