Functional Laundry Room Ideas That Maximize Space
We’ve been quietly plotting a massive laundry room remodel for years, like… years!
The kind of planning where you have a secret Pinterest board, a running idea list on your phone, and an embarrassing number of saved Instagram reels about folding tables.
Our laundry room isn’t massive, but it’s a decent size, big enough to work with, small enough that every inch matters. And when you’re in that sweet spot, you want to cram in as much functionality as possible without making the space feel cramped.
We did a quickie refresh on our laundry room way back in 2017, and haven’t touched it since. It’s definitely been severely lacking in functionality all these years with cabinets from around the 60s-70s in an odd layout that doesn’t really make sense. So we plan to remedy the situation soon.
A week ago, I asked my Instagram followers to share their laundry room must-haves, and let me tell you… y’all delivered. These ideas are brilliant!
So whether you’re starting from scratch, giving your current laundry space a glow-up, or just looking for clever tweaks, here are 27 functional laundry room ideas to help you get the most out of every square inch.
1. Deep Sink
A deep utility sink is a laundry room workhorse, perfect for soaking stained clothes, washing paintbrushes, or giving muddy shoes a rinse.
2. Drying Rack
Wall-mounted, ceiling-mounted, or pull-out, having a place for air-drying delicates is a game-changer. Bonus points if it folds away when not in use.
3. Hanging Rod
Perfect for drip-dry clothes or freshly steamed shirts. Install above the counter or between cabinets for easy access.
4. Under Washer/Dryer Pedestal Drawers
Raise your machines to a comfortable height and sneak in hidden storage for detergent, dryer sheets, and cleaning rags.
5. Rolling Hampers
Multiple hampers on wheels make sorting laundry (and transporting it) way easier, especially if they’re labeled.
6. Fold-Away Ironing Board
Because nothing eats up space faster than a full-size ironing board left open. Mount it inside a cabinet, drawer, or on the wall.
7. Closed Storage for Supplies and Towels
A mix of cabinets and baskets hides the clutter but keeps things within arm’s reach.
8. Folding Table
A sturdy surface for folding clothes is essential. It can be a built-in counter over your machines, pull-down wall table, or a folding table on wheels that rolls out from underneath your countertop.
9. Shelf with Cubbies for Basket Storage
Keeps laundry baskets neatly in place so you’re not tripping over them. That way every family member has their own basket.
10. Waist-Level Washer and Dryer
Skip the bending and make laundry day easier on your back.
11. Drawers, Not Just Cabinets
Drawers make it easier to see and grab what you need without digging through deep shelves.
12. A Place to Hide Detergent
Whether it’s a drawer, a cabinet, or a chic dispenser, keep detergent out of sight for a cleaner look. Honestly, I tried the dispenser thing for a while and discovered it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. So I’m thinking a cabinet to stow away detergent bottles is the way to go for us.
13. Storage for Wool Dryer Balls
Corral those runaway dryer balls in a small bin or jar so they’re always ready to go.
14. Lint Keeper
A simple countertop container or wall-mounted basket for lint means no more running to the trash mid-load. By the way, dryer lint makes great fire pit kindling if you have one in your backyard, like we do.
15. Dog Kennel / Cat Litter Box
If you don’t have a separate mudroom or utility room, the laundry room is a good place to tuck the pets away.
16. Space for Brooms and Cleaning Supplies
Use a slim cabinet or wall-mounted organizer to keep tall cleaning tools neatly stored.
17. DryAway
A hidden drying cabinet that pulls out when needed… pure magic for small spaces.
19. Double Washer/Dryer
If you’ve got the space and a big family, this will cut your laundry time in half. We don’t have enough space for this, but oh what a dream that would be.
20. Fun Color or Wallpaper
Why not make laundry a little happier? A cheerful wallpaper or bold paint color can make the space feel less like a chore zone.
21. Window
Natural light makes any laundry room feel bigger, brighter, and less dungeon-like.
22. Outlet for Steaming Clothes
A dedicated plug near your hanging rod means you can steam and hang in one spot. Or go all-in with a dedicated steamer, if you have a bigger budget.
23. Shelves
Open shelving is great for frequently used items or a pretty display of jars and baskets.
24. Shoe Storage
Keep muddy boots off the floor with a shoe rack or cubbies.
25. Cozy Lighting
Swap the builder-grade fixture for a pendant light or put a mini lamp on the counter; it’s functional and pretty.
27. Under Cabinet Lighting
Task lighting under cabinets makes folding, sorting, and stain-spotting so much easier.
26. Hideaway Washer and Dryer
For laundry rooms without doors, sliding panels or an under-counter skirt can hide machines when they’re not in use.
Our Next Step
We’re planning to mix several of these ideas into our remodel so our laundry room can work harder (and look better) for us. I’m thinking: deep sink, folding counter, lots of closed storage, wall mounted racks, basket cubbies, and maybe a slide-out broom cupboard if we can squeeze it in.
Laundry might never be my favorite chore, but with a setup like this I might actually start enjoying it. So if you need me, I’ll be pouring over IKEA cabinet planners for the next few days.
Love all these! Would love to see what people do if their washer and dryer are in the garage like mine!
Several of these would be great in our laundry room! We have one similarly large-enough but not big. I think a wall mounted fold down drying rack will be especially nice for winter sweaters and I have just the place for it. I still love open shelves for quick grab detergent and stain treatment – you can’t see the loud labels from other parts of the house, so I’m fine with it since we do a lot of laundry from our 2 mini-cabin rentals on the property.
Yes! We currently have one wall mounted drying rack and use it all the time. Love it!