26 Small Laundry Room Ideas to Help You Make the Most of Your Space

It can be hard to get an effective laundry room set up if you're lacking space. Dark corners, cramped rooms, and even low ceilings can all make the place where you have your washer and drier set up feel small and unwelcoming. Fortunately, you can get a picture-perfect laundry room update just by making a few minor tweaks to whatever space you do have.

Because of the fact that your laundry room is often tucked into a basement or another out of sight area within your home, you likely don't spend much time thinking of ways to beautify it. That may contribute to the lack of anticipation you feel when laundry day is approaching. For most people, the laundry room is just a place that holds a washing machine, drier, and other household cleaning tools, but it doesn't have to be a utilitarian space that feels separate in style and feel from the rest of your home. Even if it's lacking in square footage, you can update small laundry rooms to make them feel more stylish and functional thanks to a number of creative and decorative items.

The ideas we're sharing will help you find ways to make your laundry room brighter, create coveted storage space (without needing to take up more floor space), and personalize your laundry room in ways that can make even the tiniest room feel effective. Almost every item on this list can be ordered online or DIY'd from the comfort of your own home, making this the perfect home improvement project.

Use the area above your front load washer or drier to make the most of your vertical space with an adjustable shelf. Use the shelves to store your detergents and the hooks to hang extra hangers or anything else you will need quick and easy access to.

Shop Now: BAOYOUNI Two-Layer Over Washing Machine Storage Rack, $58.99, amazon.com.

Say goodbye to flimsy fold-up drying racks that never stay where you put them with a wall-mounted option. Best of all, when you put your delicate items up high, you're freeing up valuable floor space

Shop Now: Wall-Mounted Laundry Drying Rack, $229, potterybarn.com.

You never want to spend more time than you have to in dark, cramped spaces, which is why it's important to remember that a coat of paint and some extra light can make a world of difference when it comes to your laundry room.

Fold, hang, and roll your laundry away with this heavy-duty laundry cart. The wheels mean you can move it from room to room (or from washer to drier, easing some of the backbreaking work of moving wet clothes into the drier).

Shop Now: InterMetro Laundry Cart, $180.63, containerstore.com.

You don't need to get out the nail gun to hang this storage solution. This storage pocket is magnetic, so it will attach directly to your washer or drier. The magnet is strong enough to hold most little laundry related products.

Shop Now: Yamazaki Home Magnetic Laundry Room Storage Pocket, $34, food52.com.

Just because it's a laundry room doesn't mean you don't need some window treatments. These lined curtain panels by Martha Stewart can serve to block light or to hide your washer and drier from sight.

Shop Now: Martha Stewart "Milan" Room Darkening Lined Rod Pocket Single Curtain Panel, $45.36, amazon.com.

With open shelving spaces you can dress up your storage options and make your laundry space a little more fun. Include some soft structured baskets and serving trays to elevate the look of your laundry area.

Replace your laundry detergent packaging with more aesthetically pleasing options, like these glass jars. Add a scoop for powdered detergents and pod packs. Just remember: these won't be childproof, so keep them where little hands won't be able to reach.

Shop Now: Glass Wide Storage Jar, $32, thewhitecompany.com.

This fold down option will sit almost flush with your wall when not in use and pull down for when you need to hang those fresh-from-the-drier garments.

Shop Now: Flip Valet Wall Hook By Umbra, $32.99, wayfair.com.

Whether you need a place to store towels, blankets, or other hanging fabrics, this DIY option will take your linens to the next level. Use copper piping to make this project really pop in your small laundry room.

Your laundry room doesn't have to be utilitarian. Dress it up and give it a theme all of its own, like this breezy coastal style. Lobster baskets and a cool minty color palette help make laundry less of a chore.

If you are dealing with a truly tiny space, consider tucking it away. Use built-in cabinetry and doors to conceal your washer, drier, and all other laundry-related essentials. Just make sure to keep everything you need close at hand by using nearby shelving.

When they're not in use, these fold-up laundry baskets nest within themselves to make them easily tuck between washers and driers (or lay them flat on an elevated shelf).

Shop Now: Homz Collapsible Plastic Rectangle Laundry Basket, $22.99, walmart.com.

These large canvas bins can help you move your wash around your home and into a small laundry room with ease. Choose from one of four colors.

Shop Now: Medium Mobile Canvas Bin, $178, anthropologie.com.

Dress up your space with a gorgeous statement sconce. Combine it with the DIY copper towel rack to create a seamless style in your laundry space.

Shop Now: Amur Wall Sconce, $750, aphrochic.com.

Standing to fold laundry can be a pain, literally. Place a minimalist-style chair in your small laundry room and use it as a shelf, with a decorative basket full of clothes or laundry essentials, when not in use. 

Keep the items you need to care for your clothes at your fingertips by keeping a sewing or mending kit near your washer and drier. This way you can fix split seams and loose buttons as soon as you see them. Plus, you'll be more likely to use your mending kit if you know where it is!

For those items that can't go through the wash, or the ones that come out of the drier needing a little extra love, a portable steamer is essential. Keep it in your laundry room so you can treat items that need to be treated before any stains or wrinkles set in for good.

Shop Now: Cirrus No. 2 Steamer, $130, verishop.com.

Pair this decorative tray with the nautical themed hues and create a dreamy scene for your wash days. To make your own, drill two holes 4-1/2 inches apart on the ends of the tray. Cut a 13-inch length of rope for each handle. Feed it through the holes. To hold the rope in place, wrap the twine around each end three times, gluing it as you wrap. Use tape to secure the twine until it's dry. Remove the tape, and trim the excess rope with a craft knife

Sometimes it's not so much the mountain of laundry you dread, but how much work it takes to get it all done because you have to track down everything you need (where is that stain stick again). It doesn't have to be that way, though. Use sectioned off shelves to your advantage, allowing for every laundry essential to have its own nook.

Skip the store-bought drier sheets with this recipe that will help you keep your family's chemical exposure (and grocery bill) lower. Pour one cup of vinegar and, if desired, eight to ten drops of your favorite essential oil over the fabric squares, then seal and shake. Add three to four squares with each dryer load to give laundry a natural fabric-softening boost while keeping static at bay.

Don't let your laundry room become a messy dumping ground. Keep items like plastic grocery bags organized and together with this pretty plastic bag organizer. 

Don't let exposed shelving or pipes become an eyesore in your laundry room. Create your own sink skirt and make a space to tuck those items you want out of sight and out of mind.

Add a large-scale shelving unit next to a stackable washer and drier and create a laundry station that's equipped to handle your family's heaviest loads. With open shelving, you can incorporate matching baskets and pretty packaging swaps to make it a place you'll enjoy spending time in.

If you're especially tight on space, consider creating a DIY a terry-cloth caddy to get all the little bottles and soaps off your shelves. Hang it on the back of your laundry room door or above your washing machine so that everything inside of it is easily accessible when you need it.

DIY your way to a more organized laundry space with a peg rack. Use it to hang your laundry room storage items and get your mop and broom off the ground, or have it set up to hang your "too delicate for the drier" items.