11 ways to make your laundry room more efficient and pretty, too (Photos)

A laundry room doesn't have to be boring. It can be efficient, offer plenty of storage and yes, even be as decorative as the other rooms in your home.

There are many ways to freshen up and improve organization in a laundry room but here, we are focusing on efficiency. Here are our top 11 tips for maximizing the efficiency of the room you love to hate.

1. Add plenty of light. You can never have too much light in a laundry room.
2. Add shelves. Shelves are handy for keeping necessities close-by or can be used to personalize the space with decorative touches.
3. Maximize your surface area. If you have a front loading washer and dryer, place a countertop over them for an uninterrupted surface to fold clothes or handle any other project.
4. Install a tub vanity. Utility tubs are great in a laundry room but utility vanities can be even better. They are deep sinks with storage underneath so you can hide unsightly pails or bottles of detergent.
5. Use bag holders. Pick up a bag holder from Bed Bath & Beyond, Target or your local home center store and keep those grocery store bags or newspaper bags at hand in the laundry room. They come in handy for any number of uses, including picking up dog poop in the yard or on a walk.
6. Install cabinets. Like light, you can never have too many cabinets in a laundry room. Even a narrow wall can hold a cabinet and you'll always find something to store inside.
7. Add even more cabinets. You think you have fit in all the cabinets possible? Think again. Squeeze them in wherever you can. You won't be sorry.
8. Extend counter space over the sink. You can purchase sinks with an optional cover, which extends your counter when you're not using the sink. This is another great option, especially when surface space is limited.
9. Choose a hand sprayer and a gooseneck faucet. Remember, you'll likely be washing paint trays, bird feeders or the dog in the laundry tub. Make sure you have a sprayer installed at the sink and a high-rise or gooseneck faucet. Both make it easy to wash oversized items.
10. Install a retractable laundry line. Let's face it, a clothes line is a handy thing to have for items you want to line dry. Unfortunately, a line is not attractive to look at and it can restrict cabinet doors from opening and so on. Opt instead of a retractable clothesline that is out of sight when not in use.
11. Add your personal touches. Don't forget that a laundry room, while practical, deserves some love and attention, too. Pretty it up with your own personal touches, whether it be flowers, an antique washboard or a pretty soap dispenser.

There are dozens of ways to make your laundry room more efficient, while making it a pleasant place to be, too. Here are 00 of them.

Photo credit: 

Cheryl Dangel Bartolini