Ever since my daughter Courtney moved into her apartment last year, we’ve talked about how charming and efficient her laundry area could be with a few simple additions. Her laundry “room” is actually a small closet with louvered doors, but she’s fortunate to have her own washer and dryer right in the unit.
One afternoon we decided to make it happen. We went to HomeGoods and picked up a few items to transform the closet: a small rug, a couple of art canvases, a wall rack for supplies, and shoe-organizer pockets to hold detergents and other products. We also used a few pieces we already had on hand.
We installed the wall rack, hung the art, added the rug, and slid the shoe pockets over the closet door. In just a few hours we had a neat, attractive space that makes doing laundry feel less like a chore. The makeover was complete before dinner.
I believe in keeping projects simple so they don’t feel overwhelming. If you have a larger room to organize, break the work into smaller, manageable tasks. Completing each small step builds momentum and makes the overall task much more enjoyable.
I remember when our laundry was in a closet while the kids were little. At the time it felt like the only way to keep things tidy was to do laundry every day — which was not realistic. I used to shove dirty clothes into that closet and avoid the chore altogether. Over time I learned that actually doing the laundry was less stressful than letting it pile up. A little routine can make a big difference.
Do you have a small space you could organize and beautify this week?
You might recognize this laundry closet from my new book Simple Organizing, which focuses on getting the most out of the space you have — whether you live in an apartment or a house. The goal is to make each area of your home prettier, tidier and more functional with manageable changes.
Take a tour of Courtney’s apartment to see more of the space and follow her Instagram for occasional updates and ideas.
