Easy Eco-Friendly Laundry Room Organization Ideas
- Olga Shavrina
- May 4
- 6 min read
Updated: 10 hours ago
If you’re reading this, then you know how easily laundry rooms get messy — and even thinking about it makes your eye twitch. The good news? There’s a way to organize it sustainably, reduce stress, and help the planet.
What makes a laundry room more sustainable and better organized? Minimizing plastic, choosing durable eco-friendly materials, reusing and refilling wherever possible, and opting for space-saving, multipurpose racks and shelves.
Let’s dive into concrete, practical tips to make your laundry room not only organized, but also planet-friendly and full of positive energy.
Tip 1: Choose Sustainable Hampers and Baskets
Organic cotton, jute, bamboo, rattan, or even paper rope clothes hampers are an excellent choice for a sustainable laundry room. They’re breathable, attractive, lightweight, and long-lasting. Many are collapsible, so they can be easily stored when not in use.
If space allows, consider using two or more hampers—or double baskets—for separating colored and white laundry, or normal and delicate pieces. It’s convenient, allows clothes to breathe, and makes the room more organized.
Round or square? I personally prefer square baskets to maximize space, but if you have plenty of room, round ones can be a great option too.
What Sustainable Materials Make Sense for a Laundry Room?
First of all 👉 there’s bamboo — an excellent material for shelves, racks, organizers, stools, and even baskets and hampers. When responsibly cultivated, it’s a perfect renewable resource: it grows quickly, reduces pressure on land, and has natural antibacterial properties, making it a great choice for a laundry room we want to keep clean and safe.
Second 👉 metal, such as stainless steel or aluminum. While these materials aren’t fully sustainable (their production is energy-intensive, relies heavily on mining, and generates significant carbon emissions), they are 100% recyclable, meaning they can be melted down and reused indefinitely (steel, aluminum). They’re also highly durable and can last for decades, making steel and aluminum products a much better choice for drying racks, shelves, folding tables, and hangers than plastic ones, which often end up in landfills.
Third 👉 glass, which is not a fully sustainable material either, as its production is very energy-intensive. Additionally, sand — the main ingredient — can be sourced in ways that harm the environment.
That said, glass is fully recyclable (source), non-toxic, durable, and potentially long-lasting. This makes it a great material for jars with eco-friendly laundry detergent or spray bottles for cleaning solutions.
Fourth 👉 natural fibers such as organic cotton, jute, rattan, etc., are considered more sustainable than synthetic ones. They are renewable, require less energy to produce, are biodegradable and compostable, and don’t contribute to microplastic pollution. This makes them ideal for laundry baskets, rags, storage bins, or wall organizers for towels, dryer sheets, and cleaning supplies. However, their sustainability largely depends on farming practices. Overuse of water, deforestation, and toxic pesticides can offset their environmental benefits.
Tip 2: Use Space-Saving Drying Racks
There’s nothing wrong with classic stainless steel or aluminum drying racks (I’ve had mine for over 10 years, and it still works just fine). But if you’re looking to buy a new one, consider other interesting options that may be even more sustainable, attractive, and space-saving.
Wall-mounted racks in various types and shapes can be a great idea for small laundry rooms. They take up no floor space and can be easily expanded when needed — making a real difference. Just make sure the racks are durable and high quality. Ideally, avoid cheap plastic parts and paint that can crack and lead to rust.
My recent personal discovery is a bamboo wall-mounted drying rack — it takes up zero space and looks like stylish wall decor when not in use.
Tip 3: Install Wall-Mounted Shelves
Compact wall-mounted shelves in various types and shapes are a smart solution for a laundry room. To keep things as sustainable as possible, opt for bamboo, steel, or aluminum options. A laundry room can be more than just a place to do laundry — it can also serve as a storage area or even a small workspace. That’s why choosing the right shelves and using space efficiently is essential.
One thing I pay a lot of attention to is the ability to keep the floor clean. Laundry rooms deal with a lot of fabric, which produces dust quickly. That dust is hard to clean from corners under the shelves, so whenever possible, I choose wall-mounted shelves that make it easy to clean underneath. They keep the floor both clean and accessible.
I recently discovered something interesting — a magnetic shelf that attaches to the side of a washing machine, just like it would to a fridge. If your machine doesn’t “dance” too much (mine used to :)), it’s a great option for organizing laundry supplies.
Tip 4. Choose a Slightly Better Ironing Board
What do we hate about an ironing board?
Well, everything!It’s ugly, bulky, heavy, unstable, takes up lots of space, is always buried under a pile of clothes, or takes up half a shelf. It breaks easily, and every time you move to a new place, you choose to leave it behind, buy a new one, and end up with the same clumsy monster that ends up in a landfill within a few years.
The good news? There are some alternatives. They're not particularly sustainable, but they're a bit better — more stable, less clumsy, easier to set up, don’t take over the whole laundry room, and some can even be taken on vacation.
Tip 5: Opt for Refillable Storage Jars
The laundry room is a place for detergent pods, dryer sheets, powders, scent boosters, cleaning solutions, dryer balls, and all sorts of small, crumbly, and loose items that need to be stored, kept closed, but easily accessible. An ideal solution for this would be glass or metal jars and containers. Glass jars and bottles usually come with bamboo, cork, or glass lids, while metal ones are typically made entirely of stainless steel or aluminum, sometimes with wooden handles.
A benefit of glass jars is their transparency — you can clearly see what’s inside and how soon it will run out. Metal containers are more durable and safer, especially if kids or pets have access to the laundry room (which is generally not recommended).
I wouldn’t use jars made of bamboo for laundry detergents or other active substances, for obvious reasons. However, for organizing dryer balls, clothespins, and pegs, they can be a great choice.
Tip 5: Organize with Smart Organizers
There’s no such thing as too much organization. Maybe I’m an organizing geek (though I don’t consider myself one — there are definitely way crazier people out there), but I love having functional and useful organization systems. As someone who lived in rented apartments for a long time, I know the struggle of empty walls and oversized shelves with no thoughtful storage — especially for small items.
When it comes to the laundry room, you need to store a variety of things — from washing detergents to different fabrics and even tools that go beyond laundry. Rattan baskets of all shapes and sizes, cotton wall-mounted organizers, and bamboo desk organizers can all do the job. I personally prefer natural materials, simple forms, and multipurpose designs — they’re not only beautiful but also practical and more sustainable.
Check out these additional smart items that can be handy in a laundry room — they help organize tools, save space, and prolong the life of your clothes:
What Else Can I Do to Make My Laundry Room More Eco-Friendly?
Use eco-friendly, plastic-free detergents.
Opt for an energy-efficient washer.
Air dry when possible — it’s more sustainable than using a dryer, uses no electricity, reduces carbon emissions, and extends the lifespan of clothing.
Add a lint filter to your drain — it prevents microplastics from reaching waterways.
Use wool dryer balls — they’re reusable and help cut drying time.
Collect greywater — reuse rinse water for cleaning or watering plants.
Use a smart power strip or plug — it cuts off standby energy use.
Ready to transform your laundry room? Start with one small swap today — and enjoy a cleaner, greener space!
#️⃣ Tags: Bamboo products, Green cleaning
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