Sharing my 6 best laundry room storage ideas! Even if you have a small laundry room, you’ll be surprised by how much storage space you can add with these simple solutions!
I love decorating small spaces! It’s the perfect opportunity to try something new because if it doesn’t work out, the need for a do-over isn’t as big of a deal. Also, my organization-loving heart enjoys the challenge of coming up with storage solutions to make small spaces big on functionality. Right before wrapping up the makeover of our little laundry room (update! check it out {here} – I added the cutest wall decals!), I wanted to share all of my laundry room storage ideas & solutions that I packed into this little space! (post includes affiliate links; full disclosure statement is available {here})
1.Take Advantage of the Space Between Your Washer & Dryer
My first laundry room storage idea is all about taking advantage of the gap between your washer and dryer – it’s prime real estate so don’t let it go to waste! A narrow rolling cart works perfectly for holding laundry essentials where they’re super easy to access – I have {this cart} between mine:
My rolling cart holds my laundry detergent, spot cleaners, bleach, canister with baking soda (I throw some in with any smelly laundry!), {these mesh bags} for washing delicates, and {this narrow bin} that I use as a trash can for lint and new clothing tags:
To find a rolling cart that’s the best fit for your space, measure the gap between your washer and dryer and get a cart that’s at least 2″ narrower so you have plenty of space to roll it in and out. Also check the height measurement to make sure you’re good there!
2. Use Space Saving Hangers
We’ve used space saving hangers ever since moving into our current house when I realized that there was no way our clothes were going to fit in our super small bedroom closet (we downsized from a large walk-in closet in our old house!). It’s amazing how much more space is freed up by simply swapping out your hangers! I have {these hangers} (in white) holding the coats in our laundry room coat cubbies so we can pack in as many as possible:
They’re a pretty great price for a pack of 50 slim hangers. Try them in one of your closets with hanging clothes where space is a bit limited – they make a surprising difference! If you want to see more of the IKEA units that we installed in our laundry room to hold our coats, shoes, and other outdoor gear, check out {this post} on our IKEA PAX makeover.
3. Tuck Your Ironing Board Out of the Way
If you have a small laundry room like I do, this laundry room storage idea should be helpful! Instead of taking up space in a closet or somewhere else in your home, a simple solution for getting it out of the way when you’re not using it is to use one of {these over the door ironing board holders}:
Since your ironing board is on full display, consider getting a cute cover for it if you don’t have one already. Mine is no longer available but there are several fun options {here}.
I was wondering if I would have any issues with my door closing normally with the hanger on it but thankfully it closes just like it normally does.
Another thing to consider if you store your full sized ironing board somewhere else, is to keep a tabletop ironing board like {this one} tucked away in your laundry room for small jobs that don’t require you to drag out the big guy! My favorite use for my tabletop ironing board is for ironing things in place. You know how sometimes you can iron a bedskirt or slipcover but by the time you wrangle it on the furniture piece, it’s all wrinkled? I use either my handheld steamer (I have {this one}) or my iron and my tabletop ironing board to iron out any wrinkles once they’re already on the furniture piece so the wrinkles stay away for good!
4. Choose a Slim Folding Step Stool that Tucks Away
For years the only step stools we had in our house were the small plastic ones that my kids stood on to reach their bathroom sinks when they were little. We stored them in the garage so it was a pain to retrieve them every time I needed one. We recently hung new cabinets over the washer and dryer in our laundry room (I installed {these same acrylic and brass pulls} in the Golden Champagne finish as I did on the other side of the space on our shoe storage drawers) and I’m loving the extra storage space but since the cabinets go all of the way to the ceiling, I soon realized I was going to need to dig out one of those step stools whenever I have to grab something stored on the top shelves. I decided a step stool that could fold down compactly and be neatly stored close by was in order! I ended up buying {this slim folding step stool} which is just what I needed:
It folds down to under 2″ wide so if you have just a few extra inches between your washer or dryer and the wall, you can slide it right into that space for storage.
It’s super lightweight too! I chose white but there are several fun color options too!
5. Consider a Wall Mount Drying Rack to Clear Up Floor Space
I wasn’t able to put a full wall mount drying rack in our laundry room due to lack of wall space but I did have room for {this small retractable clothes rack} to the left of our door and it’s been great for hanging my husband’s work shirts to dry. If you have more wall space than I do, you can get a style that accordions out like {this wall mount drying rack}:
or one that folds down from the top like {this wall mounted drying rack}:
I would having the space for one so I never had to set up my big old drying rack that takes over the kitchen area outside of our laundry room!
