Looking for simple storage ideas for the laundry room? Here’s a simple laundry room update and a few tips to get organized.
Although it’s the place to do laundry, a laundry room doesn’t have to just be functional, it can be pretty, too. Follow these tips to brighten up the room’s storage and decorate it and provide extra storage, too.
Can I start today with a thank you?
Truly?
This post is all because of you.
Remember when I asked for your opinion on this laundry room? I showed you different options for these cabinets—from paint to wallpaper to painted wall treatments. And then? I asked for your opinion.
And YOU DELIVERED.
The number one suggestion? To paint these cabinets Peppercorn SW 7674.
And so?
I DID.
Well….actually? Sometimes I’m not quite as bold as I act like on this blog. I only painted half the cabinets Peppercorn for now. I wanted to live with it a little before I painted everything.
Here’s what this room looks like now and a few storage ideas for the laundry room, too.
From this.
To this.
From this.
From this.
From this.
To this.
CAN YOU EVEN BELIEVE THE DIFFERENCE?
Storage Ideas for Laundry Room
Here’s a quick video I made of the space so you could see a 360-degree virtual tour of the room and a close-up of some of the details, too.
And then?
I listed my sources for the space and some of my best organizational tips below.
6 storage ideas for laundry room
1. Baskets
They are the best deal. They come in a set of four baskets for only $22. The baskets are roomy and sturdy and the prettiest color. I love the color of these baskets against the peppercorn.
Here’s what I’m using these rustic baskets to organize:
- coffee and tea for the coffee station
- trash bags and freezer bags
- mason jars
- extra plastic bags from the grocery store
- extra paper goods for parties
I also use one to hold the dog bowls for Buddy’s food and water. The dog bowls fit perfectly inside the bottom and it’s a great way to prevent that shelf from getting dirty.
I’m working on a DIY to add a wood lid to the top of the baskets and I can’t wait to show you.
I also used three baskets on top of the laundry room side.
Here’s what I have stored in here:
- extra props for photoshoots
- extra vases for table settings
- picture hangers and picture easels
2. Laundry supply storage
The washer and dryer are built in because the floor is uneven and we needed a level surface to make sure they worked properly.
There’s also a built-in organizer in the space between the two machines.
I found the PERFECT organizers to use for this space.
They are woven water hyacinth baskets with three compartments for storage. I use them to organize detergent and fabric softener and other laundry supplies.
Quick tip: The bottom of each of these shelves is painted Peppercorn SW 7674. This prevents the bottom of the shelves from looking dirty over time.
3. Storage ideas for the laundry room: Mini sliding barn door
This mini barn door is the perfect way to hide the trash can and keep everything organized.
It slides over to hide the trash can.
And then?
When you need to use the trash can, you just slide it open.
We are also adding a small trash can with a lid here to keep everything we are adding to the composter.
4. Glass canisters
These glass canisters are the perfect way to store loose items in the space. They come in different sizes and they are super affordable.
I have them over on the butler’s pantry side of the laundry room.
Here are a few of the items that I store in them:
- tea packets
- coffee filters
- hot chocolate packets
- popcorn packets (next to the microwave)
- granola bars
5. Laundry containers
Have you seen these vintage-looking laundry containers?
They are the CUTEST.
Truly.
There are several different styles and they are going FAST, so get them while they are available.
The smaller size has different care instructions on the front and the larger size comes with the cutest scoop.
6. Storage ideas for the laundry room: Laundry sorter
I found the perfect solution to get the laundry to the laundry room.
This three-compartment laundry sorter.
It’s on casters and it rolls and has three removable compartments for sorting darks, whites, and delicates. You can lift each of the compartments off the frame and dump the laundry right into the washer.
And it’s so pretty and functional.
The perfect combination.
I cannot thank you ENOUGH for all your help.
My laundry room is updated and organized thanks to each and every one of you. Your suggestions helped me make such a big change with just a can of paint.
And now?
Can I ask one more question?
Do you think I should
a.) paint the rest of it
b.) live with it for a little bit
c.) leave it just as it is
Inquiring laundry room minds want to know. 🙂
PS I just put together a laundry room board for us over on Pinterest.
I am so happy and honored to be part of the BHG Live Better Influencer Network at Walmart.
All opinions are my own.
Please see my disclosure page for more information.
Affiliate links are also used on this post.
Your laundry room is so pretty. I like the dark color on the bottom cabinets. It looks good with the white shelves. It must be such a joy to do your laundry in such a pretty place.
Super duper amazing!! I love the color! The white shelves area. nice contrast, but I bet they would look nice painted too. I am not good at seeing something until its up there! I love all of the accessories too! Great job!
Leave as is. The white shelves with white milk glass is perfection.
I think you should paint them, then the ironstone would show better.
I agree.
I think painting the shelves and the wall behind your milk glass will make it POP! Just like in your living room built in book case. With all the light in there I think it will still be bright. I love it! It's so fresh!
