Laundry rooms are notoriously cheerless spaces, but with all the extra laundry you’re doing in this era of COVID-19? Chances are you’re spending more time in the laundry room than ever before.
 

We wanted to help you make your laundry room a brighter and better space, so we called in a few expert designers. Here are six easy projects you can tackle during quarantine to transform your laundry room.
 

1. Upgrade your overhead lighting

“Fluorescent lighting tends to give a harsh, industrial look to a room,” says Lauren Noel of the home decor site Love Remodeled.


“Laundry rooms are often a neglected area where little touches make a big difference," she adds. "Upgrading your light fixture and changing the bulb to an LED can give the space a sense of character, while adding the visual benefit of a softer glow in the room.”

Soften your laundry room lighting with this Dupre drum pendant from Wayfair.
 

2. Rethink your storage bins

“Purchasing storage bins that fit both your needs and your style is a simple way to give your laundry room the look you want,” says Noel.

“Laundry rooms can feel cold and impersonal, but they don't have to—you can completely change the feeling of the space by incorporating unique touches.”

Noel recommends snagging a few cute cloth laundry bins, like these Honey-Can-Do Hampers from Bed Bath & Beyond, and then adding in some decorative canisters like these glass jars, to store laundry products.
 

3. Create space with a folding station

If your current folding station is the kitchen table, it’s time to upgrade to a place where you can actually organize your clothes—without getting in the way of dinner.

“Building a drop-down folding station is a simple project that will go a long way in terms of functionality,” says the designer Lanna Ali-Hassan, of Beyond the Box Interiors.

“Fold your clothes straight out of the dryer, rather than lugging a laundry basket around your home and losing clothes along the way."

Feeling really inspired? Dress up the bottom of the folding station with wallpaper, so that it becomes a design element in its upright position, she suggests.
 

4. Get a fresh new look with repainted cabinets

Here's another easy way to transform your laundry room from a dingy basement suite into a room you actually enjoy: Give your cabinets a fresh coat of paint.

“Repainting tired cabinets instantly brightens a room, and gives it a clean look,” Noel says.

You can go the traditional route of sanding, priming, and painting your cabinets with latex paint, or for something a little bolder, try chalk paint, Noel suggests. Chalk paint is great for small projects like laundry room cabinets, because no prep work is required.
 

5. Add a space-saving drying rack

Need more space to hang-dry clothes, but tired of those ugly wire hangers? This DIY drying rack might just be the perfect project.

“An even better solution is a fold-down drying rack that only takes up space when it's in use," says Ali-Hassan.

Just be sure you’re installing the rack in an area that’s easily accessible, but also out of the way when it's folded down.
 

6. Get organized with a custom countertop

“If you’re feeling especially handy, installing a countertop over the top of your washer and dryer is an excellent way to eliminate otherwise wasted space,” says Ali-Hassan.

“The extra countertop space gives you a multipurpose area where you can fold clothes, store detergent, and even treat stained clothing prior to washing.”

Check out this step-by-step DIY to get started.