How To Organize Laundry Room Cabinets

If despite your best efforts your laundry room cabinets are still a disaster you’re not alone.

I’ve made it no secret that I absolutely despise doing laundry. But over the years I have come to realize that a big part of my disdain for this household chore lies with the disorganization of my laundry room.

I realized that completing a full cycle of laundry was a difficult task for me because everything was either heavy and out of reach, not in the place where I last left it, or I did not have the right supplies on hand to properly launder my clothing.

In this post, we’ll explore solutions for high laundry room cabinets and the best way to organize them.

Solutions For High Laundry Room Cabinets

The most common laundry room storage solutions include laundry room cabinets, closets, laundry room shelving, and laundry carts.

Whether you have a dedicated room to wash clothes, a closet housing a stacked unit, or a small nook in your basement it can be organized beautifully and function perfectly.

Moreover, there are solutions of every type that will make completing this chore easier and more enjoyable.

In this post, we’re going to explore laundry room cabinet solutions.  Specifically, upper cabinets that have been mounted above your washer and dryer.

Laundry Room Cabinets

Having experienced each one of the aforementioned laundry scenarios in my life, I can tell you without a doubt that the wall-mounted laundry room cabinets are the hardest to manage.

For me, like many others, the laundry room cabinets are far too high to be convenient.  I was only able to access things on the lower shelves of the cabinets and the upper shelves were essentially useless to me.

Even with a stool, I had a hard time getting close enough to the cabinets to reach items on the upper shelves because of the washer and dryer placement.

And while I understand that the placement of the cabinets is high so that a top-loading washer opens properly, it creates a problem when it comes to accessing detergent, dryer sheets, spot cleaners, and other laundry essentials.

There are a few solutions for managing high laundry room cabinets, however.

Let’s take a look.

1. Front Load Washer and Dryer

The first and most expensive option would be to ensure that you have a front-loading washer.

By having this style of machine you immediately free up all of the space directly above your washer and dryer. Many people opt to install a counter above their washer and dryer that provides them with super easy access to detergents dryer balls and other laundry items.

That being said, I am by no means suggesting that you go out and replace your perfectly functioning top loader.  I certainly didn’t. But if you are moving into a new construction home and are buying new appliances to fill said home, opt for the front loader.

2. Laundry Cart

The second solution would be to use a laundry cart in conjunction with your laundry room cabinets.

Use the upper cabinets that are hard to reach for decor and use the lower cabinet for specialty laundry items.  These include things like spot cleaners, hand wash detergent, lingerie bags, etc.

Then, use a cart that is placed between the washer and dryer or to the side as the main access point for detergent softener and dryer balls.

3. Pull Down Shelving

The third solution for high laundry room cabinets that are hard to reach is to install pull-down shelving. While this is most commonly used as an accessibility feature for those who are mobility impaired, it can certainly be used by anyone.

Universal design is about including everyone.

Moreover, it makes an incredible solution to the high laundry room cabinet problem.

They can be a little pricey, however.  But, if you intend on living in your home long-term there may well worth the investment to you.

Accessibility In The Home

And before I move on I want to make a quick note regarding accessibility in the home.

Many times we consider retrofit accessibility solutions to be something used by only one segment of the population. However, accessibility in the home is important for everyone whether you’re able to climb a stool to reach something on a high shelf or not.

In your home, things should be convenient and easy to reach.  This is not only a matter of safety but of comfort in your dwelling.

While there are certainly some accessibility solutions in our society that are clear no-goes for people who do not absolutely need them such as handicapped parking spaces.

When it comes to the home, there are no restrictions on what you can utilize to make the way you function in your own personal space easier.

If you don’t want to climb stairs (whether you’re able to or not) then install a ramp.  If you do not want to have to get up on a ladder or a stool to reach a heavy bottle of laundry detergent out of a laundry room cabinet, don’t do it.

Find another solution that makes these items more accessible.

Common Items You May Need In Laundry Room

At the beginning of this post, I mentioned that one of my biggest troubles with completing laundry was not having the things that I needed on hand.

Here are a few items you should always have in your laundry room.

1. Detergent

Detergent or a cleaner of some sort is needed.  This can be a store-bought liquid detergent, powder detergent, laundry tabs, or pods.

Alternatively, plain baking soda and vinegar work surprisingly well to clean clothing.  This is a great option if you run out of detergent, or have been searching for an inexpensive eco-friendly cleaner.

Moreover, baking soda and vinegar work great together to deodorizing and soften fabrics.  I keep both of these items on in my laundry room at all times.

