Between unwanted stains and routine cleanings, we spend quite a bit of time in laundry rooms. The average person spends 260 minutes on laundry a week and while this may be shocking, it goes to show the integral part this room plays in daily routines.
Due to the concealed nature of the laundry room, this space is easily neglected making tidiness the first to go. Through multiple loads of laundry, clunky equipment, cleaning supplies and various piles of clothes, it’s easy to feel buried and unsure of how to start fresh (literally). We’ve rounded up our list of fool-proof laundry room organization tips that are sure to return your laundry room to a place of peace and functionality.
Decluttering chaos
The first step in any organizing journey is decluttering, and this is especially true when it comes to laundry room organization. Marie Kondo said it best when she stated, “Keep only things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard all the rest.”
This is applicable to even purely functional rooms, like the laundry room. Detergent, dryer sheets, fabric softener and even loose socks collect over time. Going through pre-existing items in your laundry room helps you eliminate unwanted items anyway, so why not start your decluttering here?
Own your organization
Now that you’ve decluttered, you can successfully organize and optimize your laundry room. When organizing small spaces like these, it’s helpful to remove everything from the room to then place it back in every new way you choose.
Use vertical space
Some laundry rooms come with pre-installed shelves that can be utilized for storing laundry-related items. If you don’t have pre-installed shelves, consider damage-free shelf solutions to really make the most of your vertical space.
Invest in sorting bins
Sorting bins are key to keeping things in place. Investing in sorting bins gives you the opportunity to create a home for all your various laundry items, even the miscellaneous ones. For example, random ingredients to DIY stain remover may not have a set home, leading to a disorganized feel. The best categories to start with are detergent, softener, stain remover, bleach — and one miscellaneous laundry item group. It’s recommended to label these containers and bins for even more assistance in keeping things organized.
Take it one step further and invest in clean and dirty bins, if space allows. Two-tiered hampers are small-space-friendly and are great for keeping laundry off the floors and from sitting in the dryer until it’s ready to fold.
Add trays or carts for sorting
For those who may not have a ton of vertical wall space to use, trays and carts are useful options. Utility carts, while small in size, are just large enough to hold all your laundry-related items in an organized fashion. If you’re feeling creative and want to enhance your decor, choose a cart in a fun color or paint over one to match your desired clean aesthetic.
Get creative with over-the-door storage
Door organizers that go over the door can be a lifesaver for those with small spaces and a lot of products. This essentially creates shelf spaces that are off the ground and out of the way of your laundry routine.
Find a foldable drying rack
We’ve all had to deal with the debate over where to place clothing items that aren’t being placed in the dryer. This can eventually create a build-up of clean clothes hanging over random doors and corners in the laundry room and around the apartment. Foldable drying racks create a home for these gentle pieces that would otherwise float around during their air-drying time.
Hold yourself accountable and make sure once the clothing items on the rack are dry, that they’re put away so the drying rack is ready to be used for the next batch. Otherwise, the rack could end up being a piled-up mess, which is exactly what we’re trying to avoid in the first place.
If your apartment allows moderate changes to the rental space, think about mounting drying racks to the wall to further add to the functionality and promote better laundry room organization.
Your organizational dreams are just a load away
Conquering the chaos in your laundry room is not only about creating an organized space but also about regaining a sense of control and peace in your daily life. By following the laundry room organization tips we’ve shortlisted here, you can transform your laundry room from a cluttered nightmare into an efficient haven.
Still in the market for that perfect place? Start and end your search with our list of apartments for rent.
Source: apartmentguide.com