6. Use a Collapsible Laundry Basket
Where the heck have collapsible laundry baskets been all of my life?? I love this laundry room storage idea and only realized that such a thing existed when I started shopping for my daughter’s dorm room. I ordered {this basket} (another similar option is {this basket}) for her and found it works so well that I ordered one for myself too!
It’s just a little over 3″ tall when collapsed so, like the step stool, is easy to find a spot to tuck it away out of sight!
So what do you think – are any of these space saving solutions ones that you’d like to put to use in your own laundry room? If you’re working on dressing up your laundry room and want to see a project that I knocked out after this post, check out {this post on our laundry room wall decals} – so fun!
Gina says
Great ideas!! I’m trying to finish up my laundry room renovation as well! I was wondering where you purchased your floating shelf. I need a 30” shelf to put I tweet two cabinets and am having a hard time finding that and many say I can’t trim them down to size. Is yours special order or did you purchase it I that size.? Thanks very much!
Kris Jarrett says
Thanks Gina! I actually had the wood left over from the corner shelves in our kitchen so I used that in the laundry room. It’s a piece of white oak that I bought from our local hardwood lumber yard – my contractors cut it to size for me and installed it between the cabinets. Good luck with your reno!
Sue Richter says
Love what you did with the laundry area and especially the 30″ shelf above the washer/dryer. After purchasing the white oak from lumber yard, what did you use to finish it or seal it? Thank you.
Margot says
Great ideas! Our laundry area consists of a washer/dryer width closet on the upper level of our house. When we purchased a new washer and dryer we chose front loading models and to stack them. I love it! It doubled our space! We chose to put wire shelving in that half (it can be removed easily if service is needed) and created space to store laundry items (detergent, stain removers, pressing equipment – I am a seamstress, a notebook with manuals, etc. in it) and cleaning supplies plus items that didn’t already have a home (like light bulbs that I put in a magazine holder and slipped onto a shelf.
Kris Jarrett says
Thanks for sharing – that’s such a great space-saving solution!
Cindy says
Love the laundry room ideas! Wondering where to find your rolling cart?
Thank You!
Cindy
Kris Jarrett says
I’ve had my rolling cart for quite a while now and couldn’t find the exact one anymore or I would have linked it. Hopefully one of the other options I linked will work for you! Sorry about that!
Gail Storti says
Your laundry room is perfection and I love all the storage tips you shared. But I HAVE to have that striped ironing board cover, can you please tell where you got it? xo
Kris Jarrett says
Hi Gail – that was a Target find! Here’s a direct affiliate link to it: https://rstyle.me/+SVsuAeoA29UTPMh45E37_Q
Ana says
I have a plastic accordion hanging rack above my sink. I’m on the shorter side, so it’s hard for me to reach. I hung it where I did so that I could hang longer things. I bought an expensive full size rack that I love more as it’s a one handed operation and then I can move it out to my porch for summer fresh scent! :-). But, I think I may have to buy that stool so I can reach more things in my kitchen/laundry room. It will fit nicely next to the washer. Thanks for the idea!
Kris Jarrett says
I love that you move your rack out to the porch – I’ve never thought of doing that but might have to try it now!
Eleanor says
Kris-
Did I miss the reveal of your master bathroom makeover? I marvel at how you have the energy to continue on from 1 project to the next! Please let me know if I missed your master bath reveal!
Thank you,
Eleanor
Kris Jarrett says
Hi Eleanor – no, we haven’t even started yet actually! It’s actually going to be an addition to the house instead of a makeover of an existing space so is pretty involved and will take several months. I’m looking forward to getting going with it in September or October!
Karen says
Kris,
The “laundry room” in our new (to us) home is a closet. The good news is I still found a couple of ideas I can use. The rolling carts and the ironing board hanger is great.
I love the looks of your newly renovated laundry room.
Karen
Kris Jarrett says
Thanks so much as always for your sweet words Karen!
Katrina says
Great ideas, thank you! An organized laundry room is a thing of beauty. Yours looks great! Do you have an ironing board (and cover) you love?
Kris Jarrett says
Hi Katrina – my ironing board is super old (I think it might have actually been my mom’s at some point!) but my board cover is more recent. Here’s a direct affiliate link to it: https://rstyle.me/+SVsuAeoA29UTPMh45E37_Q
Dian Owens says
I have 3 freestanding accordion drying racks that I love using. I wash clothing inside out and never put clothing in the dryer (only bed sheets, blankets and towels). Air drying my clothing on these racks reduces the need for ironing, reduces shrinkage, and is gentler on the fabric.
