Considering the amount of time that we spend in our laundry room, it goes without saying that it should be a place where we feel at ease, and where we do not feel as though we are constantly surrounded by clutter and small items. Those of you who are parents know just how annoying it is to find yourself having a few Legos in hand while emptying the pockets of your kids’ pants and sweaters, and you will know the frustration you feel when you see that crayons were left there by mistake, in the meantime ruining your entire batch of clothes all at once. At A.J.A. & MORE, we completely understand the frustration that comes with having a house that is a mess, but especially a laundry room that feels like the place you only want to escape. So, take a look at the following five tips that can help you organize your laundry room and make it much more enjoyable to utilize.
1. Stop accumulating the clutter
Although it seems obvious, the amount of clutter that we allow into our laundry rooms is in major part the reason why it feels so disorganized. If you think about it, most of the “mess” is simply made up of things that don’t have any place in the room at all: Legos, crayons, broken-down dryer sheet boxes, lint, coins, you name it. So, one of the easiest and most straight-forward ways of reducing this clutter is simple: stop accumulating it! The clutter will continue to appear if you give it space to do so. Hence, you need to implement a solution to put an end to it.
Of course, we have the perfect solution for you. Our Pocket Treasures holder has the ability to hold all this clutter easily. Instead of throwing the crayons on a rogue shelf, or having a few cents laying on top of the washer, why not simply add them to your holder? This is a holding product that makes it easy for you to toss all the small treasures that you find in pockets, which also makes it fun to rummage through these every so often. For more fun, do it with your kids and make it a treasure hunt in the garden!
2. Get rid of the lint
Although it may seem like a very small issue, the lint that accumulates may end up causing you more pain than anything else. Aside from the problems that are associated with having too much lint and not disposing of it regularly, including a higher risk of fire, more time being needed to dry your clothes and thus an increased electricity bill, the lint can also make your laundry room messy and disorganized. The more lint is flying around the room, getting stuck behind the dryer or is simply in your way as you try to do the laundry, the more cluttered and disorganized the room will feel. Therefore, make sure to keep the room organized by getting rid of the lint.
But stop, not so quick! Lint is an incredible material that can be used for all kinds of purposes, some of which include making clay to have a fun afternoon with the kids, stuffing outdoor cushions to keep them big and fluffy, making paper mache for more creative activities, and numerous others. Just check out our article on this for more inspiration.
Keeping your lint doesn’t have to be a tedious or disorganized job. With the A.J.A. & MORE Lint Bin, you can keep hold of all your lint without a problem. The magnet is strong and sticks right to the washer or dryer, making it a simple habit to take out the lint and fill out the bin. What’s more? The lint bin also serves as a visual reminder to empty your dryer from lint, thereby making it a helper when it comes to laundry room safety.
3. Clean up the sheets
We all have one thing in common: the torn-out box of dryer sheets. Well, we used to have it as well, and it was quite annoying to see. Indeed, a broken-down box of dryer sheets doesn’t give your laundry room the flair it deserves, and it is a small detail that can make it quite tough to look at your laundry room and to feel welcome in it. Instead, try out our sheet dispenser. It is a simple yet elegant addition to your laundry room that will help you keep it tidy and well-organized.
4. Use more storage baskets
Although they don’t all have to be the most aesthetically beautiful baskets you can find, simply getting the clutter and the numerous items found in your laundry room a space to be stored can make a world’s difference in your laundry room. Instead of leaving all kinds of clutter everywhere, start using more baskets to give your laundry room some flair, while keeping it well-organized.
5. Keep it smelling fresh!
The laundry room is where we go to clean things up. Therefore, this means that keeping your laundry room feeling and smelling fresh is key! There are many ways to do this, including using Febreze, room perfumes, or reducing the smells that erupt throughout the room altogether. For example, one of the most annoying smells to deal with in any laundry room is that of mildew, which is quite common when it comes to damp places. And, what’s a damper place than a washer?
If you feel like your washer is growing a questionable smell, it may be because it remains closed and thus has become a breeding ground for all sorts of bacteria. An easy fix for this? Our A.J.A. & MORE Prop-A-Door! With a strong magnet, the Prop-A-Door was greeted to help you deal with bad smells coming from your washer by keeping the door open and thus allowing for air to circulate. Such a small change in the way you do things, yet such a huge difference!
6. Store with height
Although it may feel like your laundry room is small, there are always ways to optimize the space you have. For example, you can easily start storing more things on tablets, or can create slim drawers for the items you use often that only take up very little space. These can then be stored horizontally without taking up too much space. Meanwhile, you can store bigger things such as detergent bottles on shelves as these will require much more height. Another way to save on space is to attach a hanging rod which can become very handy if you are also ironing and thus hanging up clothes as you go. Moreover, you can make your space even more user-friendly by mounting a dryer rack to the wall, thereby using less floor space and thus having much more space overall in the room.
7. Use what you have!
We often underestimate all the space that we have when it comes to the laundry room and its appliances. For example, your washer and dryer can easily be used to store things too if you use the sides. Using our Lint Bin, Pocket Treasures bin and Dryer Sheet Dispenser, you are already freeing up a lot of space that would otherwise be filled up on shelves or would be unappealing, tied to your washer/dryer as a plastic bag. Thus, make sure that you use the space you have as conveniently as possible, and make it the most organized it can be by reducing the amount of space you need to store things.
8. Involve the kids
As discussed in our other article, you have little helpers at hand. Instead of taking up the entire task of laundry, including cleaning up the messy laundry room, why not involve your kids in the time being? Kids can help you out by already taking the treasures out of their pockets, separating their clothes using their own hamper, and could even help you out by cleaning out the entire laundry room. You could designate a day to ‘laundry room-organizing’ with them, something that provides you both with some help and some quality time with your kids. Therefore, make your life a bit easier this way, it’s worth it in the end!
9. Use the space between the machines
Although this tip may not apply to everyone, there is usually some space between the two machines (washer and dryer). If this is the case for you, consider rolling in a set of shelves (or a cart) in which you can place the necessities. This small addition to the room will not only make it more functional, but it will also make it a much more pleasant and aesthetically pleasing room to be in!
At the end of the day, the laundry room should be a place where we all feel happy and calm. This isn’t possible in a cluttered space, so make sure to keep it tidy and organized with the tips above. Let us know about any other tips you may have for us and our readers!