You don’t need a large room for a functional, efficient and stylish laundry.
The Bunnings Workshop community have shared many inspiring ways to make the best use of limited space in their laundry. Get ideas from the projects members have shared.
1. Use the walls
Walls and ceilings are often overlooked, but additions like open shelves, drying rails and wall cabinets can help add storage, adding that they can be paired with an integrated rail for drying clothes. Bunnings Workshop member @Nkbarfield used hanging rails and a floating shelf to build a space-saving drying and laundry storage solution for under $250.
See how @DoSimpleBetter added Pine shelves to a small European laundry.
2. Install built-in laundry chutes and hampers
Laundry chutes or hampers can store and conceal dirty clothes, providing valuable floor and benchtop space compared to using a laundry basket. Community member @Jesse1 installed a flat pack laundry chute in her laundry makeover with bamboo benchtop.
@Christie78 also built pull-out drawers for dirty baskets next to the washing machine in her laundry makeover using Kaboodle cabinetry, showing how hidden basket storage can free up floor space in a small laundry.
3. Place appliances strategically
Positioning your washing machine and dryer under a bench is usually a good use of space as it allows for more working area. But you can also consider stacking your appliances, using an anti-vibration mat between machines for quiet operation. Member @housetohome raised the washer and dryer and added deep drawers underneath to create more storage in their popular farmhouse laundry project, and inspired @RenoRach1 for a Queenslander laundry transformation.
See how @GennavievePerry maximised bench space by reframing an existing wardrobe to fit the washer and dryer neatly beneath the benchtop in a laundry transformation with large benchtop.
4. Opt for smaller sinks
Use a small, deep sink instead of a traditional laundry tub in a small laundry. In her budget laundry renovation, @Renowayoflife removed a traditional standalone laundry tub and replaced it with a drop-in sink on a timber countertop, creating a large work space.
@Sandra26 removed an old large laundry tub to make the room more functional and add storage in her mini laundry makeover, replacing it with a single-bowl sink and fold-away clothes racks.
5. Replace the door
Traditional swinging doors can take up valuable space. Considering replacing with a sliding door to maximise the usable area in your laundry room like the sliding barn door by @Hansi.
In compact laundry renovation with storage, @Skip75 replaced a hinged internal door with a cavity slider, which enabled more usable wall space and made the room feel larger. You can also consider utilising the back of the laundry room door with over-the-door organisers or hooks for storing ironing boards, irons and other accessories.
6. Install a benchtop
A benchtop over front-loading appliances can create valuable working space without increasing the footprint of your laundry. It gives you somewhere to fold clothes, sort washing and place baskets, while helping the room feel more streamlined and organised. See how @dinaandjake created more room for a dryer and extra workspace by installing a cut-to-size Merbau benchtop in their laundry renovation for more benchspace.
In their tiny laundry makeover on a budget, @dchur added a benchtop to a 1.5m by 1.8m apartment laundry, cutting it to fit neatly around a column and sink.
7. Include a tall cupboard
In a compact laundry, a tall cupboard can store brooms, mops, ironing boards and other bulky items vertically instead of leaving them leaning in corners. Even a single full-height cabinet can free up floor space and make the room feel much tidier. See how member @Marie1302 included a broom cupboard as part of her laundry makeover using Kaboodle cabinets.
@Hotwheelsnz used tall utility storage in a garage laundry makeover.
8. Turn narrow gaps into storage
Small laundries often have awkward spaces beside appliances or between cabinets that are easy to waste. Slim shelves, narrow pull-outs and custom storage can make these gaps work harder without crowding the room. Community member @ourcountrycoast built D.I.Y. pull-out drying racks in just 250mm of space.
@cindyh68 made the most of a slim leftover space in her laundry renovation with overhead storage by adding a narrow cupboard for items such as a hand-held vacuum.
9. Consider a washer-dryer combo
If your laundry footprint is especially tight, a washer-dryer combo can be worth considering. That extra space can be used for storage or a longer benchtop. In a country bathroom and laundry renovation, @rjackson utilised a large washer/dryer and cut a benchtop to accomodate.
@Christie78 also used a multi-function machine in her laundry makeover using Kaboodle cabinetry.
10. Include a built-in ironing board
A built-in ironing board that folds or slides away when not in use can save valuable floor space in a small laundry. Keeping the ironing station close to your benchtop can also improve efficiency when folding and sorting clothes. Workshop member @selva used the narrow space above her washing machine to create a pull-out ironing board in a laundry makeover with rattan cupboards.
@trish22 incorporated a built-in Robinhood Deluxe Ironing Centre alongside slimline cabinetry in her tiny functional laundry using Kaboodle cupboards project.
More advice and inspiration for renovating your laundry
Check out How to plan a laundry renovation by experienced renovator @Adam_W and Small laundry design ideas by the Bunnings team for more renovation and space-saving tips.
Our Top 10 most popular laundry projects and 10 ways to transform your laundry contain more ideas from Bunnings Workshop community members.
