$325 Laundry Room Closet Makeover (DIY Shelves + Folding Table)
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Have you ever opened a closet and immediately felt overwhelmed because nothing had a place? That was our laundry closet. Wire shelves were sagging, bifold doors stole precious inches, and there wasn’t a single spot to fold a shirt.
When both of our stackable units quit in the same week so we finally had a reason to start fresh and create a space that actually works!
Key Takeaways for a Budget Laundry Room Makeover
- Fresh paint or wallpaper can instantly update the look without overwhelming a small space.
- A new light fixture brightens the room and adds style while staying on budget.
- A countertop over the washer and dryer creates folding space and a spot to store baskets.
- Wall-mounted drying racks save floor space and offer extra hanging room when needed.
- A slim rolling cart turns unused inches into smart storage for detergents and small essentials.
- Decorative accents like rugs, baskets, art, and glass jars make the room feel welcoming.
We swapped to side-by-side machines, added a folding table, and built sturdy wood shelves above the washer and dryer.
The footprint stayed the same, yet the function improved dramatically.
The best part?
This makeover, minus new appliances, came in under $325!
Small Laundry Room Makeover
Let’s take a look step by step how we accomplished this perfect laundry room makeover without spending a ton of money!
1) Remove or Replace the Closet Doors
Those bifold doors stole almost five inches of depth, so we removed them and instantly gained usable space.
Prefer doors?
A sliding barn door saves space and adds style—see our sliding barn door installation, double barn door tutorial, and bathroom barn door option for ideas.
2) Clear Out Old Shelving and Patch
We removed the wire shelving and brackets, filled the holes, and primed the walls so new paint would lay smooth.
If you remove doors, pop off the hardware, patch, and paint the trim for a crisp edge that looks intentional and finished.
3) Choose a Light, Fresh Paint Color
We painted the closet Sherwin-Williams Sea Salt, a soft green that shifts with the light.
Lighter colors make small spaces feel open and calm, and this shade brought the airy vibe I wanted.
If you do have stackables, check out our basement laundry room makeover for layout ideas.
4) Add Sturdy Shelves Above the Machines
My dad and I built simple wood shelves from plywood and pine in an afternoon, and the difference was immediate.
Everything finally had a home, which made daily pickup faster and far less frustrating. Want to build the same shelves?
Here’s the full tutorial: DIY wooden laundry shelves.
Not up for a full DIY build right now?
Inexpensive wire shelving can be installed quickly and still clears your counters, which is half the battle in a tiny closet.
5) Build a Folding Table You’ll Use
Having a folding surface right in the closet changed our routine for the better, because clothes no longer land on the couch for “later.”
We used plywood for the top since it was budget-friendly and fast, though butcher block would be beautiful if you’re going for a furniture look.
If you want the function without a full DIY build, add a countertop above the washer and dryer.
It gives you a sturdy, wipeable surface for folding (game changer!) and a tidy place to park laundry baskets when they’re off duty.
The bonus?
Precut countertops made for this setup are widely available, so installation is quick and simple.
- Dedicated folding space that keeps clothes off the couch
- Out-of-the-way storage for baskets between loads
- Precut options fit most machines for easier installation
Want a ready-made option?
Look for “precut laundry countertops” sized to your machines, or pair a laminate or butcher block top with simple cleats/brackets on the wall for extra support.
Laundry Room Decor and Organization
Baskets and bins keep visual clutter down so the shelves look calm rather than chaotic. Nothing fancy, just smart containers sized to fit your everyday items. Here’s what worked for us:
- Hyacinth baskets for bulk items and paper goods
- Wire baskets for grab-and-go supplies
- Small wicker baskets for clothespins and stain sticks
- Glass jars for pods, clips, and dryer sheets
- Collapsible hampers tucked beside the washer
- White lazy Susan so bottles don’t get lost in the back
- Wall-mounted grocery bag holder for those extras that never seem to have a home
Paper towels fit perfectly in the hyacinth baskets, six rolls per basket which makes restocking quick and tidy.
The lazy Susan is another small upgrade that feels surprisingly helpful, because everything is reachable with one spin. Simple wins add up, don’t they?
Small Laundry Room Makeover: Finishing Touches
We added a couple of lighthearted laundry signs for charm and a framed dog saying that came from my grandmother.
