Laundry Room Storage Ideas From Organizing Pros

Tripping over laundry baskets? Banging into dryer racks? Having trouble fitting your fabric softener in among the piles of clean and dirty clothes, bed sheets or towels? Taking the time now to create an organized space (or to make room for what you truly need in the room) can not only save you time in the long run, but it can make doing your laundry a much easier task, whether it’s your favorite chore to do or you dread that looming day every week. And it’s easy enough to do without spending a lot of money, time or energy, say organizing pros. Here, their top laundry room storage ideas for even the tiniest of spaces, so laundry day is always a breeze!

Laundry room storage ideas: Air-dry this way

Whether you’re trying to save money by skipping the dryer or a garment’s care tag says to keep it out of the appliance, the one thing that takes up a lot of space in many of our laundry rooms (or the one thing many of us have the least space for!) is air drying. Setting up your drying racks or space is key to ensuring there is room to store what you need in the room.

One note regardless of what method you choose: “When setting up your drying area, ensure there’s enough room between garments to allow for proper air circulation and faster drying times,” says Shantae Duckworth, professional organizer and founder of Shantaeize Your Space . Read on for three smart ideas:

1. Choose collapsible drying racks

A retractable drying rack is one of many laundry room storage ideas — WHPics/Getty

If you don’t have much floor space, you may be wondering how you can air-dry clothes without tripping over a drying track. The trick? “Use fold-down drying racks (and ironing boards) that can be tucked away when not in use,” says Bridget Flynn, home organizer and owner of Divine Organizing. You can also install retractable racks that can be extended for drying and pushed flat against the wall after laundry day.

2. Opt for a valet hook

Don’t air-dry clothing often? You may want a fixture that’s a bit more simplistic. “A wall-mounted, flip-down valet hook is ideal for hanging shirts fresh out of the dryer to avoid wrinkles or for air-drying anything you don’t want to put in the dryer,” shares Nicole Gabai, founder of B. Organized and author of The Art of Organizing: An Artful Guide to an Organized Life. You’ll still be able to fold it against the wall when not in use, but it won’t take up as much room otherwise.

(Click through for more smart air-drying hacks.)

The video below shows one genius option:

3. Try a ceiling rack

Anyone working with a particularly crowded or small laundry room may believe air-drying clothes is out of the question. The clever solution: “Utilize ceiling-mounted racks to hang clothes,” advises Flynn. “This saves floor space and can be particularly useful in small areas.”

If you’re looking to save money, consider making your own ceiling-mounted rack using PVC pipes, which can be seen in the video below:

Laundry room storage ideas: Organize supplies

Bottles and boxes of detergent, dryer sheets, stain remover and more can lead to plenty of extra clutter in your laundry room. Since these supplies are a must, you may be wondering how you can keep them handy without creating a mess as well as how to make them fit in a smaller space. Below, you’ll find five great organizing secrets.

1. Think vertically

One of the biggest problems with supplies is it may feel like there’s just nowhere to put them. “Look for vertical storage solutions like shelves or wall-mounted cabinets to keep essentials within reach without taking up precious floor space,” says Duckworth. What’s more, this will keep supplies at eye level so you can easily find the item you need.

2. Create a “countertop”

wooden shelves on the wall behind a washer and dryer for laundry room storage ideas — Paul Johnson

No cabinets above the washer and dryer? Rather than pile everything on top of your appliances, professional organizer Rachel Rosenthal suggests hanging a pair of wooden shelves as a low-cost alternative. “These shelves will store about as much as a cabinet and they’ll free up space on top of appliances, giving you a ‘counter’ for folding and pre-treating.”

3. Try stackable bins

Placing laundry items on shelves is a great storage solution, but you may find that you’re still pressed for space. In this case, stackable bins can be used on the shelves to fit everything in one place.

Open-front bins are one ideal option. “I employ these for frequently used items, like cleaning rags, dryer sheets and delicates bags,” says Flynn. “They should be put in easy-to-reach areas.” Flynn loves these stackable bins from Amazon for this purpose.

If you store extra items in your laundry room that aren’t used frequently or have a non-laundry purpose, opt for lidded stackable bins. Then stick them on the top shelves you don’t need to access often. Note: “It’s important to label these bins, so you can see where everything is at a glance,” she adds.

4. Grab a lazy Susan

Shelves or cabinets that are wider mean more storage room, but that also can make it tougher to grab what you need. Plus, if you can’t keep track of your inventory, you may end up accidentally purchasing more stain remover or dryer sheets when you already have them but can’t see them!

The save: “Lazy-Susans are great for storing things to prevent them from being forgotten when they’re far on the back of the shelf,” says Gabai. Watch the video below to see how it can work for you:

5. Downsize when possible

Buying laundry items in bulk is a great way to save money in the long run, but those large packages can quickly make things cluttered or take up way too much space. A better way: “Transfer bulk products into smaller, easily handled containers or mason jars to save space and keep the area neat,” advises Flynn. This will also allow you to add them to bins and group like items together in your cabinet or on a shelf.

Laundry room storage ideas: Enlist unused spaces

You may have more space than you think! Here are three “hidden” spots that can hold more storage:

1. Fill in an awkward gap

washer and dryer with a small shelf system in between — Paul Johnson

Outsmart that narrow space between appliances with a skinny set of drawers that makes your space more efficient, says Rosenthal. Stash smaller must-haves, like dryer sheets and stain sticks inside.

2. Look behind the door

“A hidden storage opportunity is the space behind the door,” shares Gabai. “See if a narrow, but tall set of shelves with a low front face can be mounted on the wall.” You could also use an over-the-door organizer. The large collection of pockets is a perfect way to hold everything from dryer balls to clothespins!

3. Check the wall

Hanging brooms on the wall is one of many laundry room storage ideas — : John Keeble/Getty

If you’re someone who likes to keep cleaning supplies handy in your laundry room, it can be tough to find a spot for those items without taking up the valuable real estate you need for laundry items. But it can be done! Once again, the key is to think vertically. “Hang mops, brooms and dust pans on the walls” adds Gabai.