20 Pretty, Practical Laundry Room Shelving Ideas

Laundry rooms rarely stick to just laundry.

Beyond washing and drying, they often become catch-alls for sports gear, cleaning supplies, and extra linens.

Smart, practical shelving is key to organizing this clutter, using custom fits, storage bins, and add-ons like hanging rods or drying racks to maximize space.

But function isn’t everything!

Choosing stylish shelving—like the ideas you’ll find here—transforms this hardworking area into a space that’s both efficient and genuinely pleasant to be in.

Fill Small Spaces

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Maximize every inch of wall space in a laundry room with cut-to-size shelves that fill the gaps between cabinetry and walls.

Display natural-fiber baskets, glass storage containers, and wooden accessories for a warm complement to cool-toned tile.

Add a Hanging Rod

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Under-counter open shelving in this tiled laundry room keeps towels, detergent, and cleansers within easy reach.

A contrasting wooden shelf offers adaptable space for a hanging rod, storage baskets, and fresh flowers to make laundry day feel special.

Choose a Soothing Hue

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Give a busy workspace a soothing makeover by choosing a tropical aqua hue for the walls, pairing it with a slightly darker shade for the shelves.

Curved corbels and custom shelf dividers are charming details.

Use Your Entire Wall

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A full wall of specialized shelving surrounds a stacked washer and dryer, providing versatile shelving and drawers to store everything from a folding footstool to a three-bag sorting station.

A basic black-and-white color palette prevents the well-stocked shelves from overwhelming the eye.

Bring in Warm Wood Tones

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Simple white shelves mounted on wooden brackets are a modern shelving choice.

Woven bins, wood-handled cleaning supplies, glass canisters, and white accessories make the entire room feel uncluttered—but not stark.

Make It Your Own

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A custom shelf arrangement allows you to tailor the storage to your exact needs, offering space for tall items, hooks for hanging baskets, and racks for bottled cleaners.

Choose a mop, bucket, broom, and other cleaning tools in a single shade for the tidiest look.

Keep the Color Palette Cohesive

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Divided shelves painted a pale sage to match this laundry room’s lower cabinets also complement the gleaming tile and patterned wall treatments.

Using woven baskets allows easy access to items stored up high, while also hiding labels and bright colors to keep the aesthetic cohesive.

Raise Your Storage Space

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The bottom edge of cabinets installed over a washer and dryer are often at eye level, making the work area feel closed in.

A high shelf makes the room seem larger and provides extra latitude for folding and pre-treating.

Add Freestanding Shelving

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A freestanding wooden shelf requires no installation and provides a smooth counter for a workstation or for folding clean clothes—plus plenty of storage for rolled towels, folded blankets, and essential cleaning supplies.

Trim the Edges

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Wood trim makes these functional metal shelves an intentional design statement, while the included drying rack adds game-changing efficiency.

For extra storage, pair a set sized to fit over your washer and dryer with a free-standing shelf in the same wood tone.

Install Simple Laundry Room Shelves

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In this small laundry room, a shiplap wall provides a neutral backdrop to white base cabinets that provide plenty of hidden storage for supplies.

A wood countertop adds warmth as well as a much-needed folding surface.

A long floating shelf near the ceiling houses a collection of woven wicker baskets that give the space a rustic feel and hide seasonal items.

A lower, easy-to-reach shelf holds frequently used laundry items such as detergent and wool drying balls.

Combine Open and Closed Storage

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Gain inspiration for your laundry room shelving from this multipurpose space that utilizes four different styles of storage, including closed cabinets, storage baskets on open shelves, hanging racks, and an island that doubles as a folding surface.

Prevent a monochromatic color scheme from falling flat by varying shades.

Here, multiple shades of blue are featured on the wall paneling, floor-to-ceiling cabinetry, storage baskets, and tile backsplash for a cohesive look.

Add Adhesive Paper to Open Shelves

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If you don’t love the countertops or shelves in your laundry room but don’t have the budget for a major renovation, give the space a quick and inexpensive update using contact paper!

This self-adhesive paper is easy to apply and comes in a variety of colors and patterns, including this blue swirl design.

It’s a great way to update your laundry room shelves affordably and without the mess and hassle of painting, tiling, or wallpapering.

Hang Floating Shelves

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Floral print wallpaper gives this small laundry room a serene feel and creates a pretty backdrop for simple floating shelves.

If you’re working with limited square footage, think vertically. Hang simple floating shelves above your washer and dryer to create storage space without having to install cabinetry.

Open shelves make laundry supplies easily accessible. Since everything is visible, use wicker storage baskets to contain like items.

Customize Shelves

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A set of rustic wood barn doors add warmth and character to this laundry room closet and provide a way to conceal the working space when it’s not in use.

Custom floating shelves above the washer and dryer incorporate a hanging rail to hold clothes.

A butcher-block countertop provides a work surface.

Classic white subway tile creates a neutral backdrop that allows the wood features to stand out and provides a clean, crisp look.

Install Upper Cabinets

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This small laundry closet makes the most of vertical space with two sets of upper cabinets.

A laundry room shelf provides folding space and a surface for canisters of detergent.

Below, the washer and dryer double as shelves that hold low-profile wicker baskets that introduce a textural element and provide extra storage space for towels and linens.

Add Baskets to Laundry Room Shelves

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Seafoam-blue cabinets and shelves pop against an all-white tile backsplash in this laundry room.

Upper and base cabinets feature both drawers and closed shelving to hold cleaning supplies, extra towels, and detergent.

Modern black cabinet hardware ties in with the black countertop that gives the space visual contrast and dimension.

Open shelves painted the same color as the cabinets provide more storage with the addition of wicker baskets complete with chalkboard labels.

Coordinate Countertops and Shelves

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Don’t be afraid to hang floating shelves in front of a window if you’re short on wall space.

These wood shelves don’t block natural light but utilize an otherwise hard-to-furnish space by taking advantage of every nook and cranny.

A countertop made fro the same material creates a cohesive look. A slim rolling shelf tucked between the wall and the appliances stores cleaning supplies.

Without wall space to hang artwork, the homeowner utilized floor tile to display a fun laundry-related message.

Create a Laundry Storage Station

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Go the DIY route and create your own laundry room shelves, such as this station constructed from a desk and the top of a hutch.

The base holds felt storage bins and two large rolling laundry baskets.

The top portion has enough space for additional baskets and folded towels.

The surface serves as a spot to fold or drop things and doubles as a display area.

Maximize Built-In Laundry Room Shelves

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Older homes often feature traditional built-ins that can sometimes be tricky to work around.

These glass-front cabinets painted in a blue-gray color, however, provide plenty of storage and add a vintage feel.

A linen curtain hangs in front of the washer and dryer for a pretty way to hide the modern appliances.