Home Cleaning Laundry Get Ideas for Your Laundry Room Upgrade Steal a few of these strategies from Simply host Haley Cairo to make your laundry room even better. By Lisa Milbrand Lisa Milbrand Lisa Milbrand has more than 20 years of experience as a lifestyle writer and editor, writing thousands of articles on topics that help people live better and healthier lives for Real Simple, Parents, and dozens of other top publications. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Published on December 3, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email Your laundry room may not be top priority when you're picking home improvement projects, but Simply host Haley Cairo says it should be up there—as you do often spend a lot of time on laundry every week. She renovated the room to give it a softer palette that suits the rest of her home, including taupe brick flooring that can stand up to some wear and tear, and plenty of smart organizational strategies that help streamline the space and make it more enjoyable to use—such as wall-mounted drying racks and laundry bags, and bins and baskets to corral cleaning supplies. She even happened on a $10 grabber tool that lets her reach the top shelves—no step stool required. The end result: A laundry room that Haley can't wait to spend time in. Here's what she used to get it done. 01 of 17 Taupe Brick Tile Courtesy of Wayfair $4.79/sq. ft.; Wayfair.com This classic brick tile can be installed in various patterns (such as Haley's desired herringbone), and gives your floor a more rustic vibe. (Pro tip from Haley: seal the tile before you grout to ensure that you get a cleaner look.) 02 of 17 Uncoupling Membrane Courtesy of Amazon $213; Amazon.com Haley suggests using an uncoupling membrane under a tile floor, instead of cement board. It makes it easier to install your tile, absorbs shocks, and can help manage moisture. 03 of 17 Warm Gray Grout Courtesy of Amazon $47; Amazon.com Swap out white grout for a warm gray to make it easier to maintain your tile. 04 of 17 Tongue-and-Groove Boards Courtesy of Home Depot $17 ea.; Homedepot.com Tongue-and-groove paneling helps you get a seamless look on your wall. 05 of 17 Liquid Nails Courtesy of Amazon $20; Amazon.com This heavy-duty adhesive makes construction projects (like brick, tile, or paneling) easier to manage. 06 of 17 Nail Gun Courtesy of Amazon $190; Amazon.com A nail gun helps speed up installation of tongue-and-groove boards, shiplap, and other paneling. 07 of 17 Drying Rack Courtesy of Pottery Barn $129; Potterybarn.com If you're short on space in your laundry room, this wall-hung drying rack can hold plenty of clothes when needed—and fold up easily when it isn't. 08 of 17 Hanging Laundry Bags Courtesy of Pottery Barn $59; Potterybarn.com These hanging laundry bags make laundry sorting a breeze. 09 of 17 Washable Rug Courtesy of Amazon $219; Amazon.com For a room that sees a lot of dirt and moisture, Ruggable rugs separate from the rug pad so they can be tossed in the washing machine when mud happens. 10 of 17 Folex Instant Carpet Spot Remover Courtesy of Amazon $12; Amazon.com Make quick touch-ups on the dirty spots with a quick spray of carpet cleaner. 11 of 17 Acrylic Lazy Susan Courtesy of Amazon $21; Amazon.com Haley uses this lazy Susan to corral laundry products and keep everything within easy reach. 12 of 17 Acrylic Drawers Courtesy of Amazon $24; Amazon.com Use acrylic drawers to hold smaller supplies, and make it easy to see what's inside each one. 13 of 17 Labels Courtesy of Amazon $15; Amazon.com Label homemade cleaning products or other essentials so you can easily grab the right items. 14 of 17 Laundry Powder Container Courtesy of Amazon $40; Amazon.com Upgrade your laundry space by decanting your favorite laundry detergent into a pretty glass jar. 15 of 17 Metal Basket Courtesy of Amazon $35; Amazon.com Corral similar items together in these metal baskets. 16 of 17 Grabber/Reacher Courtesy of Amazon $10; Amazon.com Reach products on high shelves without reaching for the step stool with this clever gadget. 17 of 17 Adhesive Acrylic Bin Courtesy of Amazon $14; Amazon.com Haley attaches these clear bins inside her laundry cabinet doors to corral laundry brushes for scrubbing stains. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit