Is using your laundry room more of a chore than the laundry itself? Whether you’ve got a spacious laundry room with a view or a cozy closet, organization is essential. Here’s a step-by-step guide for creating a more comfortable, workable space.

1. Purge! Pull everything out of cabinets and off shelves. Discard things you don’t need and—if you have the option—try to find other homes for things that aren’t laundry-related.

Tip: This is a good time to dust and sweep your laundry room.

2. Sort. Now that you can see everything that’s supposed to fit in your laundry room, sort it into groups by purpose. Identify the items you use most often; those are the things you’ll want to put on the most accessible shelves.

Tip: Be ready to temporarily store your sorted supplies. Steps 3 and 4 may take a while, and you don’t want to lose the ground you’ve gained so far.

3. Assess your storage. Cutting clutter may have solved your storage shortage. If it hasn’t, don’t despair! Traditional built-in cabinets and washer/dryer pedestal drawers can be supplemented with a wide range of adjustable shelving, back-of-the-door racks and other slim-space storage options. Measure your available spaces, take good notes (and good photos), and start shopping your favorite hardware stores, home stores or e-tailers for options.

4. Create usable work spaces. Most laundry activities boil down to sorting, stain treatment, hand-washing, rack-drying, ironing and folding/hanging clean laundry. A good way to stay organized is to set up comfortable work stations for each of these tasks. What these stations will look like depends on your available space, your wardrobe requirements and your own personal laundry habits.

Is your laundry room located conveniently near the bedrooms, or is it downstairs by the garage or in the basement? When choosing a hamper, laundry basket or cart, you may want to factor in the degree of portability you’ll need.

Do you have a laundry room sink? If not, you may need to create a kit to make hand-washing in a kitchen or bathroom easier.

No built-in cabinets or drawers? Consider using clearly labeled, matching baskets or bins to help contain smaller items. The more coordinated your space looks, the more organized it will feel.

Do you have countertop space? If you don’t have built-in counter space, you may want to consider adding some, or looking for a portable/hideaway work surface for folding and ironing.

We’ve collected a few of our favorite ideas below, but you may want to create your own idea board on Pinterest to help you plan out your dream laundry.

Sorting solutions
Canvas hanging hampers from Pottery Barn
Bamboo triple hamper from West Elm
Wooden laundry basket from Wayfair
Wire hamper & liner from Pottery Barn
Laundry basket dresser via Ana White’s blog
Sock sorting bins from Better Homes and Gardens

Stain-treatment/hand-washing kits
DIY stain-treatment kit from Martha Stewart (plus, this holiday edition)
Stain kit from Better Homes and Gardens
Hand-washing hacks from Brit + Co.

Ironing board storage
Convenient ironing station by Better Homes and Gardens
Iron & ironing board wall mount by HousetoHome
Iron & ironing board door mount via Houzz
Ironing kit by Better Homes and Gardens

Miscellaneous
Loose change jar by Burton Avenue blog
Stain removal basics chart from Martha Stewart

5. Maintenance is a must! A truly organized laundry is one that helps you keep it organized over time. If you find that your stain stick hangs out by the sink instead of in your stain-treatment kit, or that your detergent never quite makes it back into your cabinet between loads, you may want to refine your laundry plan. Remember, things need to be functional and comfortable, not just visually appealing.

Ready for a laundry room that’s built just for you? Search our floor plans in your area »