10 Small Laundry Closet Ideas for Apartments That Look Like Part of the Home
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This post shows you the 10 best small laundry closet ideas for apartments!
Plenty of apartment laundry closets come with one wire shelf and a door that never closes right. That’s the whole design.
I’ve put together 10 small laundry closet ideas for apartments, from doors and counters to paint and lighting.
All of them work with the hookups you already have, and none of them need the closet gutted.
If you have a bigger laundry space, my small apartment laundry room ideas cover that too.
Start with the door, since it’s the first thing anyone sees.
Hide it behind bifold doors
credit: Paul Raeside
Open laundry closets get seen every time someone walks past. Bifold doors fix that, and they fold back instead of swinging out, so a tight hallway stays clear.
I like this one for narrow apartments.
Paint them the wall color and they read like a plain wall with handles.
Swap in slatted bifold doors
Solid doors look cleaner, but a shut closet with a running dryer inside gets warm and damp.
Slatted doors let air move even when they’re closed.
Pick a wood tone and it reads like furniture instead of a utility space.
Check how your dryer vents before you close anything in.
Stack it and build a shelf tower
Stacking puts both machines on one side and hands the other wall back.
A tall, narrow shelf fits there, floor to ceiling, since nothing else needs that space.
I’d start here for a very narrow closet.
Not every pair can be stacked, so check the manual for a stacking kit before buying anything.
Lay a butcher block over the machines
This one only works over front-loaders, since a top-loader’s lid needs room to open.
A butcher block gives you a spot to fold the second a load finishes.
Seal the wood, since a laundry closet gets damp.
Leave a gap behind it for the water shutoffs and hoses, or make the top removable so you can reach the back.
Mount a modular wall system
credit: IKEA
What do you do with a wall that’s too narrow for cabinets? Rail systems hang shelves, baskets and a drying bar straight on the wall above the machines.
The pieces slide to new spots when the closet changes.
Drilling is still drilling, so read the lease before the first hole.
Hang a fold-down wall table
No legs, nothing standing in the way once it’s folded.
A wall-mounted table drops flat when you need it and swings back against the wall when you don’t, which matters when the closet has no spare floor.
Measure how far it sticks out when it’s open, because it still has to clear the door.
Screw it into studs, not just drywall, and check the weight rating first. A locking support arm keeps it from dropping when someone leans on it.
Hang a rack on the back of the door
The back of a closet door is the one wall in there nobody has used yet. An over-the-door rack puts detergent and sprays at hand level, so nothing sits on top of the machines.
This one’s my favorite for renters, since nothing gets drilled.
Check how much room there is between the door and the machines before you buy, because a deep rack will stop the door from closing.
It only works on a swing door, so skip it if you went with bifolds. More small-space fixes like this are in my small apartment bedroom storage ideas.
Peel-and-stick wallpaper on the back wall
Wallpaper only the wall above the machines. That’s all most people will see, and one stretch of wall takes very little paper.
Peel-and-stick skips the paint, which a lot of rentals don’t allow. A subtle, light print also brightens a closet with no window.
Wipe the wall clean and smooth first, because paper bubbles on a dirty or damp wall.
Closets get humid, so look for vinyl or coated paper, and test one strip before you commit to the whole wall.
Paint it moody dark
Everyone paints the laundry closet white, and it ends up looking like a hallway cupboard.
This is the one closet where charcoal or deep navy can go, since the doors stay shut most of the day.
Add a warm bulb or it turns into a cave.
Satin or semi-gloss wipes clean and flat paint doesn’t, and dark colors show lint fast.
Paint the inside of the door too, so a bright door doesn’t fight the walls. Dark over white takes a few coats, and a rental usually needs the landlord’s yes.
Hang string lights across the ceiling
Plenty of laundry closets run on one bare bulb. A string of lights across the ceiling adds a second, softer light source.
I’d try this first in a dim closet.
Use LED strings, since the dryer already warms the space and LEDs run cooler than regular bulbs.
Pick warm white, because cool white reads like an office.
Hang them on removable adhesive hooks so nothing gets nailed in, and keep them clear of the dryer vent and any hot surface.
FAQ
What are the best compact washer and dryer sets for a small laundry closet?
Stackable sets save the most floor space, and a washer-dryer combo is one machine that does both jobs. Combos usually take longer to dry and hold smaller loads, so they suit a closet with room for only one machine. Measure the door opening and check your hookups before you buy either.
How do I organize cleaning supplies in a small laundry closet?
Keep what you use every week at hand height, and push backups to the top shelf. A door rack or a small bin per type of product keeps spray bottles from rolling around. Keep detergent pods and cleaners where kids and pets can’t reach them.
Does a laundry closet need ventilation?
Yes. A closet with a running dryer gets warm and damp, and moisture can lead to musty smells and mold. Slatted doors or leaving the doors open while the dryer runs both help. Check how your dryer vents before you close anything in.
Where can I buy a foldable drying rack for a small laundry closet?
Home improvement stores, IKEA, The Container Store and big online retailers all carry them. Wall-mounted racks that fold flat are the best fit for a narrow closet, and over-the-door racks work when you can’t drill. Check the folded depth against your closet first.
What lighting works for a small laundry closet?
LED stick-on lights or a strip above the machines work without wiring, which is good for a rental. Warm white feels cozy, and a brighter neutral white helps you spot stains. Keep lights clear of the dryer vent and any hot surface.
Nobody needs all ten. A door and one good shelf already change how a closet looks, and the paint, wallpaper and lights can wait until the rest works.
Take a photo of the closet with the door open, then pick the idea that fixes the part you keep looking away from.
This post showed you the 10 best small laundry closet ideas for apartments that look like part of the home.