Those personal touches make a utility space feel like part of the home rather than a catch-all.
Do you have a sentimental piece that would make your laundry nook feel more you?
When the old machines broke, it felt like awful timing. Looking back, it nudged us to create a laundry area that functions well and actually feels pleasant to use.
Every inch now works, and the budget stayed under $325 for shelving, the folding table, paint, baskets, and accessories. Not bad for a tiny closet that used to be a headache!
Want the exact finds? Shop our laundry room here on our Amazon Storefront.
Meet Jessica
What started as a hobby, Jessica’s blog now has millions of people visit yearly and while many of the projects and posts look and sound perfect, life hasn’t always been easy. Read Jessica’s story and how overcoming death, divorce and dementia was one of her biggest life lessons to date.
I love it! I really love the sign, I need that!
Marie
Thank you Marie. You find the sign at Home Goods!
Jessica, Looks fabulous! Love the shelving and the wire basket with the sign. The paper towel holder is a great idea. I would get one but we never seem to have more than 1 or 2 paper towel rolls at a time. They disappear as soon as they come in the house! Such a nice touch with your Grandmother’s framed dog saying.
Your comment made me bust out laughing Nancy about the paper towels! It happens here also…..I just happened to go shopping before I took these pics so they were nice and full! ha. Hope all is well!
Love the color – very fresh and clean looking space. We are in the process of updating our laundry room as well… Can’t wait for it to be done.
Best
Chernee
Good luck on your re-do! Fun!
Nice space out of very little room! Very nice!
Thank you Susan. I actually like this little space now 🙂
Looks great! I love the thick shelves and color on the walls.
Lucky you that you have such a great space to fold laundry! Maybe it’ll make it more bearable. 🙂
Betsy
haha I hope so Betsy 🙂
I love, love your laundry makeover!
Also – when I clicked on the link to Tidy Mom, it took me to an ‘adult’ advertising site!
Yeah… Me too!
I know Denise, I fixed the link . UGH. I got the wrong extension. Thanks so much for stopping by!
Beautiful job! I love the wire basket on the wall and the shelves are perfection!
Thank you Anne! Hope all is well 🙂
Your laundry room makeover looks great! Like the signs. Just thought you might want to know that the ‘tidy mom’ link goes to a porn site….at least it did for me, when I clicked on it.
I love what you did with the space Jess! I thought I would love my front loaders on the pedestal/drawers – because of the extra storage, and it makes the machines at a height so I don’t have to bend over —but it makes it harder for me to fold on top AND I can’t reach the shelves over them.
Love the color you chose too!
Thank you Cheryl! I almost ordered the pedestals b/c I love the look of them but then decided I wanted a folding station and you are right, they are way to high to fold on when using pedestals. Hmmmm, maybe Steve can remove them and make you a folding table 🙂 hehehehehehehe
It looks beautiful! LOVE<3 it!
Thank you Susan!
Wow! What an amazing reveal! I love your new laundry space! I can’t get enough of that sign! I’m in total agreement!
Thank you Sara, the sign is a hit! haha
So nice! Everyone should have a beautiful laundry room to distract us from the burden of actually having to do the laundry. I am in love with the sign! Cracks me up! Gorgeous Jess!
I love the sign also! Thank you 🙂
It’s fresh, beautiful and amazingly gorgeous. You know, for a room we have to work so hard in 😉 Love the Dewy wall color. So pretty and happy. I’m sure you just grin when you go in there now. Love it!!
Thank you Shannon! I do like laundry kind of right now ……I hope it lasts 🙂 ha
I am not going to lie, I have been blog stalking since you started this makeover, in extreme anticipation of the final result. And in true Jessica fashion, you rocked it! Loving every last details, those beautiful baskets and built in shelves paired with the soothing colors… sigh… So good! Way to knock it out of the park!
Jen you just made me bust out laughing! You crack me up 🙂 Thanks for your sweet words and glad you like it! Hopefully my enthusiasm will continue with regards to laundry! haha
It looks lovely and does LOOK larger…the light airy colors and storage make such a difference. And of course all the small details make it beautiful…wonderful job you all did. And your mom may want those baskets but so do I LOL!
hugz,
Suzanne
Wow – it’s absolutely stunning, and beautifully styled! Love that “when I said I do” sign. Hahaha!
