Laundry Cupboards … Decluttered, Cleaned and Organised in less than One Hour!

 

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Despite the fact that I’m normally very organised, my laundry cupboard has definitely been in need of some tender loving care. I previously kept all of my laundry needs and products in a single cupboard, which had just been ignored completely and was totally out of control. It had become too easy for myself and other family members to simply toss things anywhere and here’s what it ended up looking like:

 

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Slightly embarrassing but just keeping it real … time to regain control!

 

My laundry was actually not a bad size but we decided, about 5 years, ago to reinvent the space to become a shared laundry and office. Some clever storage and design has seen this space work really well and I’ll share photos of the whole room in another blog post. The laundry now only occupies one small corner of the room but what it lacks in size it makes up for in functionality. And because it is a small space, it’s vitally important that it’s organised and efficient.

 

So, why is it important to organise this space?

 

Very few people love doing their washing but it’s one of those jobs we have to do on a fairly regular basis. The penalty for not doing it regularly is dirty, smelly clothes, towels and linen in piles that only get bigger. It will also create frustration for yourself and other family members when needed clothing isn’t washed, ironed and ready to go. My goal is to do it as quickly and efficiently as possible and I can only do that if everything I need is at my fingertips and can be found when I need it.

 

So this weekend, I rolled up my sleeves and got on top of the clutter and mess. Here is the simple process I used which might work for you also:

 

  • Plan! Before you even start, plan the space. Think about what items and products you need to store in this space and how you can do it to make the most of the space.

 

  • Buy or find your storage supplies. Gather up baskets/shelving/containers that you might already have at home. If you don’t have suitable items, measure the space and hit the shops to grab what you need.

 

  • Allocate enough time to do the job. You want to start it and finish it! Ideally, find some time when no-one else is at home so that you have no distractions and can focus on what you’re doing.

 

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  • Empty the cupboard/s. Take everything out so you start with a clear, empty space. I’ve previously tried leaving everything in the cupboard as I sorted and cleaned by simply shuffling things around. It can be done but it takes so much longer.

 

  • Clean the cupboard/s. Grab the gumption and make that cupboard sparkle. Leave it to air dry for a little while so you don’t promote the growth of mould … YUK!

 

  • Declutter, declutter, declutter. Before you even consider repacking the cupboard, go through the cleaning supplies you have. If there are products that you haven’t used in at least 12 months, chances are you don’t need it … throw it out! If you have multiple, half-filled bottles of the same product, condense them into the least number of bottles possible and throw out the empty bottles. Also get rid of any products you don’t like. If you’ve tried a particular product and were unhappy with it, chances are you’ll never use it so throw it out or give it to someone who you know uses it … keeping unused or unwanted products means they are only taking up valuable space.

 

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  • Store and repack. Place your baskets/containers in the cupboard and now store similar items together. Baskets are great because they help prevent bottles from falling over and potentially leaking. I keep my basic cleaning supplies in a caddy with a handle in the cupboard directly above the laundry tub. I can either use only one or two items or carry the entire caddy to another room … it’s super handy. In a separate plastic basket, in the cupboard under the laundry tub, I keep products that are used less frequently as well as a spare of regularly-used products. Keeping a spare means I’ll never run out just when I need something and also gives me the opportunity to buy these items when they are on sale and save some money. My washing powder I buy in bulk so I keep the large box in the cupboard and a smaller container with some powder on the bench directly on top of the machine, which is more accessible, saves me time and saves my back from constantly bending. This is the only product though that I keep on the bench because keeping the benches as clear as possible makes cleaning them much quicker.

 

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  • Create additional storage. If space is limited, consider buying some “over the cupboard” baskets. I have one on each cupboard door. The first one stores spare clothes, sponges and Enjo cleaning mits. The second one stores lingerie washing bags, a small sewing kit for quick repairs and Sunlight soap to use in the laundry tub for spot cleaning. Alternatively, create extra storage space by installing additional shelving like I did in the cupboard under my kitchen sink. You can read more about that here.

 

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  • Maintain an organised, tidy cupboard. Now that you’ve done all this hard work, get in the habit of returning things to their new “home” and cleaning and tidying this cupboard once a month … this should only take you 5 minutes.

 

A quick note about safety in the laundry: our laundries contain a multitude of chemicals. If you have babies, toddlers or small children living in or visiting your home, either keep all your cleaning products in an overhead cupboard or ensure that accessible cupboards have a suitable child safety lock attached.

 

Once I had all my storage baskets, this little project took less than an hour to complete and the end result is decluttered, clean and organised cupboards storing only the items I need.

 

So tell me, is your laundry cupboard tidy and neat or does it get out of control like mine did?

 

Comments

  1. Hehe well the embarrassing thing is that I thought that the first pic was the neat “after” one! 😛 I’m definitely not showing mine 😉