How to Set Up an Efficient Laundry Room

I have to be honest, one of the last things on my list was our laundry closet upstairs. The house didn’t come with a washer and dryer pair, so we were planning to use an older set from a family friend. Aside from outdated appliances, I also came to the conclusion that we’d be forever stuck with these dated accordion style doors. The upstairs hallway was just going to be blah. With so many other rooms to work on, this wasn’t a huge priority…boy was I wrong.

You don’t realize how much of an impact a hallway can have on the flow of your space. Brandon and I will likely spend the majority of our time upstairs. Not only do I do laundry at least 2 times a week (lots of stinky workout gear) but we also walk through this hallway every single morning and evening -and for me it’s even more since I work from home! After just a few days of walking by the eyesore that was the laundry closet, I made the decision it was time for an update.

We decided on the LG Electronics 4.5 cu.ft. Ultra Large Capacity Front Load Washer with Steam and Wi-Fi Connectivity in Graphite Steel and the LG Electronics 7.4 cu.ft. Ultra Large Capacity Electric Dryer with Sensor Dry, Turbo Steam and Wi-Fi Connectivity in Graphite Steel. I.e. the future of laundry.

Let me start with the washer. The ultra-large capacity (4.5 cu.ft.) tub lets you do more laundry in fewer loads -which, hello, is a dream. The best part? The SmartThinQ technology. Gone are the days of waiting around and running up and down the stairs to check how much time you have left. The SmartThinQ technology allows you to literally track your loads of laundry from your phone. You can also start a load of wash with a simple voice command, since LG SmartThinQ appliances work with the Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. I mean, how is this not the coolest thing you’ve ever heard of?

The dryer is pretty amazing too! The TrueSteam Technology generates real steam to reduce wrinkles and odors, and practically eliminates the need for ironing. And let’s be real, nothing is worse than pulling clothes out of the dryer and finding they’re still damp. The Sensor Dry system measures the moisture levels during the cycle and automatically adjusts the drying time to help ensure you get dry laundry every time. My favorite feature is LG’s SpeedDry Cycle. You can can have clothes dry in just 15 minutes!

Next up, I tackled the design. I knew I wanted the space to feel modern and fresh. This area gets a lot of foot traffic and I knew I wanted it to mesh well with the reading nook in the middle of the hallway. I have always wanted barn doors and knew immediately that would be the first change. The accordion doors just weren’t cutting it. They seemed dated and bland and didn’t go with our modern meets minimal decor throughout the house. These Bright White MDF K Frame Interior Barn Door Slab doors with the By-Passing Hook Strap Black Rolling Barn Door Hardware Kit were the perfect solution. Not only do the doors add an awesome design element but the functionality is great for loading and unloading laundry! It’s crazy how a pair of doors can instantly elevate the look and feel of your space. The entire hallway just looks so much more modern.

Once we had the doors and appliances installed, I wanted to add a few accessory pieces to add more personality to the space. We started with this gorgeous turquoise rug for a pop of color. I love neutrals but Brandon had been asking for more color throughout the house. This was our compromise! I love the shades of blue and think it goes perfectly with the gray walls and carpet.

Storage and organization was another priority for me. Because we don’t have a dedicated laundry room, I needed to maximize the space we did have. The key was to find pieces that were functional but could also double as decor.

We installed a floating shelf lined with storage bins for our iron, steamer and detergent and then added a few wicker baskets to hold towels and linens for guests. I’ve always wanted a laundry sorter so this linen basket trio was perfect for our whites, colors and towels. I just lift a basket, take it to the washing machine and dump it in. So easy. And for Brandon’s workout clothes (why do boys sweat so much more than girls???), I added this adorable wicker elephant basket. He can throw his sweaty clothes in there as soon as he gets upstairs without mixing them with our dry dirty laundry. And, well, the basket is super cute and adds a little personality to the space!

I am so happy with how the project turned out. The space has totally transformed! This is proof that you don’t have to make big changes to get big results!