Mary Cornetta has been in the professional organizing industry for over 5 years. She knew she had a passion for decluttering and organization upon graduating Marist College in 2007, however, pursued it as a hobby instead of a career. All of that changed when Mary founded Sort and Sweet Inc on Long Island in 2017. Since then, she has worked hands-on and virtually with hundreds of clients to clear their clutter and create functional systems in their homes and offices. Mary runs the Sort and Sweet social media accounts, creating content and writing captions with organizing tips and inspiration for more than 12,000 followers. Recently relocated to Savannah, she continues to own and operate the business with the help of a talented team. Mary has been a weekly contributing writer for House Digest and has been interviewed as an expert by Martha Stewart Living, Real Simple, and Health magazines. She is the owner of the blog, Organized Overall, in which she details how she creates organization in her home.
Doing laundry is often more complicated than just tossing clothes in the washing machine and taking them out of the dryer. Typically, this household chore is actually a variety of small tasks within one larger one. Stain treating, ironing, steaming, lint shaving, and hang-drying not only take time but also involve a slew of laundry supplies. Keeping them organized can make the chore more efficient and, dare we say it, a little more enjoyable.
As you organize your laundry detergent, dryer sheets, and stain removers, look for storage solutions that keep these items out of sight on those rare non-laundry days. This can be especially beneficial if your home hosts the washer and dryer in an open space such as the kitchen, mudroom, or high-traffic hallway. We've rounded up the best hidden laundry room storage ideas to spark an organizing project in between loads.
Many washer and dryer units, whether they're front-loading, top-loading, or stacked, are installed in a narrow nook. This doesn't always leave much (if any) room for cabinets or storage. The ideal solution? A slim supply cart on wheels that can easily slide into the small open space next to your machines. Line up bottles of detergent and fabric softener on the top for easy access, while less-used items, such as an iron or steamer, can be tucked away at the bottom.
Usually, a few sprays of a wrinkle-release solution is more enticing than dragging out the ironing board to smooth your clothing. Ironing boards are usually bulky and awkward, especially when you don't have a designated spot to keep one set up. Conveniently incorporate one into your laundry room by building it into the wall. You can do this yourself by creating a recessed wall nook, or you can look for a wall-mounted option. Either way, a hidden ironing board takes up less space, hides visual clutter, and saves you the time you'd spend dragging it out of a closet every time you need to use the iron.
The phrase "out of sight, out of mind" doesn't really apply to laundry because you'll eventually run out of clean socks and shirts whether you see the piles of dirty clothes or not. But why not hide the hampers? Tilt-out cabinets with baskets can be built into an existing design, or you can find a standalone option. If space allows, assign a hidden hamper to each family member or have designated baskets for whites, colors, and so on.
Hide a closet laundry room behind a sliding barn door. Whether you use one or two, this style of door saves a lot of floor space since the track lets the door slide flat against a wall instead of swinging out into the room or hallway. This is especially beneficial if your machines sit within an alcove in a narrow space, like a hall closet. Barn doors are also often lightweight, making it easier to open them when your hands are full of dirty clothes. Plus, you can easily hide the washer and dryer, hampers, all of your laundry supplies, and bulk household products such as extra paper towels or toilet paper.
If cabinets aren't an option, curtains can be a stealthy substitute. Install a dowel rod and a set of curtains in your favorite fabric. Swing them open when you're running a load (that will remind you to switch things from the washer to the dryer) and keep the curtains closed when not in use. If space allows, you can also use the curtains to cover a laundry cart of supplies for a hidden space that boasts style over function.
If your laundry room is in a high-traffic area, consider camouflaging it into the rest of the space. Faux laundry room storage cabinet doors that open outward can hide a front-loading washer and dryer, while cabinets above the machines can conceal supplies. Keep the most-used items (like detergent and dryer sheets) on lower shelves so they're easy to reach and put back in their hiding place.