Thank you Kelly! The I DO is my fave 🙂
I love your new washroom.. those shelves,,omg, great job. The room looks completely different. Love that “I do” sign and the little puppy photo.. so cute.
Thank you Debbie. I swear I replied to your comment but I can’t seem to see it anymore :(. Thanks again!
I saw the clothes pins, are they decorative, or do you use them? Where do you put clothes to dry. My space is about the same size, but I can’t figure where to put our clothes that can’t go in the dryer!!
Great job Jessica, LOVE this – the laundry room looks amazing!
Thanks so much Wendy!
L.O.V.E – so perfect, functional and pretty – well done girl!
Thanks Laura 🙂
Love the wire baskets!! Where are they from?!
Thank you, the wire baskets are from the Container Store
Love your laundry detergent holder! Where did you find it?
The Container Store
I’d love to know more details on how you installed your folding station shelf. I’m wanting to do the same, but have some concerns about supporting that large of a shelf.
You can see how we installed the DIY shelves here, https://www.fourgenerationsoneroof.com/2013/11/diy-floating-shelves-laundry-room.html
Love this. Going to try in my laundry.
you know, I think I am the only woman I know of that likes to do laundry. I even like to iron, omg do I sound crazy, Lol
your redo looks good.
I live in an apartment and we do not have the best washers and dryers, so it makes it a pain. But a Laundromat we use has front loaders and it makes good with getting our clothes clean. But like I said I think im the only one I know that like doing laundry. 😉
Where did I miss the link on how you made the folding table and floating shelves?
I have a question for you. I see a container with a blue liquid in it. Do you make your own fabric softener? If so, could you send me the recipe?
Is it hard with 4 generations in the same house?
Lisa
The blue liquid is not homemade. It’s store bought 🙂 Living with four generations is super fun (most of the time) but we do have our challenges just like every other family. The key to making it work , for us, is being respectful of each others privacy. Thanks for stopping by!
Hi, this looks great! I just told my husband that I have a new project for him.
Do you know how much weight the floating shelves can hold? Thx!
How did you make the countertop? It all looks so nice! Gets me excited to do mine!
Hi, we used plywood to make the countertop surface. Good luck with your project 😉
Hello, LOVE your laundry room makeover. We are going to do the same thing to our laundry space. I had a quick question. What color and type of paint did you use on the plywood and shelving. I love the look and color. Also curious did you use paint brush or spray gun to paint.
Thanks so much…I can’t wait to get started with this project. Off to Lowes I go to get the wood. 🙂
Hi, thanks so much! I used interior emerald satin extra white paint / Sherwin-Williams semi/gloss (has a built in primer). You may also want to add a coat of BIN or Zinser 123 primer before painting white. I brushed the paint on 🙂
I know this is an older post, but where did you get your shelves or did you make them?
We made them!
I am getting ready to re-do our laundry closet. I was curious how the paint has held up over time? Especially on the folding counter.
The paint has held up great!
Hi Jessica, Love your laundry space. I am in the beginning planning phase of my small laundry room makeover and came across your post on Pinterest. Glad I did. Do you remember the brand/name of the paint used on the walls? Since my space is small I want a light and fresh color. This seems perfect. Looking forward to your reply.
GREAT make-over job!!! OMG so lovely!!! We’re planning on doing something very similar with our laundry room. Your images and ideas are an inspiration to keep me going! Thanks for posting! (found you on Pinterest)
Thank you and good luck on your project 🙂
What size of the hyacinth baskets fit the paper towels? We buy in bulk and I am in desperate need of something like this!
Thanks:) love your laundry remodel!
Our baskets are 17″ x 12″ 😉
Love your laundry room reno! We did something similar, creating a closet off the kitchen during our kitchen reno (downgrading from a very non-functional laundry “room” off the kitchen to create more room for a kitchen island). We installed a closet rod near the top of the closet to hang clothes to dry, but I’d love to add shelves that are big/deep enough to store laundry baskets. But where you do keep your laundry baskets?!
THat is one of the issues with the laundry closet is there isn’t a lot of space otherthan on top of the folding table . They make collapsable baskets too that can slide on the side like these https://amzn.to/3HoxbZO