Kris Jarrett says
That’s awesome! I can see myself doing more of that once my kiddos are out of the house and there’s a little less laundry to do. Thanks for sharing!
Pam says
I love the butcher block counter from ikea. Was it special order? I looked on the website and it only showed cutting boards.
Thanks! I appreciate your blog and instagram account!
Kris Jarrett says
Hi Pam – the exact one that I got was the NUMERAR – it looks like IKEA no longer sells it unfortunately. They do have a similar solid wood one though called the HAMMARP (it looks to be the same but just a smidge thinner) that you can find here: https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60274964/#/20274961
Kathryn says
How did you install the countertop?? Is there a post for that?
Kris Jarrett says
A wood support board was nailed to the studs all of the way around the washer/dryer nook and the countertop simply rests on top (this way it can be removed if needed to access the back of the washer and dryer).
kim says
I was just going to ask if the countertop was removable. I have a 1960’s era walk-through laundry (laundry on left, vanity bath on right, from garage to kitchen). We are gutting the area and I’d debated stacking my units but I don’t care for them stacked (had them stacked in last house) and it seems like the prevailing ‘like’ is still top-loads and constructing area to accommodate front loads would mean a future buyer would have to remodel space. So, I want a clean folding space on top of washer/dryer but where I can remove it to access valves etc. and so that if I suddenly need to sell, it can be shown that the space accommodates both front load and top load. Bonus, a folding space keeps things from falling behind the washer/dryer. It leaves only about 21-23″ (depending how much space I leave beside units for maneuverability) for storage. Now I need to decide if that goes all the way up to the ceiling or if the counter goes all the way across. I’m leaning to all the way across and having upper cabinets span the entire area.
Kelly says
I love my tilt out Pottery Barn drying rack (like the white one you pictured) and have had it for 10+ years, looks as good today as when it was purchased. It is excellent for drying non-dryer friendly items like those dry fit baseball caps, fabrics with spandex or lycra, and all my lingerie. It takes up little space even when in use and I only have the single, which holds plenty including a few items on hangers on the bottom rung.
Since my laundry/pantry is also the “backdoor-garage” entry to my home I would love to find a narrow cabinet for underneath…Ikea sells one that many people have placed in their entry ways but alas it doesn’t ship and the closest store is 100’s of miles away 🙁
Kris Jarrett says
That’s awesome! I’d love to add a drying rack like that to my “some day forever home”!!
Jenni Kelly says
Hello there!
You’re the only person I know (online) that can make storage look beautiful! Would you have any tips on how to make kitchen storage pretty and functional? My husband and I were looking at rolling kitchen cart/islands that could be put away for the most part but rolled out for parties where we need more counter space. I know you have a lovely real island but do you have tips/ideas for a smaller kitchen space when countertops are scarce?
Thanks and enjoy your last weekend with your daughter! Much luck in college 🙂
Kris Jarrett says
Thank you so much! I have a cart that I use as a gift wrapping station but works well when I need extra serving space or countertop space in the kitchen too. The price on it is super reasonable – you can see more in this post: https://www.drivenbydecor.com/organized-gift-wrapping-station/ And thanks for the well wishes – I need them!
Alessia says
Kris, this is so lovely! I wonder what things do you keep inside the cabinets above the washer/dryer?
Bonnue says
Great ideas, well presented. Can I ask you, what are the dimensions of your laundry room. I have a 5′ x 5′ room and would love to incorporate your ideas. Thanks
Melissa Milonas says
Love this! I will be doing something similar! I love your laundry cart that fits between the W/D. Do you remember where it’s from? Thank you.!!
Andrea Coysh says
I put my washer and dryer on pedestals, they are actually deep drawers, lots of room for stuff. Best decision I made and it raises the front loading units to a more comfy height.
Hsze says
I love the idea of the jacket hanging space
Fatizo says
Hi Kris, I love what you did in your laundry room. You actually inspired me. I am in the middle of doing my laundry room and got confused on how to use the space I have. You gave me ideas now. Thank you so much for sharing 😊 I have a question please. Did you get the cabinets on the top of washer and dryer machine from ikea too ? If yes can you share please which one? Thank you again for your help!
Kris Jarrett says
Sorry for the late reply! Yes, I actually did a recent post with the details – you can find it here: https://www.drivenbydecor.com/ikea-laundry-room/
Jeanette Basaure says
I love the wicker baskets! Can you tell me where you got those? Super cute!
Thank you.
Kris Jarrett says
Hi Jeanette – I got those from Target but unfortunately they no longer have them.
Jennifer says
What are the white balls in the glass jar above the washer and dryer?
Kris Jarrett says
Wool dryer balls 🙂