Having an organized and efficient laundry room can make a world of difference in how enjoyable your household chores are.
No one likes dealing with piles of unsorted laundry and cluttered cabinets.
By taking some time to thoughtfully stack and arrange your laundry room, you can transform it into a functional space you enjoy using.
A well-stacked laundry room not only looks great, it also saves you time doing laundry.
Who doesn’t want that?
With a bit of effort, you can take this utilitarian space from messy to magnificent!
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Install Shelving Above Appliances
The area above your washer and dryer is prime real estate for storage!
Install shelving here to take advantage of this often underutilized vertical space.
Open shelving works well for neatly folding and stacking laundry.
For a more polished look, install cabinetry with doors to conceal clutter.
When installing shelving, make sure to leave enough clearance above the appliances for ventilation – check your owner’s manual for the recommended amount.
Also ensure the shelving is securely mounted into studs to support the weight of laundry baskets, detergent and other laundry room essentials.
Sturdy materials like stone, solid wood or metal work best.
Getting items up and down from overhead shelving can be a hassle.
Consider installing pull-out shelves or slide-out bins on tracks to easily access items.
Lazy susans or spinning corner shelves are great for utilizing awkward corner space.
Rotating bins mean you don’t have to move things in front to access items in back.
Overhead shelving adds a ton of usable space to your laundry room.
Keep it organized by dedicating shelves to specific functions, like:
- Folding station for clean laundry
- Bins for sorting lights, darks and delicates
- Shelf for detergents and supplies
- Basket for dirty clothes
The vertical storage possibilities are endless!
Add customized hooks, racks and hangers to make the most of your new overhead shelving.
Use Wall Space for Drying Racks
Drying racks tend to take up precious floor space.
Make more room by mounting folding drying racks to the wall or hanging collapsible racks from the ceiling.
Hang them over your appliances or along an empty wall to take advantage of wasted space.
Wall-mounted drying racks free up floor space when not in use.
Choose a sturdy rack with a lightweight aluminum frame.
Make sure it folds flat against the wall when collapsed.
Install securely into studs, using cleats along the back of the rack if necessary.
For ceiling-mounted racks, look for a stainless steel collapsible design that folds down when needed.
Hang it high enough to clear your head and fold laundry over the lower bar.
Install screws into ceiling joists to hold the weight safely.
Get creative with mounting locations!
Hang racks behind doors or along the back of shelving units.
Install them on the inside of cabinet doors to pull down for extra drying space.
Any unused vertical real estate is fair game for drying laundry indoors.
Use Bins and Baskets for Hidden Storage
Open shelves look great, but laundry rooms tend to accumulate clutter.
Bins and baskets allow you to stack items neatly while keeping the mess hidden.
Use them to organize laundry essentials like:
- Rolling bins for sorting lights, darks and delicates.
Label the front for easy identification.
- Rectangular floor bins for folding and stacking folded laundry.
- Smaller square bins for socks, delicates and accessories.
- Hanging wire baskets for drying hand-washables and lingerie.
- Vented laundry hampers for dirty clothes.
For a cohesive look, choose baskets in coordinating colors and materials like canvas, wood or metal.
Integrate bins into your shelf layout for seamless storage.
Aim for a range of sizes – some big buckets to stash bulkier items and smaller bins for organizing.
Baskets allow you to stack laundry room supplies while maintaining a clean, decluttered look.
They keep items hidden but easily accessible.
Label and organize bins so everyone knows where to find what they need.
Build Custom Shelving Around Appliances
For a built-in look, construct customized shelving that fits around your washer and dryer.
Plan shelving heights and depths to sit flush with the appliance.
Build uniform cabinets along the top to hide laundry clutter.
Open bottom shelves provide convenient access.
Size shelving units to maximize unused niche spaces around and between large appliances.
Use lumber or prefabricated shelving kits for easy construction.
Paint or finish units to coordinate with your laundry room style.
Include pull-out trays or drawers for ergonomic access to detergent and other laundry supplies.
Install hooks along the sides of open shelving for hanging damp clothes or laundry bags.
Think through your storage needs and build in specialized solutions.
Custom cabinetry builds valuable storage space into awkward gaps common in many laundry rooms.
Take measurements and create a building plan prior to construction.
