Remember in January when I went all de-clutter crazy? I cleaned out pretty much every room in my house, and showed you the before and afters? Well, I realized that not everyone has the same space and situation I do. Some of you are living in older homes, where a laundry space was added years after the home was built. And in the interest of spring cleaning, I thought it might be fun to show how one reader organizes her small laundry room.
A big thank you to Sydney who sent in these photos on keeping her small laundry space organized and functional!
Sydney says that she has to be very creative in how she organizes, because she is dealing with limited space. For her, the key is to keep the top of the washer and dryer free from clutter, otherwise, she isn’t motivated to do laundry. By using baskets and custom shelving, she can keep her folding space clear of clutter, but still access everything she needs.
Her space is also very visible to guests, so she had to make it appealing to the eye. A few carefully chosen pictures add a ton to the space without taking up much room. The curtains make it easy to “hide” it when guests drop by, but still easy to open up and completely access the space when needed.
She did away with a few items, like a regular sized ironing board and replaced it with a little folding one, and it sits perfectly on top of the washer. She just lays it against the wall when she’s done using it.
Because of her ingenuity with her shelving and baskets, she has a little extra space to store things like light bulbs, first aid kit, tape, flashlights, etc. {Though, she says the next item on her to-do list is labeling the baskets so she can easily find what she needs.}
I think this is a great and highly functional space. It really makes you question what you really need–more space is just more to clean and more of an excuse to house clutter.
How do you organize the small spaces in your home?
~Mavis
Debbie griffith says
I would choose the red apron simply cause red is my fav color and im wowed by the apron no matter what color
Missy says
I would love the RED! Thanks!
Kamiko says
OMG! I wish i could post a picture of my laundry room. it is tiny just like this, but i have only one big cupboard to deal with. i am short so i cant reach it. i keep most of my supplies on top of my dryer. that sliding thing between the dryer and the wall is perfect! would give a reason to sue that space, and not just a place for my cats to hide!
Kamiko says
Sorry, my keyboard has dyslexia, i meant to say USE that space, not SUE that space! LOLz!!
Kamiko says
Here is the link to my tiny pantry/entryway/doorway/laundry room on pinterest. i am totally getting that sliding shelf, and perhaps a nice curtain to hide it!
Kamiko says
It would help if i actually posted the link! http://www.pinterest.com/pin/405746247651089197/
Sydney says
Kamiko, I got the drawers at The Container Store. It is AWESOME. We barely had space (and our wall was wonky), but it was nice and tall, keeps stuff from falling between the wall and dryer, we can still open the dryer and the tiny mesh drawers keep stuff from falling through. Not to mention how sturdy the thing was, and I believe it spent about $60-70 on it.
Sydney says
Oh, and we also had NO shelving or cabinets to speak of when we moved in. I had to beg my husband to help me put boards up, and I also got a nice bright Ikea light for in there to help me be able to see. Nothing says don’t use me like a single 60 watt light bulb. And yes, I love those curtains. Make sure to get something that has a smooth texture so it wont hold on to the dust that can accumulate around a dryer because of emptying the lint trap.