Laundry… everyone’s favorite household chore! It feels never ending (because it is) and is a task that is unfortunately inevitable but having a space that works for you can make all of the difference.

In my house we have a laundry “closet”; an extension of our main floor powder room that is functional and convenient but tight for space. As a result, it was time for a quick and affordable laundry-room makeover aimed at maximizing space and making my daily chore just a little bit easier!

BEFORE

Prior to this makeover the only storage solution that I had in my laundry space was a high shelf within the laundry closet and a separate linen closet in the bathroom that was already filled with other household items. The top shelf was too high to store everyday essentials and I found myself jumping, climbing, or using a broom handle to try to get the items down prior to beginning a single load of laundry; probably not the best long-term solution!

AFTER

TIPS & TRICKS

Hang Baskets to Maximize Space: Rather than having the baskets take up the entire top shelf or clutter the bathroom floor or the tops of the machines, I decided to hang two baskets in the “dead space”. Based on the size of my closet, two square baskets worked best and I was able to find them at Target for $7.99 each. In terms of installation, you could absolutely drill screws or hooks into the wall, however I took the fast and easy route and resorted to stick on utility hooks by Command. They work wonderfully – holding up to 5 lbs. per hook (10 lbs. if you use two hooks like I did) and they don’t require any tools! A three pack is available at Target for $5.99 (you will need two packs) or you could stock up for future projects and order 7 hooks for $9.31 off of Amazon.

Roll-out Shelving: To solve the hassle of either reaching to the top shelf or going to the linen closet before beginning a load, I found this amazing cart (on wheels!) from Wayfair. It is super lightweight and easy to assemble and best of all, it fits right in between the washer and dryer, making it so convenient to just reach down and pull out the detergent and other items that you may need.  This awesome find was only $38.99 and was delivered in just a few days!

Hang Small Appliances: Rather than storing my smaller appliances, such as the iron or dust buster vacuum on the hard to reach top shelf or elsewhere in the house, I decided to again make use of the “dead space” and hang them both. Unfortunately, my hand-held vacuum is not compatible with any wall mounts, however it does fit perfectly in a basic over-the-door iron rack. I purchased two from Amazon for $10 each, hooked them to the overhead shelf and adhered them to the wall using stick-on Command strips that I purchased from Amazon as well.

Hang Special Care Items: Prior to this little makeover any items that had to hang dry where just draped over the washer or dryer, often falling off while one of the machines was running. I have no idea how I didn’t think of this sooner, but it finally dawned on me to use the top shelf to hang your clothes! They remain out of the way and dry much faster (and without wrinkles) than when they were lying flat on the machines. In my case, a laundry rack wasn’t much of an option as it would take up the entire bathroom, so this was the perfect solution.

TOTAL COST

The total cost of this makeover was $87.47, an unbelievable value for the degree of form and function that it provided.

Thank you for reading today’s blog post! Do you have any tips or tricks for maximizing a tight space within your home? I’d love to hear from you!

Until next time,

B