The end result looks fantastically integrated compared to freestanding storage units.
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Use Tension Rods for Hanging & Drying
Tension rods offer quick storage solutions in laundry rooms of all sizes.
Install them inside cabinets or across open shelves.
Use tension rods to hang drying racks, laundry bags, scrub brushes and more.
Choose spring-loaded rods that telescope to fit your space.
Rubberized ends prevent marring cabinet interiors.
Start by measuring between shelves or inside cabinetry.
Cut metal rods down to size if needed.
Extend to fit snugly into place.
Hang mesh laundry bags from small tension rods inside cabinets to corral socks, delicates and accessories.
Install longer rods across open shelves to hang drying racks or clothing.
Tension rods allow you to customize any space for improved organization.
For super narrow spaces, use creative hanging solutions:
- Install over-the-door hooks on the back of cabinet doors.
- Adhere small curved hooks inside cabinet walls using strong double-sided tape.
- Attach magnetic racks to the side of metal shelving units.
Add Wheels to Laundry Carts & Baskets
Laundry carts with wheels allow you to easily transport loads around your home.
Buy a cart or add caster wheels to a large laundry basket.
Look for heavy duty wheels that work well on both hard and carpeted floors.
Wheeled carts turn carrying heavy stacks of laundry into a breeze.
Use them to:
- Transport dirty clothes from the bedrooms to the laundry room.
- Move a load of clean, folded laundry back to its place.
- Hide bins of laundry supplies in a nearby closet, then roll out when needed.
When shopping, choose a roomy cart with durable polyester, canvas or mesh fabric.
Metal, high-quality plastic and wood carts also work well.
Look for ones with handles of a comfortable height for you or install your own custom handles.
If you have the DIY skills, add wheels to a basic rectangular laundry basket.
Use industrial-strength double casters rated for the weight.
Secure them with epoxy or screws through the bottom of the basket.
Hang Laundry Bags & Sorting Bins
Hanging fabric sorting bins and laundry bags on wall hooks or over doors is a genius way to stack storage vertically.
Use them to:
- Sort lights and darks before washing.
- Transport dirty or clean laundry to and from the machines.
- Store delicates and accessories.
- Hang drying items like scarves and lingerie.
Canvas laundry bags with drawstring tops are perfect for transporting and sorting.
Use large cotton bags for bulky loads or finer mesh bags for delicates.
Label bags with permanent marker so everyone knows their purpose.
For wall storage, look for sturdy bags with conveniently located handles, usually made of cotton canvas or mesh.
Over-door hanging bags hook right onto the top of any standard door.
No installation required!
Install utility hooks, pegboard panels or wire shelving to hang multiple laundry bags for dedicated uses.
Add smaller mesh bags and bins for organizing socks, delicates and hand-washables after drying.
Stack Washer & Dryer for Efficient Use
Stackable washer and dryer sets allow you to double your laundry capacity without taking up extra floor space.
Stacked units stand about 80 inches tall yet use less than 3 feet by 3 feet of floor area.
That frees up valuable room for storing laundry essentials.
When shopping for stackable appliances, look for units with front-loading doors, which tend to handle stacks better than top-loaders.
Invest in a sturdy stacking kit for safe and secure installation.
Always stack the washer on the bottom and the dryer on top.
If your current washer and dryer aren’t stackable models, you can still double up.
Purchase a stacking kit designed specifically to safely secure your incompatible set.
This allows you to stack any brand of units.
Think through the ergonomics when installing stacked units.
Place them up against a wall or between base cabinets for stability.
Run venting along the wall or floor instead of ceiling.
Keep laundry baskets and detergent within easy reach.
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Add Tiered Shelving & Risers
Tiered shelving doubles your storage capacity by splitting each shelf into upper and lower sections.
Laundry room tiered shelving allows you to stack lots of supplies neatly.
For a budget option, use risers to create makeshift tiers.
For sturdy built-in shelving, choose solid wood boards or steel slotted units.
Install trim pieces along the edges of each lower shelf to create an upper shelving area.
Paint or finish it to match your decor.
An easier alternative is to use risers.
Place plastic or rubber riser feet on the lower shelf, then set a smaller shelf atop them.
Make sure the risers are tall enough to allow items to slide under the upper shelf.
Use shallow trays or baskets to corral small items on layered shelves.
