Start with the wall above the washer and dryer: a run of cabinets or shelves there holds detergent, supplies and towels. Add a folding surface, a rod to hang clothes as they come out of the dryer, and hampers sorted by load. In a small laundry closet, go vertical and keep the floor clear for baskets.
The laundry room is the hardest-working room in most Central Florida homes, and often the least planned. Builders give you a washer, a dryer and a wire shelf. In family homes in Winter Garden, Oviedo and Lake Nona, that shelf is usually holding three detergents, a pile of towels and a broken basket.
Here are the laundry room organization ideas our designers use most, for everything from a laundry closet behind bifold doors to a full room with a sink.
Start with the wall above the machines
The space above the washer and dryer is the most valuable storage in a laundry room. Options, from simplest to most finished:
- Solid shelves at about 54 to 60 inches from the floor, so the washer lid or door clears them. Better than wire, which lets small bottles tip.
- Wall cabinets with doors to hide detergents and cleaning supplies, and keep them away from children.
- Cabinets plus an open shelf underneath for the items you grab every load.
Measure carefully if you have a top-loading washer: the lid needs about 20 inches of clearance when open.
Add a folding surface
A folding counter is the single biggest upgrade in a laundry room. With front-loading machines, a counter across the top of the washer and dryer adds space without using any floor. Leave a small gap behind it for hoses and the dryer vent, and make it removable for service. If you have a side wall, a fold-down or fixed counter at about 36 inches works for folding and for treating stains.
Give clothes a place to hang
- A hanging rod above the folding area for shirts straight out of the dryer.
- A pull-out or fold-down drying rack for swimwear, workout clothes and delicates. In Florida, where clothes rarely dry outside in summer humidity, this gets used constantly.
- A few hooks for hangers waiting to be used.
Sort laundry before it reaches the room
Pull-out hampers built into a base cabinet keep laundry off the floor and pre-sorted: whites, darks, towels. Two or three bins are enough for most families. Tilt-out hampers work well in narrow rooms. If space is tight, use labeled bins on the floor under the counter.
Put the detergent shelf right above the washer, not the dryer. You pour detergent every load and almost never need to reach above the dryer.
Small laundry room and laundry closet ideas
- Go to the ceiling with shelves or cabinets for backstock you rarely reach.
- Use the side walls for narrow shelves, 6 to 8 inches deep, for bottles and spray cleaners.
- Add a slim rolling cart between the machines and the wall, if there is a 6 to 10 inch gap.
- Hang the ironing board and broom on the wall or the back of the door.
- Replace bifold doors with a pocket or barn door if the folds block the machines.
Laundry room storage checklist
| Item | Where it goes |
|---|---|
| Detergent, softener, stain treatments | Open shelf or cabinet directly above the washer |
| Cleaning supplies, chemicals | Closed upper cabinet, out of children’s reach |
| Towels and linens | Upper shelves or a tall cabinet |
| Hampers | Pull-out base cabinet or under the counter |
| Hanging clothes | Rod above the folding area |
| Iron and ironing board | Wall mount or tall cabinet |
| Vacuum, mop, broom | Tall utility cabinet or wall hooks |
| Pet supplies | Lower cabinet or a dedicated shelf |
Laundry rooms in Florida homes
Many Central Florida laundry rooms sit in the garage or along an exterior wall, where it gets hot and humid. Choose moisture-resistant cabinet materials with sealed edges, leave the dryer vent clear, and keep paper goods and fabric softener sheets in closed cabinets so they do not absorb humidity. If your laundry is in the garage, the same rules as garage cabinets apply: keep cabinets off the floor.
Laundry rooms often double as a pantry or mudroom. See what is a pantry and mudroom ideas for combined layouts, or our laundry and pantry page.
What a custom laundry room costs
With Closets Orlando, custom laundry rooms typically run $3,000 to $8,000 installed, depending on the number of cabinets, counters and accessories like pull-out hampers and drying racks. Every design comes with a 3D plan and an exact price before anything is built.
Cabinets over the machines, folding counters, hanging and pull-out hampers. Typically $3,000 to $8,000 installed.
Frequently asked questions
How do I organize a small laundry room?
Use the wall above the machines for shelves or cabinets, go to the ceiling, add narrow shelves on side walls, and keep the floor clear for baskets.
How high should shelves be above a washer and dryer?
About 54 to 60 inches from the floor, so a washer lid or door clears them. Top-loaders need about 20 inches of lid clearance.
Can you put a counter over a washer and dryer?
Yes, with front-loading machines. Leave a gap behind it for hoses and the vent and make it removable for service.
What is the best storage for a laundry room?
Wall cabinets above the machines, a folding counter, a hanging rod and pull-out hampers.
How much does a custom laundry room cost?
With Closets Orlando, custom laundry rooms typically cost $3,000 to $8,000 installed.
Free in-home design and a 3D plan with an exact price, before anything is built.
