The smaller the laundry room the more important it is to have a specific place to put everything. This makes it is easy to retrieve and put things away. It is also important to remove any unnecessary items so that you have room for the essentials . Say goodbye to wire hangers, mismatched socks that have been around forever, and any products you don’t use in this area.
Let’s start with the essentials.
The most important tool in your laundry room is the washing machine. Only slightly less important is the dryer. If your space is small, stack the washer and dryer.
Install a Drying Rack
A drying rack is a simple tool to dry items that don’t do well in the dryer or for all items if you don’t have a dryer. The drying rack can be installed on a wall , next to a wall, or folded and tucked between the washer and dryer. If there is room a simple hanging bar that folds down is very useful for hanging shirts right out of the dryer.
Have a Shelf
You need a shelf to store the basic laundry cleaning products – detergent and other laundry additives like bleach or fabric softener. For smaller items like the stain removal products, consider having bins that are labeled. It is easier to pull down a bin and take out what you need rather than have a lot of smaller containers on the shelf.
Use All Available Wall Space
You want to utilize all available wall space. If your washer and dryer are not stacked, consider installing an organizer rack over the washer. You can also do a between the studs storage on the side wall. If you have a door, use an over the door hanging bag to store some cleaning items. You can also use this bag to hold a lint roller, the mesh bag for delicate items, a place for mismatched socks, or a container to hold change or other items commonly found in pockets.
Where to Keep Laundry Room Products & Extras
When placing your cleaning needs in the laundry room consider how often you use them. You probably will use detergent each time you turn on your washer so it should be front and center. Keep the bleach on the end or at the back of the shelf. If you use detergent pods, they can be in a jar or bin instead of having the larger package on the shelf.
Use a small trash can for dryer lint. The laundry room is also a logical space to store an iron and ironing board.
Use Labels
Make sure that everything you have in the laundry room has a proper place and stick to it. If others use the laundry area have labels for where each item goes. That way everyone who uses the area can find what they need easily and return the item to its correct place.
While a well-organized laundry room may not make you love to do laundry, it will certainly streamline the process and make the chore less stressful. Use these 5 tips to turn your small laundry room into as efficient and well-organized space as possible. For more personalized guidance consider signing up for the Clear Space for You online clutter support group.
Jonda S. Beattie, professional organizer, owner of Time Space Organization, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize, is based in the Metro-Atlanta area. She uses her listening skills, problem solving skills, knowledge of different learning techniques, ADHD specialty, and paper management skills to help clients tackle the toughest organizational issues. Follow Jonda on Facebook for more fabulous organizing tips.