Finding the right spot to store your laundry basket can really lighten the load on wash days, and encourage a tidier home – the easier it is to get to, the less likely you are to wind up with washing on the floor!
Where that spot is will depend on your particular routine, as well as your home layout. Whether you’ve got a dedicated laundry room or you’re looking to integrate baskets into bedrooms and bathrooms, our experts are on hand with their top storage tips.
Choose to hide it or display it, but always bear practicality in mind – the best laundry room storage ideas are as functional as they are stylish.
The best laundry basket storage ideas
1. Build bespoke storage into existing cabinets
If you’re designing a utility room from scratch, consider incorporating a neat little cubby space to stash a laundry basket. Locating it inside a cabinet keeps things neat, but open shelving offers easy access and makes for an airer feel. Either way, ensure it’s wide and deep enough to fit a decent-sized basket and factor in extra space for reaching in and out.
2. Install a pull-out version
If you’re going to the trouble of carving out a cubby space, why not take things one step further and commission a pull-out laundry basket, suggests professional organizer Meaghan Kessman, founder of Meaghan Kessman Home.
‘Incorporate pull-out hampers into your cabinetry to keep laundry discreetly tucked away’, recommends professional organizer Meaghan Kessman. ‘Whether in the bathroom, bedroom, or laundry room, this sleek solution keeps your space tidy and sorting simple. Custom-built shelves or cubbies can further enhance laundry room organization and accessibility.'
If you’re working with cabinets in an existing laundry room layout, all is not lost. You can achieve a similar result with a shop-bought mechanism, such as this aluminum bottom mount wire hamper from Rev-A-Shelf – according to professional organizer Melanie Summers, founder of I Speak Organized, it’s a ‘laundry lifesaver’!
Install this mechanism to update an existing cabinet with a bespoke, pull-out design. Use it to hold a laundry basket, or add a divider to categorize laundry essentials.
3. Hang one on the back of a door
‘Often dismissed as unusable space, the back of a door offers untapped storage potential, particularly in narrow laundry room ideas. Hang a laundry basket on the back of it and you have the added benefit of being able to hide it just by opening (or closing) the door’, says Michelle Urban, founder of The Organized House.
Mount a set of hooks and use sturdy jute baskets to separate loads, or opt for a purpose-built design such as the RnemiTe-amo hanging hamper from Walmart. Its collapsible design makes it easy to store when not in use and two sturdy handles make it easy to transport.
This small mesh hanging laundry hamper, also from Walmart, is just the right size to sit on the side of a cabinet – hang one in every bathroom to catch dirty clothes, then use a rolling or portable hamper to gather them all on washday.
4. Position portable baskets on a pull-out shelf
Stacking your dryer on top of your washer is a space-efficient small laundry room idea anyway, but it also offers storage potential – if you choose the right stacking kit, that is. Amazon's pick is the Kiss Core Store's washer-dryer stacking kit; it has sturdy ratchet straps to keep appliances stable, plus a nifty slide-out rack that comes in useful for storing smaller, portable washing baskets so they’re up off the floor – it makes loading and unloading less back-breaking, too.
‘If you’d rather not stack your machines, why not install a sturdy floating shelf instead? [Be sure to check your walls for weight bearing]’, says Michelle. ‘Make use of vertical space by installing shelves above and below to hold other laundry essentials. Group them by category into containers to maintain an orderly feel’.
5. Create a ‘laundry closet’
If you don’t have space for dedicated laundry room storage but dislike the idea of incorporating it into your kitchen, then your understairs space or a hallway closet can offer the perfect solution. By commissioning bespoke joinery, you can fit everything from laundry baskets and airers to ironing boards and cleaning supplies into a tight space.
If you’re on a budget (or you’d rather not make permanent changes) consider a shop-bought modular storage system, such as the Ulif U8 Laundry Room Storage Organizer, available at Amazon; designed to sit over the top of a washer-dryer, it can be adjusted to any height and includes wire shelving and hooks for storing and organizing essentials.