2. Dryer Sheets or Dryer Balls

Some type of dryer sheet or ball is also good to have available.  Especially if you live in a dry climate. They cut down on static tremendously.  Many dryer sheets also contain a fabric softener or conditioner.

3. Stain Remover

Some type of stain remover is also really important. Whether you want to use a spot cleaner like Shout or prefer to use bleach or OxiClean for your clothing, speed is the name of the game when it comes to treating stains.

The faster you treat a spot the more likely it is to be removed completely during the wash.

I also keep a small bottle of Dawn dishwashing liquid in my laundry room.  For me, nothing works better for removing an oil stain.  So long as you get it on the spot immediately, it will break down the oil and remove it from your clothes.

Without a stain remover at the ready, you may struggle to get your laundry clean.

And there’s nothing worse than spending time sorting clothes, loading the machine, and running the cycle only to find the pot is still there!

4. Washing Machine Cleaner

Last but not least, you need to “clean the things that clean”, as they say. Some type of washing machine cleaner is important to have on hand.

Lemi shine makes a nice all-purpose appliance cleaner that you can use in your garbage disposal, dishwasher, or washing machine.

I’ve also heard of a hack where people use dishwashing pods to remove buildup in the washing machine, however, I’ve never tried this myself.  So proceed with caution.

How To Organize Laundry Room Cabinets

1. How To Arrange Your Laundry Room Cabinets

The best way to organize laundry room cabinets is to keep your most frequently used items on the bottom shelf, divided into 3 easy-access bins or baskets that you can slide off of the shelf.

The first basket should contain items used in the washing machine.  The second reserved for items that go into the dryer.  And, the third used to house specialty items.  These include stain removers, washing machine cleaner, fabric refreshers, bra cages, and lingerie bags, etc.

If you buy your laundry detergent in bulk, you may want to transfer a portion of it into a smaller container that’s easier to manage.

Instead of trying to pour laundry liquid laundry detergent from a 2-gallon container every time, opt for the pods or powdered detergent.  That way you can easily transfer a portion of your detergent into a smaller container.

Smaller containers are easier to grip and are lighter making them much more convenient to use.

Reserve the upper shelves of your laundry room cabinets for the large bulk containers and decor.

Recommended Read: 13 Laundry Room Accessories That Are Super Stylish

2. How To Select Storage Containers For Your Laundry Room Cabinets

Perhaps the most important thing of all is the types of containers you choose to store your laundry goods. The type of container makes all the difference for safety and easy access.

This is why I personally prefer the 3 bin method outline above using cloth-lined wicker baskets with handles.

However, if you prefer to arrange your products individually on your shelves, here are some important things to keep in mind…

When you are pulling things off of a shelf that is above your head you want them to be light, easy to grip, and well-labeled so that you can easily identify them.

This is particularly important if you are decanting your products for aesthetic reasons.

You’ll notice that a lot of those Pinterest perfect laundry rooms are not storing their laundry detergent in the brightly colored, branded boxes they’re sold in.

Label Your Decanted Laundry Products

They’ve decanted the products into nice glass mason jars or other types of apothecary jars.  If you do this, you must remember to carefully label your containers.

Not only do you not want to mix up the products, but you want to make sure that you know what you’re grabbing so you don’t end up with a laundry disaster.

Furthermore, if you’re already straining to reach an item above your head, it’s a pain in the butt to pull something down only to find out it’s the wrong thing.  Worst of all then you have to hoist it back up onto the shelf again.

Opt For Light-Weight Non-Breakable Containers

Not only should the containers you choose be easy to grab and hold onto, but they should also be lightweight, and non-breakable.

This just makes good sense when you’re talking about items stored overhead.  It’s that better-safe-than-sorry thing.

No one wants a glass apothecary jar full of Tide Pods crashing down onto their head because your wet hand slipped while trying to grab the smooth jar with no handles.

The jars may look cute, but your stitches will not.  I’m just saying.

Fortunately, plastic containers are less expensive than their glass counterparts.  This works out well if you’re organizing your laundry room on a budget.

You can find lots of clear containers for the laundry room at places like Dollar Tree, Dollar General, and the 99 Cent Store along with Target, Walmart, or Amazon.

Conclusion

I hope you found this post helpful.  If you did, please share it with a friend and follow Dianne Decor on Medium to read some of my most popular posts.

If you have any ideas that you would like to share on how you organize your laundry room cabinets please leave them in the comments below.

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