This closet was the first project we had finished when we started renovating the house. When I say complete finished, I mean it. You know how sometimes you leave little details for later and probably they stay like that for a very long time? Well, that did not happen with this closet.
Location
Where is my laundry located? Can you guess? The Kitchen. Ta-Da! Yeap, I have seen laundry closets in odd places, but I like to have my laundry in the kitchen. The original owner of the house was a contractor himself, and he got very creative with our home, but that is just another story. We could have moved our laundry to an actual room, but We decided that having a coffee/alcohol bar room was more fun. Do not judge; I know you would have picked the same thing. Now I can prepare the most beautiful and delicious drinks and do my laundry inside the kitchen! I call it a win-win.
My laundry is the perfect example that you do not need a huge space or to spend thousands of dollars to make a statement. My secret is a beginner-friendly DIY, and I do not call myself an expert DIYer. By beginners friendly, I mean that the wallpaper is stickers from Amazon! So anybody can achieve the ''wallpaper look'' effortlessly.
You will first need to create a plan by taking measurements of the entire closet. Using the side wall for the shelves made more sense for my space. Second, list the things you need to store on the shelves. I have laundry detergent, softener, Clorox, Downy Scent Booster, Oxiclean (powder/liquid), and dryer sheets. Inside the wire basket, I have my special detergent for swimsuits. Since we live in Miami (we own a jet ski), my swimmer constantly gets salt water; they need special care. You can use baskets to put things like a lint roller or ironing supplies.
My shelves are from Hobby Lobby, and I get many questions about it. They are dark brown finish with black metal accents, and I love the farmhouse/industrial look. Amazon has similar ones; I am going to link them here. The shelves must be securely attached to the wall because they will carry heavy items. There are no renters-friendly options here. Sorry!
Containers
People use different containers to hold laundry essentials, but I love to use beverage dispensers. They are beautiful, make your laundry look more cohesive, and dispense soap easily. I got my dispenser at Target for $18.99, which is very affordable, and I love the frosty glass look. Amazon option linked here.
I have 3 glass containers from Target a well on my middle shelf, and I use them for the Downy Scent Booster Beads, Oxiclean, and my decorative clothespins. It is highly convenient to keep inside the canisters a small scoop. So, do not forget to add that little detail.
The wire basket I use for extras is from Home Goods, but you can find similar ones here.
My boys are very good at staining every shirt they wear, and I have OxiClean stain remover on a 16-Ounce refillable glass spray bottle for easy access. The overall look of this bottle is lovely, and the bamboo accent is a nice touch. I spray OxiClean on any stain, gently messaged it in, and let it sit aside for a day. I am so pleased with how well it works! This product is worth it.
I recently added two beautiful containers from Amazon: a Dryer Sheet Dispenser and a Magnetic Lint Bin. Since I do not need to collect lint (some people use it as fire starters) I use it to store my dryer balls. You can also use this bin for detergent pods, unpaired socks, or small items from your pockets. The dryer sheets box has the cutest slide for adding your sheets to it. The lint box has the magnet and the wall hanging hole.
Decor
Since space was limited, I did not go wild with decor. I added a felt letter board, a plant, and Target's clean/dirt sign. My washer and dryer took up most of the space in the closet. I cannot express how much I love my letter board! They were all over social media, and I loved their old-timey feel. The wall decal comes with 24 wall decals. They are easy to apply to any surface, and you can remove and reposition them. This is a perfect solution for renters.
I got my Laundry signs from Hobby Lobby, but you can find similar ones on Amazon.
Appliance
Kenmore Elite Smart 9 Cu. Ft. electric Washer/Dryer w/Steam-Metalic
Dry/Wash white vynil decals
Other Details
I have a laundry detergent Drip Catcher to Prevent Mess under each dispenser. This is a Must-Have if you are going with this type of container. They slide under the dispenser, and it is ready to go. This is a great gadget to maintain your laundry area tidy. I also have a black rolling hamper(to the left) to keep the clothes that need to be ironed.
Dryer Balls
Are dryer balls worth it? My answer is definitely yes, they are. Have you found yourself with a pile of half-dried and half-wet sheets? Well, that is just normal laundry stuff, right? If you use dryer balls, they help to separate the laundry, so it dries faster. Another advantage is that they make your clothes softer and help eliminate static.
How to use them?
Just put them in the dryer with your wet Laundry. I like to use 3 or 4 of the large wool dryer balls per load. Some people add drops of essential oil to them. This makes your laundry smell amazing. I do not do this because I use dryer sheets for the scent.
Doors or not Doors?
We put a door in our laundry closet to decrease the noise of the appliances. I adored my laundry closet so much that I did not want to hide it entirely behind a closed door. A happy medium was installing a lovely glass door (custom made), so I could peek inside my beautiful laundry space while cooking.
Is Laundry your favorite chore, or just the opposite? Any tips you can share? You can check my Instagram for more ideas. Happy Decorating!
Dana