Laundry is probably not the most enjoyable part of your day, but it has to be done. Since laundry is a necessary evil, why not make your laundry room the best it can be? Then no matter how stinky the socks are, at least you’ll have something pretty to look at. Here are eight ideas to help make your laundry room more functional AND fun. Happy laundry day!

1. ADD COLOR TO YOUR CABINETS

Image:  PWD Lighting

If you always sigh in envy at the cabinet color combinations you see in magazines, this is the perfect place to try one out before committing to an entire kitchen. It’s also a good place to go a little wild and add a punch of your favorite color. Then when you’re faced with a mountain of dirty clothes, the happy cabinets will give you something to smile about.

2. ADD DRYING RACKS

Image:  Jennifer Allwood Home

Remember what your mom used to say:  if you hang up those clothes as soon as they’re dry (or as soon as they come out of the washer, depending on the item) you won’t need to iron them. But what if you don’t have enough—or any—hanging space?

You can mount drying racks to the wall that fold up when you don’t need them, or follow Jennifer Wood’s lead and hang an old ladder from the ceiling. The beauty of using a ladder, Jennifer says, is, “By using a ladder, we now have two ways to hang our clothes, sideways or up & down.” Find out how she did it here.

3. WAKE UP YOUR WALLS

Image:  Etsy

If colorful cabinets aren’t your thing—or even if they are—the laundry room is also a great opportunity to go bold on the walls. Paint them a cheerful color, add stripes or designs or an ombre effect…how about a fun wallpaper? Most laundry rooms are fairly small, so you won’t have to buy that much and the stick on kind makes installation easy. Well, easy for wallpaper, anyway.  

4. MAKE STORAGE PRETTY

Image:  The Idea Room

Elevate the laundry experience with elegant storage solutions. Decant detergent into a glass container, tuck your dryer sheets into a tissue box cover, or set up baskets to keep the necessaries conveniently located but looking good. Don’t forget to add something that can serve as a lint bin. You can find cute magnetic ones that can stick to your dryer, but almost any pretty container will do.

5. HIDE IT IN PLAIN SIGHT

Image:  Heather Bullard

If your washer and dryer are out in the open or in a closet, you might take a cue from Heather Bullard and hide the appliances with cute curtains. Not only is it more attractive when the curtains are closed, the shelf on top makes this space available for more than just laundry duty. It could serve as a bar at a party or a place to display things you love but haven’t found the just right place for…yet.

6. SHELVE IT

Image:  @psdstudio on Steel Lighting

Add wall shelves to store supplies and décor. Depending on how much space is available next to or between your washer/dryer, you might also be able to squeeze a small shelf, a rolling cart with pull-out drawers, or even an old bookshelf to help with storage.

7. MAKE SPACE

Image:  This Old House

If you need more storage—and who doesn’t? —take a cue from the tiny home movement and use every bit of available space. Raising your washer and dryer with a riser (from a kit or DIY) will not only make them more comfortable to use, it adds room for pull-out storage underneath. You can also add magnetic baskets or hooks to your washer or dryer to corral items. Imagine the possibilities!

8. DON’T FORGET THE FLOOR

Image:  Armstrong Flooring

Depending on where your laundry room is located, the floor may be consistent with the rest of the house. But if not, consider adding interest with new flooring. It doesn’t have to be expensive—the one pictured is a vinyl sheet. (Bet you thought it was tile; we did, too, at first glance.) If the floor is fine as is, adding a pretty rug will not only make your floor look better, it’ll feel better underfoot the next time you’re tossing a load of stinky clothes into the wash. That’s worth something, right?

Whatever you decide to do (or not do) with your laundry room, may your clothes never shrink, your colors never run, and all your stains come out. Have a great day!