Sorry milk glass
Love the black on bottom white on top ! What if......you painted the tricorn on the wall only where the shelves are leaving actual shelf white? Like the navy in living room on arched built in... like the tricorn could showcase the white ware in pantry Just wondering....;)
I LOVE IT! We just finished a whole house remodel, and I used stained gray cabinetry everywhere. It looks fantastic with everything. I recommend going ahead and painting the washer/dryer cabinet dark gray, but I'm torn on the shelves for your milk glass. Have you thought about doing a color for those? Something subtle, but it would really be an eye-popper with all the milk glass. Do you have any yellow in your house? Maybe a soft yellow?
Love that color Peppercorn!!!! I think you should leave it...I love the contrast of the dark bottom half and uppers lighter 💜 Those baskets are a total steal!!! Everything looks wonderful!
I love the transformation with the darker cabinetry on the bottom. I like the contrast and would probably leave it this way. In the very least, live with it for a while.
If you decide to paint above, I would only paint the back of the shelves (just to show off your beautiful white dishes), and leave the shelves themselves white. However, I think the room looks great, just as it is! What a fun place to do laundry!
I would leave it as it is. I like the dark on the bottom to ground the cabinets, but a dark top might make an already "dirty" task ( yes, pun intended) too dismal.
I think your dishes would pop if the walls were Peppercorn.
I think it looks great! I think it might look too heavy if you paint the upper shelves dark. Very stylish to have light upper shelves and dark lower.
Soooooo nice!! I like the darker color- I would leave the upper shelves (the shelves themselves) white & just paint peppercorn on the wall behind the white plates!
I meant the darker color on the wall behind the plates!!
Love the two tone look with the dark paint on the bottom. On a completely unrelated topic -- if it were me, (and you're not--you are so much more!!) that microwave in the corner would drive me crazy because of the way it opens. I would put the microwave where the coffee cups are to have better access to the microwave. Then rearrange the mugs and kettle toward the center, and put the toaster closer to where the microwave is now.
White shelves with peppercorn walls behind the milk glass.
Good choice! Buddy must love it, too!
Paint the shelves and your white dishes will shine!!!
I would definitely paint the upper shelves as it would be such a nice contrast with your plates. And your tile!
Love it as is. Yes, darker behind the shelves would make the milkglass pop- but sometimes subtle is the way to go and the white on top allows you to change out collections and to add color if you wanted a change.
I'm confused - didn't the post in January ask for opinions on painting the wall behind the dishes, to make the dishes more focal? I like the dark base cabinets on the butler's pantry side, but you didn't resolve the issue of the white dishes fading into the white walls. If you still intend to go with a painted backdrop I think it should be only 25% tint of Peppercorn or you risk the room feel closed in. What are you thinking of for the laundry side? How wide is the room? I personally like the white but I also love to change things up and painting is really so easy, as we all know! Nice job as always!
Looks great, and I like the idea of painting the wall or space behind the dishes so you can see them. Even if you want with the lighter gray. Leave the shelf’s white. You could do just a small part and see what you like that way if it’s not what want you only have a small part to redo..
Love this laundry room. Ordered the laundry canister. So cute! Just moved our laundry from 1st floor to 2nd floor with all of the bedrooms and feel it is the best decision could have made.
I say PAINT! The contrast is perfection! And, I've always loved the mini barn door and storage in baskets you have in there (though HOW do you keep it down to such a minimum in a house with so many folks plus a dog?!?). It looks fabulous!
I like the grey on the cabinet doors but you need some kind of color around your plates or colored plates. Sue
The darker paint behind the dishes would work well. Or a fun graphic wallpaper with some of the darker color in the design. I see large cottage roses . . .
KariAnne, I love the peppercorn more than I expected. I would leave the rest as is, but mix some baskets in with your white plates (perhaps flat baskets behind some of the white) to better connect the upper and lower shelves. Beautiful job as always!
I really like this idea! I can picture it and it looks beautiful.
The laundry room looks great with the painted barn doors and the lower shelving in Peppercorn. But I think you should paint the upper walls in Peppercorn, leaving the upper shelves white. That way the white shelves and all of your milk glass dishes will “pop” and be seen much better. 😊☀️
Magnolia has new wallpaper avx .....would look too cool behind your milk glass. Have you seen Joanna’s paper? I absolutely love the Fox and Hare in black & white. Hard to admire milk glass against a solid white background. Check it out as there are several patterns from which to choose. Lovely laundry room!
Leave it!! It’s so open, bright and cheery. Concerned painting uppers darker, would make the area feel closed in.
I agree that you should leave it as is. Painting behind the plates, etc. would certainly make them pop but I also think it would distract the eye and take away from the soothing look of the all white up there. Almost like the way a pattern can sometimes be too busy and take away from the overall look.
Wow, an amazing change...I vote to go on an paint the rest...
I think I would start with just painting the wall behind the plates, leaving the shelves white. It would make your white dishes pop. Looks great what you have done!
Oh my goodness!! That is perfection!!! The color choice was perfect and I love the way you have it decorated. I could just live in that room!❤️
I vote to leave the top shelves white. I feel that the Peppercorn up top would make the room look top heavy. However, suggestions to paint just the background of the shelves sound reasonable to try. You could pick a small area to paint Peppercorn and live with that for a while. If you do not like, paint it white again.
Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow! Love the color. I think I would leave it as is - at least for a little bit. Did I mention.....WOW!!!!!!!!
I like the look of the white on top and peppercorn on the bottom cabinet! I also like the large rustic baskets and plan to order some for myself!
I would like the shelves painted dark... the white glassware will look better. I would also paint on the laundry room side that wood area the baskets are sitting on,( the one the laundry Co sign hangs on) it would make the whole room cohesive. Pretty color.
BTW, you could just paint part of one shelf to see, no biggie to paint it back if you want.
Most definitely ... paint the walls. As a matter of fact, I thought that was what we were voting on the first time with Peppercorn being my vote. With the floor being white and the light coming in the white ironstone would pop and look so inviting. Finish the job. Go for it!
what do you think about painting the shelves? Would it be too dark for you? I would have thought paint the shelves and leave the cabinets White but now that you've painted the cabinets, it looks good! it's a hard call, but it looks like a big space so it can take some color! Also, have you ever shared a resource for your sign that's got to be one of the cutest laundry signs I've seen! truth be told, whatever you end up doing it's going to be fabulous because you always have the most amazing style and taste!
Looks nice...but I thought we were addressing the space behind the white dishes, I would still like to see something to make them pop out.
Why mess with perfection? I would leave it. Then again, I like a lot of light. Whatever you do will be perfect for you. Although ... maybe some wallpaper that incorporates both colors placed behind the white dishes???
Love the contrast and I would leave it. Too much of the dark would make me feel claustrophobic. With the contrast it just looks bright and full of light. Great job!
I'd paint a piece of cardboard or buy a paint sample foam core board from the paint store and put it behind one or two sections to see if it overwhelms. I love using the foam core boards as they have a place to write all the details and it is so easy to carry to the fabric store or accessory shopping. I keep mine in a small basket in the car. It has saved me soooo many times from having to make a return . I also ask for an extra label when I have paint mixed and put it on the board as well. Love the laundry room. Just beautiful.
It's funny cause I thought you were going to paint the walls behind the pottery/ironstone not the lower cabinets...hmmmmm.... you know to make the pottery pop? Well, my thought is that it needs a pop still...I'm guessing you think that too Karianne ..why not paint at least 2 of the wall panels behind the plates..it would come off like a stripe with the white in between and the shelves staying white..right? kinda cool and it would give that warmth that it needs..there is also the ceiling to add warmth as well. It is a very beautiful room as it is so no need to change anything if that's what you decide BUT....a warmness of a touch of cloud color on the ceiling or behind the shelves would add some depth...or some natural wood to the ceiling plus some paint on the shelves? Your so crafty and designer savvy I'm sure no matter it will look great!
Paint the rest of it! I'm surprising myself by saying this, but it's a small room with lots of light, and I think it would look very dramatic!! Whatever you decide, it's going to look great!!! xoxo
It's the bestest laundry room i have ever seen, i love it.
I love it and I think you should paint the rest of it.. Your collection of white dishes will truly pop against the black.
Live with it awhile. Looks great though!
Leave it! I love the way the peppercorn grounds it and how the whites shelves above let the light in and bounce it around the room. Spectacular.
Paint the walls and leave the shelves white......love everything you do!
Your whiteware would really pop against a darker background.
Leave as it is. The dark on the bottom very grounding. The dark shelves will show dust easier.
Perfect as is! GREAT idea, once again!
Paint the rest; it's beautiful.
Leave it! It looks so lovely now. If later you get bored with it then paint above but for now leave it be - it’s gorgeous!!
Ooo....that makes a big difference. My vote for what to do next? Paint behind the dishes. Right now, even though it looks better, it feels off-balance to me. But that might just be me. You are the best! 😄
Well now I feel just plain foolish. When I voted for Peppercorn I thought it was for the back of the shelving so the milk glass collection would pop! My bad - but not really cuz wow! Looks GREAT! Now that your bottom shelving is painted - I wouldn't paint the rest - it looks great as is - but how about painting the back of the shelving peppercorn??? You could play with photoshop ahead of time by coloring it in to see how it might look - but I bet it looks terrific- bringing all things together. I love the bottoms painted Peppercorn - what a fabulous change! Well done, KA!!!
You need to paint (Peppercorn) so the dishes POP!!!
Love the baskets and the laundry containers...but oh my...I about cried when I saw the dark cabinets. Your laundry room always lifted my spirits it was so bright and cheery and just amazing! It's not bright and cheery now. Waaaaa!!! I remember the "jewel tones" of late 80's early 90's. Sadly the colors are making a come back as "moody". Very, very moody.
I would cut some pieces of poster board the size of the wall behind the dishes, Paint that....stick it up there for a while and see if you like the effect. It would certainly set off your dishes. But, I wouldn't paint the shelves, dust shows more are darker surfaces. Just paint the posterboard between the shelves and live with that first.
I know I'm late to the discussion, but I'd paint behind the shelves peppercorn, and leave the shelves white.