Designate each shelf section for specific supplies like detergents, dryer sheets, delicates accessories and more.
Add tiered shelving anywhere – in existing cabinets or on new shelving units.
Install Vertical Dividers
Vertical dividers instantly double your shelves’ storage capacity.
Slot the thin dividers into any shelf – like magic you get two narrower shelves!
Use dividers to neatly stack folded laundry, sorting bins, cleaning supplies or anything else.
Look for shelf dividers made of steel wire, plastic or thick cardboard.
Measure the depth and length of your shelves, then buy dividers to fit.
Slide into place side-by-side or allow some spacing between dividers.
Plastic shelf divider kits include multiple dividers plus clip-on labels.
Categorize your laundry essentials by clipping custom labels onto each divider.
No more guessing where anything is!
Repurpose hanging file folders as instant shelf dividers.
Install sturdy racks or slot systems inside cabinets to hang files vertically.
Use folders to sort delicates, accessories, or packets of detergent.
Add In-Cabinet Storage Drawers
Many base cabinets come with a large open storage area, which is prone to clutter.
Add pull-out drawers to neatly stack supplies and optimize storage.
In-cabinet drawers maximize vertical space and pull out for easy access.
Look for drawer sets made specifically for base cabinet interiors.
They come in standard cabinet heights like 24 inches.
Full-extension ball bearing slides allow the drawers to fully extend from the cabinet body.
Install drawer sets to use all available space inside a wall of base cabinets.
Use for stacking laundry soaps, supplies, cleaning tools and more.
Label drawers clearly so everyone knows where to find and return items.
For a budget version, use open-topped trays and baskets that slide along cabinet floors.
Just add small casters or Slides to allow you to pull them out like drawers.
An easy hack for accessible storage!
Create Custom Built-Ins & Closets
For the ultimate customized laundry room, have built-in cabinets, countertops and storage installed.
Plan for specialized features like:
- Adjustable shelves and smart interior storage options.
- Pull-out drying racks that retract when not in use.
- Flip-down ironing boards or fold-out counters.
- Convenient laundry chute access.
Work with an experienced contractor to design and install custom built-ins tailored to your needs.
Make sure to ask about stacking-related requirements like:
- Weight load limits and reinforced mounting for heavy equipment.
- Proper ventilation for stacked laundry machines.
- Comfortable ergonomics for loading top machines.
Building customized storage lets you make the most of every inch.
Include specialized laundry room features like:
- Hampers that fit neatly into cabinet cutouts.
- Hidden ironing boards that fold down from the wall.
- Narrow drawer towers between appliances.
- Chutes that send clothes directly to your machines.
With customization, you can create the laundry room of your dreams!
The specialized storage possibilities are truly endless.
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Incorporate Hidden Storage
Tucking storage out of sight helps keep your laundry room looking clean.
Clever hidden storage ideas include:
- Using rolling bins that tuck under built-in countertops.
- Adding retractable drying racks on the ceiling or walls.
- Installing cabinet doors on shelving to conceal baskets.
- Building hampers into cabinetry or the laundry sorter.
Look for slide-out storage trays that tuck into narrow gaps between machines.
Install laundry chutes that descend from bathrooms or bedrooms to deposit clothes directly into the washer.
Repurpose the space under your laundry sink by adding pull-out cabinets with shelves.
Use an open section below to stack laundry baskets out of sight.
For the laundry machines, build wrap-around cabinetry to hide the sides.
Get creative with laundry room layout to maximize hidden nooks and crannies.
Any unused space can potentially become storage with the right equipment.
The end result looks tidy while keeping supplies easily accessible.
With some creative storage solutions, your laundry room can transform from a cluttered mess to a serene oasis.
Use smart stacking techniques to take advantage of all available vertical and hidden space.
Install specialized storage like wall-mounted drying racks, tiered shelving and custom cabinetry.
Optimizing your laundry room takes effort but pays off in efficiency.
You gain more useable space along with systems that make laundry simpler.
Just remember to label everything clearly so items get returned to their proper homes!
Follow the storage ideas that appeal to your needs and style.
Over time, the room evolves into a custom laundry workspace you’ll truly enjoy using.
With an organized, well-stacked laundry room, you might even start looking forward to doing the household laundry.
