Make Your Own Vertical Laundry Sorter - Save Space And Time

I received this idea about how to make your own vertical laundry sorter from Valerie, who shared it first on Household Management 101's Facebook wall, and graciously consented to let me put it up on the site so more people could see it.

This is how Valerie has explained her own DIY laundry sorter:

Valerie says:

My laundry room is only 5ft x 6ft, so I have VERY limited space. So I came up with this!

Recycle bins from Home Depot/Lowes. One bin equals one load of laundry. The kids sort their own laundry this way. Sort however you want! (Ex: darks, lights, whites)

I sort this way:
...Whites
Hots
Gentles
Normals
Jeans (on the floor)

The kids sort their own laundry once a week. Once the bin is full, that's pretty much one load (unless someone keeps cramming it in there - then its 2 loads. lol). We've done it this way for about 5 years, since the kids were almost 3 and 5 years old.

Taylor says:

Valerie, thanks so much for sharing this idea with everyone. It is another great way to save space in a cramped area, but still have a laundry sorter so you sort clothes as you take them off, which saves a step later during the laundry cycle.

The item shown to the right is a link to the same type of recycle/storage bin that Valerie uses in her own home, from Suncast. The key is to get bins that can stack on top of each other, but still have openings where you can throw clothes in without having to move the bins on top. That is why these bins are ideal.

Valerie, I see that you labeled the bins with a permanent marker to help your kids know which bin to throw things in. That is a great touch, and makes it easier for your kids to remember what to do!

Then, the only trick is training them to remember if something has to be washed in hot, gentle, etc. since you are sorting that way. Although that may sound like a difficult task to others who are reading this, I know it can be done. For example, my little 3 year old knows what stuff goes in the special basket to be washed gently or separately from other items. You just tell them a couple of times. Kids are a lot smarter than we give credit for, in my opinion, anyway!

To make it even easier though when we sort, I just have them typically sort by color (whites, darks, brights and reds). There are, like I said, some items with special washing instructions, but I typically try not to buy stuff that we have to wash specially, because that just makes more work for me. Therefore, this sorting system works pretty well for us.

Do you have any creative organizing ideas like Valerie? If so, please share your creative storage solutions and organizing ideas here, or read others that have already been submitted.

Related Links At Household Management 101

Organizer Store: Home Storage Solutions And Products For Your Whole House

Laundry Room Organizer Products

Laundry Tips For Families

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