Laundry Room Organization
This might be my most adult post yet. I was beyond excited when my Sort and Sweet business partner gifted me a Dyson vacuum when I moved in so that was adult move #1. Getting my laundry room organized was move #2.
I use the word “room” lightly by the way as it’s really a closet. But I like organizing those too ;)
I kept the process simple but it’s the little touches that get me the most excited! I knew that I needed this space to hold my laundry products (duh) and I wanted it to hold some cleaning supplies/my tools. I firmly believe that every home should have a dedicated area for things like lightbulbs, batteries, hooks and so on. Some homes will have larger areas for this kinda stuff, some just need a small space like this. If I owned a home, for instance, I would probably need a larger space for home repairs, plumbing, etc. Will show you what I have on hand a little later on!
The major thing I added to the closet was this Honey Can Do shelving unit. I’m going to be completely honest and say I’m disappointed in the quality of it (I’ve used other products of theirs in the past like their craft cart and have been really happy!). I just felt like it wasn’t super sturdy but decided to keep it because I’m not putting anything terribly heavy on it and I had a really hard time finding another white shelving unit in the right size for the space.
Side note : If you’re looking for a really great quality shelving unit, I always recommend metal and trust the HDX line at Home Depot. I’ve been using them for years for my clients and know that they hold up!
I had to buy the casters separately but that was important to me as the shelving unit is in front of the circuit breaker so I need to be able to move it in and out easily.
Before moving onto the shelving unit, I used the inside of one of the closet doors to store both our dry and wet Swiffers. I found a two pack of these Command broom grips at Target for almost less than I’ve seen one for sale in other stores. These are SO strong and make it easy to get cumbersome things like these off the floor. Plus being that they’re Command brand, they don’t damage walls (ideal for a rental!).
I’m so obsessed with these, let’s give em another look ...
Ok now starting from the bottom and working our way up …
The gray bins you see are the large version from The Container Store.
I added just one bin to the bottom shelf for the Swiffer refills - both dry and wet pads, as well as, liquid cleaner. Next to it, I could have added a second bin but didn’t want to be restricted if I have more than a few paper towel rolls. Four fit comfortably but if I had one or two more, I could squeeze em in.
I usually like to use bins for a few reasons, one of them being to hide visual clutter. To me, paper towels don’t add a whole lot of visual clutter so it doesn’t bother me that they’re hanging out alone. However, I did remove the packaging as I think that definitely does add to it!
The white bins I used are the medium size version from The Container Store.
Moving on up … is one of the reasons I don’t buy paper towels in bulk and that’s that I have what feels like 791 microfiber cloths. I use them to clean (cleaning products are in a caddy under the kitchen sink … next post btw!) but I don’t like throwing them in with my regular laundry. So I designed this clean/dirty system so that when the dirty bin is filled, I can do a load of just the cleaning cloths.
The next shelf holds most of the laundry items (a rolled up ironing mat is hiding on the shelf below but it - and the iron - don’t get used too often). I’m not usually a fan of acrylic organizers which, as you may know, are extremely trendy right now. The reason is that I don’t like seeing visual clutter but A the door is usually closed so I don’t have to see it and B I really love how the divided lazy susan had the exact amount of sections for what I needed:
Dryer sheets
Detergent and stain remover (mine specifically that are used together)
Bleach pods/pen
Fabric refresher
The Home Edit by IDesign lazy susan can be found here. It’s a bit pricey IMO but I know the quality is great and really was the perfect product for my space. Sometimes it’s worth spending a bit more on products if it makes sense and makes you happy!
To the left of the lazy susan is my boyfriend’s detergent he uses that I, being the neat freak I am, had to add a “tidy cup” to to prevent a mess. To the right is a bigger bottle of bleach that doesn’t fit in the lazy susan (and isn’t used as frequently). To the back is the iron and steamer.
You can’t quite see it but the cord to the steamer is wrapped using a small piece of velcro. I highly recommend using velcro to help tame cord clutter - it’s so inexpensive and so easy! The iron has a retractable cord so, even easier ;)
The next shelf is the “utility” part of the closet. I just used two large bins and contained my tools to one and electrical stuff to the other. Really all that’s in there is:
Lightbulbs
Batteries
Extension cords
And that velcro I just mentioned
I used a single clear (again, it’s hidden away) box for the batteries and charger. iDesign makes a specific battery organizer but my local Container Store was out of stock plus this is enough for me.
Next to this bin is my tools which is pretty simple. I have a compact tool box that I picked up from Target (I keep a tool box in my car for clients but got tired of going out to my car every time I needed a screwdriver!), some tape, command hooks, loose tools and a saw/small saw stand (I had to saw something, like, once). The only thing I’m looking to add in here is a drill which should fit as the bin is pretty large!
Just like the batteries, I used the same clear box to hold random hardware like allen keys that come with furniture and even a minimalist like me feels silly getting rid of. Also I realized that I threw flashlights in here as well when they probably should’ve gone with electrical. See? I’m not so OCD all of the time after all.
I also used a five compartment box to separate out extra Command hooks. These often wind up in junk drawers or desk drawers which is fine! But if you have a spot for them with tools, why not store there?
The very top of the shelving unit stores my pop up hamper which isn’t used often. But if I need to grab it (or, let’s be real, even the tools because I’m so short), I keep a small step stool in the closet.
One of my favorite things I added were these magnetic containers for any loose items that I find in pockets and for lint when cleaning out the dryer. I’ll talk about the labeling method I used in just a sec!
I had this small container already and used to use it to hold dry erase markers on my fridge but got rid of my dry erase board when I moved so I repurposed it here.
This is the same brand but in a larger size that I purchased for the lint (fun fact, the first one is called their “bitsy” container and this one is called their “stumpy” one).
I also love the wash/dry signs I found in the dollar spot of Target but the reason I bought them is a little embarrassing. For the first week or two of living here, I kept putting dirty clothes in the dryer by accident because I kept forgetting. Oops.
Next to each are these matching mesh bags I used for undies and to keep socks together (it’s one of my favorite tricks if you keep losing yours!). Four small Command hooks were all I needed to hang em up.
And that’s it! There’s a lot of little details happening but overall, it was extremely easy to create the system in here and I’m excited to see how it’ll hold up. I always come back and reassess if a system is working (and encourage you to do so too) and have no problem switching things up if need be. Remember, getting organized is a lifelong process!
Regarding the custom labels, I talked about creating them using my Cricut Joy machine in my fridge organization post.
Under the sink kitchen organization is up next so see you soon!
PS I have an Etsy shop now if you’re looking for gifts for that organized person in your life!
*Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission.