Ready to turn your laundry room into one of the most stylish rooms in your apartment? Check out these 5 popular design trends for organizing your laundry room.
Laundry is one of those unavoidable chores. But like it or not, we all have to do it. So wouldn’t it be great if there was a way to make it a bit more enjoyable?
Well, here’s the good news:
There is!
And it starts with having an organized laundry room.
Washing clothes is more enjoyable in a room that’s neat and decorated to perfection. Who knows? An organized laundry room just make might laundry your favorite new chore.
Ready to turn your laundry room into one of the most stylish areas of your home? Check out these five popular design trends for organizing your laundry room.
1. Add a Door
Is your laundry room more of an “area” than an actual room? If so, you might want to add a door.
In a small house or apartment, look for doors that slide from side to side. Barn doors are perfect if you want a casual, rustic look. Sliding bamboo screens or bamboo curtains are ideal if you’re going for a modern, minimalist aesthetic.
There are plenty of doors and sliding screens to choose from, and they come in all different shapes and sizes. A double door system is perfect if your washer and dryer are side by side. If your machines are stacked, a single door might be all you need.
2. Add Shelves
No matter how big or small the room is, you’ll need at least one shelf to hold detergent bottles, dryer sheets, and other laundry essentials. Mount a shelf above your washer or dryer so you’ll have a neat space to store those must-haves.
Don’t want to look at brightly-colored detergent bottles while you do laundry? Store your soaps in open canisters or mason jars for a super chic look!
And for those who want to go the extra mile and get ultra-organized, you can also use your shelf to hold storage baskets or decorative bins. That way, you can hide everything inside your storage containers and keep items completely out of sight!
To create a cohesive and balanced look, use matching storage baskets or coordinating bins.
3. Add Cabinets
Don’t like the look of open shelving? Mount a cabinet or two above your washer and dryer! If you don’t want to drill holes into the wall (or are prohibited from doing so by your apartment lease), add a freestanding cabinet instead.
Cabinets with doors offer a bit more flexibility. You can stuff all sorts of things inside, close the door, and your room will look like it’s in tip-top shape! It doesn’t have to be large, and it certainly doesn’t have to be expensive. A small cabinet from IKEA is all you need to create a concealed storage area in your laundry room.
You can even buy an inexpensive bookshelf for additional storage. Bookshelves are perfect for holding clean linens, such as folded sheets and towels. Just keep in mind, if you use an open bookshelf, you’ll have to be a bit neater — there won’t be doors to hide what’s inside!
4. Add a Countertop Above Your Washer and Dryer
Do you have front-loading machines? If so, consider adding a counter that stretches across the top of your washer and dryer. With a few pieces of plywood and a bit of know-how, you can even build a DIY countertop in a matter of hours.
With a countertop in place, you’ll have somewhere to store all sorts of items, such as bins, baskets, dryer sheets, detergent bottles, and sewing kits. You can even use it to display decorations and add more personality to the space.
To make the most of your countertop, keep it as clutter-free as possible. With a flat, empty surface right above your dryer, you’ll have a spot to fold your clean clothes and towels.
Plus, you’ll never have to carry a mess of unfolded laundry through your house or apartment again!
5. Add Drying Racks
Drying clothes and towels is easy. But what do you do with your lingerie, delicates, and garments that need to be hung to dry?
No matter how much space you have, you should add a drying rack.
There are a few different ways to incorporate a drying rack into your laundry room. The easiest way is to buy a collapsible rack that folds flat. That way, you can slide it between your washer and dryer or hang it on the wall when you’re not using it.
If you’ve already followed tip #4 and built a counter, you can stand your drying rack on that. Worst case scenario, you can place it directly on top of the washer or dryer.
You can also make a DIY drying rack by mounting a slotted shelf on the wall. It’s a great place to drape lingerie, swimsuits, and other delicate items.
Or, you could mount a closet rod on the wall and add some hangers. This will give you a spot to hang shirts, skirts, blouses, and anything else that can’t go in the dryer. And when they’re dry, all you’ll need to do is move the hangers to your closet!
In Summary
In a clean and decorated laundry room, doing laundry doesn’t feel like as much of a chore.
It’s natural to want to redesign the rooms you use the most, such as the living room, bedroom, and kitchen. But the laundry room is an important space, so don’t overlook it.
To organize your laundry area:
- Add doors or sliding screens to conceal your washer and dryer
- Add at least one shelf to hold detergents bottles and/or storage bins
- Add a cabinet or a freestanding bookshelf for additional storage space
- Place a countertop over your washer/dryer to create a folding station
- Incorporate drying racks for items that can’t go in the dryer
With these design tips, your laundry room will look and function better than ever.
And the best part? It won’t cost you a fortune!
Author Bio:
Prime Place KSU, an apartment complex for KSU students. is a housing community within walking distance of the Kansas State University campus. We offer apartments ranging in size from studios to 4-bedroom units. All of our apartments have solid surface floors, granite countertops, and in-unit washer/dryers.
