The laundry room… If you aren’t careful, it can easily become a catchall for mail, spare change, backpacks, keys, coats, shoes and all other manner of clutter. And having to spend time separating your lights from your darks in a crowded, chaotic space can make caring for your clothing seem like an even greater chore!

If your laundry room is more failure than function, not to worry! Below, we’ve compiled a laundry list (pun totally intended!) of simple steps to help organize and revolutionize your laundry room. Now, who’s ready to fluff and fold?!

Survey your space.

Before you begin your laundry room makeover, take a little time to assess the area. Other than the washer, dryer, detergent and fabric softener, what items currently occupy the space? How often do you use them? Are they necessary? Are they even laundry-related?

Sort your stuff.

After you’ve taken stock of the belongings that live in your laundry room, it’s time to start sorting! Items will fall into one of the following categories:

• Keep: These everyday laundry items (e.g., detergent, fabric softener) will remain in the laundry room.
• Relocate: These belongings had no business being in the laundry room in the first place (e.g., the contents of your child’s backpack, spare change). Move them to a more fitting space in your home.
• Remove: If you’re using your laundry room to warehouse items that you no longer need (e.g., outgrown shoes and clothing) give them to friends, family members and/or charity. If you’re hanging onto expired supplies (e.g., old, dusty dryer sheets) toss them directly into the trash.

Categorize, clear & conceal your clutter.

Now that you’ve rid the room of unnecessary clutter (so long, seasonal sports equipment!), it’s time to get down to business. Take a good, hard look at your keep pile and categorize it into like items. If your laundry room has built-in cabinets, use them to store detergent, fabric softener, stain remover and other supplies (e.g., lint brush, clothes iron). If it has open shelving, consider adding decorative touches, like this elegant glass beverage dispenser, which can be used to distribute detergent. There’s no reason the room can’t be organized, functional and fabulous!

Seek smart, stylish storage solutions.

If you require more storage in your laundry room, consider adding some (or additional) shelving, an over-the-door rack or a compact roll-out caddy. Pick up some decorative baskets to conceal supplies on open shelves and use a multi-compartment hamper to separate and store your whites, darks, colors and delicates.

Other quick tips.

• Install a tension rod or fold-down drying rack for hang-dry clothing
• Hang an ironing board over the door or mount it to the wall
• Add a counter above your front-loading washer and dryer to create a workspace
• Warm up the space with soothing paint and a small area rug
• Hang wall art to add visual interest to the room

Want more home organization tips and design ideas? Explore the homeowner resources section of our blog and be sure to follow us on Pinterest, Instagram and Houzz!