Make the most of vertical space with this sleek laundry room shelving system. Two floating shelves (16.5"x12.4"x10.23) feature handy hanging rods for drying clothes, and there are two wire baskets (14.17"x11.8"x11.8") for when you're ready to fold them, too. Made from sturdy stainless steel, they can hold up to 65lbs and are rust-resistant – perfect for utility and laundry rooms.
6. Hide it behind closed doors
Carving out space in laundry closet ideas is a quick and easy way to conceal a laundry basket. Look for designs that are square or rectangular so you can fit them neatly inside, or maximize vertical space with a slimline design; Wayfair customers rate the Mind Reader 60L Slim laundry hamper.
‘Since it’s not on show, you can get away with a simpler design and even ditch the lid if you want – the easier the access the more likely you are to use it’, says professional home organizer Tina Priestly, founder of Ready, Set, REFRESH!.
If you’d rather not sacrifice existing closet storage, Tina suggests investing in multi-functional furniture to make your utility room storage work that little bit harder.
A simple storage bench is like a secret weapon for tidy living. You can sit on it, stash your laundry basket inside, and no one will be the wiser. It’s perfect for keeping your dirty clothes out of sight while making sure they’re right where you need them. Plus, you’ve got an extra seat – talk about multitasking. I also recommend the IFBUY double tilt out laundry hamper cabinet, available at Amazon, to clients with the luxury of a big utility room’.
7. Make a feature of it
A good-looking laundry basket can add aesthetic value to a space. Professional organizer Shannon Krause, co-founder of Tidy Nest, says, ‘we always advise clients to choose a stylish rattan design with a lid – natural materials suit every scheme. The La Jolla basket from Serena and & Lily is one of our favorites, but you can find less-expensive alternatives – just ensure your chosen style comes with an interior liner to protect clothes from snagging’.
8. Be flexible with where you store it
If you haven’t got a dedicated laundry room, the obvious spaces to store a laundry basket are bedrooms and bathrooms, but if you’re short on space in these (or you’d rather not have the reminder of outstanding chores) look for hidden small space storage ideas elsewhere in the house – a spare-bedroom closet, or under the stairs, for example.
Professional organizer Heather Aiello, founder of The Organized You, recommends investing in a rolling hamper. ‘It makes life so much easier, particularly if your washer dryer is located in a different room – simply wheel it through on wash days. The 17 Stories Cythia 3 laundry hamper, available from Wayfair, has 3 sections, allowing you categorize washing as you go, colors, towels, whites, etc'.
Alternatively, invest in a rolling cart or portable island with space to stash a basket as well as laundry supplies so you’ve got everything in one place. Choose one with a counter so clothes can be folded as soon as they come out of the dryer.
With its 11.8-gallon pull-out laundry bag, this versatile organizer offers ample storage capacity, while durable rollers facilitate easy mobility from room to room. We're all for any product that makes chores easier, and multiple shelves offer up plenty of space to storing supplies and essentials, so you're not having to run back and forth – perfect.
9. Stash it under the bed
‘Find a laundry basket to fit the space you’ve got... sounds simple right, but you'd be amazed at the amount of people who can’t think beyond a typical ‘upright’ design. The reality is any shape or style is fine to use’.. Under the bed is a great spot; position multiple baskets alongside each other for easy sorting’, recommends professional organizer Stephanie Rough, founder of The Organized Zone.
Melanie agrees, and recommends The Smart Design Store's pop-pp collapsible laundry Basket, available at Amazon. ‘It’s lightweight and folds flat when you’re not using it. Great for small apartments or when organizing a kid’s room’.
Sorting your laundry basket storage makes sorting clothes for laundry a breeze. Now you’ve nailed the practical side, it’s time to have a little fun with the aesthetics – our inspirational utility room ideas prove you can make it a stylish space you actually want to spend time in!
