Laundry was definitely a fraught issue in our cabin up until recently. We had a small electrical fire in the dryer about two months ago and then we discovered that our washing machine needed to be retired (refer to this really gross discovery). So now that we’ve replaced our machines (not pictured! I haven’t had a chance to take photos of them yet), we’re finally getting through a backlog of dirty clothes and bedding. Given that our laundry area is actually a closet, I’ve had to get really creative with organization in our small laundry room, so today I wanted to share a few in depth tips in case you’re in the same boat!
How to Stay Organized in a Small Laundry Room
Get creative with storage pieces
I love a good bin and basket as much as the next person, but sometimes you have to work with what you’ve got on hand. Especially if you live in the boonies like us! Plus, depending on what you’ve got on hand, the unexpected storage solution could be even better than a bin or a basket. For example, we used to store produce in this wire bowl. But I needed something to hold our dryer balls… and it had no fruit in it! So I grabbed it off the counter and piled ‘em high. I love this storage solution in particular because it lets the dryer balls air out while also being easy accessible.
Good lighting is a must
The lighting in our laundry closet was practically non-existent which made it even harder to stay organized and do laundry. Because the space is so small, we opted for a single pendant light overhead. It does a great job of illuminating the entire area. And I’ll let you in on a secret: it’s a plug-in pendant! We ran the cord along the ceiling corner where it meets the wall so you can’t see it as much.
If you’re limited in lighting options, battery powered touch lights are a total game changer — and so many people are putting those inside of hardwired sconces which is so brilliant.
Designate zones for different items
Essentially, I recommend organizing like items with like. That way you have a zone for where an item goes when it’s time to be put away. Sean is the worst about putting things back in the same place, but this definitely helps!
Here’s how ours is set up: to the right side of our bottom shelf is the clothes washing zone where I store detergent (in the glass dispenser), dryer balls, bleach, etc. To the left is where I keep our cleaning supplies. I keep bulk items and duplicates in the grey bins above so that I don’t have to see tons and tons of bottles and labels.
Remove visual noise
Speaking of labels… I am one of those people who hates to see stickers, packaging, and labels on products! For our cleaning supplies, I circumvent this by keeping the essentials in a caddy. But I also like to decant as many things as possible into chic containers. The dispenser works great for our detergent because I can keep an eye on how much we have used and if I need to refill it.
Actually decorate the laundry room or laundry closet
Trust me, given how many renovations we still have left to do in the cabin, the last thing I want to do is overhaul the laundry closet. But when we were painting the dining room, I decided to throw in the laundry closet as well. It was a pain to move the appliances, but also a great opportunity to clean them thoroughly… and the areas around them!
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Now that our laundry closet is green, it feels even just a little bit more stylish and less like an afterthought. Isn’t it amazing what a couple coats of paint can do?? Do you have any tips and tricks for small laundry room organization? I’d love to hear them!
