Welcome to Week 2 of the Less Mess Challenge! This week, we’ll be working in laundry spaces! Laundry spaces get a lot of use. It’s also a place where we rarely store many sentimental items, making it easier to declutter than other spaces. Plus, you’ll get all caught up on laundry, which will make it easier to keep up over the next few weeks.
Psst – do you need the printable checklist? Download it here.
Laundry Room Organization
I’ve written about laundry pretty extensively in the past — every topic from organization, to schedules, to routines, to setting timers, to getting kids involved. Read my best laundry advice here.
Related Posts: All Things Laundry
Laundry is less cumbersome if you’re doing it in a pleasant space or if you can pair it with another activity you enjoy, such as watching a show or listening to an audiobook or podcast.
It doesn’t matter if you’re doing laundry in a glamourous room, a closet, or an unfinished basement. Take pride in your space that works so hard for you. Add a small rug, some fun art, and organize it so it makes you smile.
The laundry room can be a simple space to organize and clean if it’s not already too cluttered.
Laundry rooms are consistent and functional, the items stored within them don’t change often. Since all laundry rooms are different (cabinets vs shelves, a room vs a closet vs a basement corner, hanging space vs none) some directions may be vague. Apply them in whatever way you can to your space.
Before starting this challenge, consider how well (or poorly) your laundry room is functioning for you. What’s working well? What isn’t working?
If you’re missing any of these, add them!
My Laundry Room Organization
You can be organized without spending a ton of money on bins and baskets BUT sometimes they help the function of the space. I believe if you invest a bit of time and energy in making a space pretty, it’s more motivating for you to keep it that way!
Here are a few images of how I organize my laundry room:
My Favorite Products
Here are a few of my favorite laundry organization products:
- A turntable is a great way to access all those extra items you might need, such as stain sticks and specialty detergents. This Youcopia Turntable has a large lip and adjustable dividers to help everything stay put.
- Bins or baskets are also a great way to contain those extras. This is a previous version of my laundry room organization. Here are my favorite bins – medium and large are very versatile.
- Glass jars aren’t *necessary* but they reduce visual clutter and make a space more aesthetically pleasing. These are inexpensive and square-ish so they fit nicely. These jars with black lids stand out, but are pricier.
- A shelf is definitely a must-have for a laundry room. If you can’t attach one to the wall, grab a little standing wire one like this for all the laundry things.
- A small trash can is great for lint and dryer sheets (if you use them). This magnetic lint bin sticks right to your dryer.
- If you don’t have space for a full rod, these fold out hanging bars are quite useful!
- Some kind of bin or basket for clothes you no longer want is something I recommend making a place for in your laundry space. Any basket will do.
Less Mess Challenge, Week 2: Laundry Room
Only Have 30 Minutes? Quick Declutter
- If you’re behind on laundry, you won’t be able to tackle it in just a half an hour, but don’t let that stop you – throw a load in and fold another!
- Clear the tops of the machines if they have anything on them
- Remove any items from this space that do not belong
- Remove any clean clothing from the space and put it away
- Tidy up the shelf or space where you keep your laundry containers
- Empty your lint trap and garbage can
- Dry dust all surfaces
Have an Hour? Declutter & Surface Clean
- Do everything above, plus run a tub clean cycle (We use Affresh Tabs once a month)
- Remove items from the shelves, dust them, wipe up any spilled detergent, combine duplicate bottles to free up space, and replace the items neatly, keeping items you use most often the most accessible.
- Dust the tops of the machines.
- Vacuum the floor and in between the washer and dryer.
- Do a quick inventory of everything you have in the laundry room—remove any items that don’t belong. Group like items and place nicely on shelves or in bins.
Have a Few Hours? Declutter, Deep Clean & Organize
- Do everything above, plus clean out your dryer vent (someone should do twice it a year, it’s a fire hazard) Here’s how.
- Wipe out the gross stuff around the lip of the washer (and the dryer, as needed)
- If you already have bins, remove everything, wipe them out and replace only what you actually need or want. If you don’t have bins, consider adding some. Adjust labels, as needed. Laundry rooms are a great place to store household items such as batteries, extra cleaners, and lightbulbs – just make sure you group like items together and label them.
- Clean light fixtures, baseboards, cabinets, etc.—laundry rooms are DUSTY—eliminate as much as you can.
Maintaining Your Organized Space
Staying on top of laundry is KEY to keeping your laundry space organized. A load a day works for me, but do what works for you — just be consistent. Establish some kind of laundry routine and schedule and stick to it. It will help laundry become more manageable and it will keep your space more organized.
It can be tempting to let your laundry room become a dumping ground for items you need tucked out of the way. Try to avoid this doing this since it will make your laundry room cluttered, which will lead to you feeling guilty every time you go in there, which will lead to you procrastinating on doing laundry, which will lead to laundry piling up… you get the idea!
Organizing the Laundry Room
Spend some time this week organizing your laundry space. You’ll be grateful you did! Leave a comment below or write to me on Instagram to tell me how it went!
Next Week: The Kitchen