Paint and organize a laundry room

Fresh paint, a shelf over the machines, and a rod for drying. One weekend.

How big is the laundry room?

Length (ft)Width (ft)Ceiling height (ft)

That’s 468 sq ft of wall — not floor. Paint goes on the walls.

This fits in a car

About 82 lb of materials. Comfortably inside what a car carries (200 lb), so any shopper can take it. ⚠️ 2 items on the list have no weight on file, so the real load is a little heavier than this.

Before you start

Move the washer and dryer gently and only as far as the hoses and vent allow. Unplug the dryer before sliding it, and keep the step ladder on a dry floor.

What to buy — untick anything you have

Paint

3 gallons of interior paint, satin, mildew-resistantSatin or semi-gloss so it wipes clean. Have it shaken at the paint desk.
2 gallons of primer
3 rolls of painter tape
1 Roller kit
1 Angled brush, 2 in
1 Drop cloth

Hardware

1 Wall shelf with hanging rod, 36 in
1 Wall-mount folding drying rack
1 pack of toggle bolt anchors

Supplies

3 Storage baskets

Tools — already ticked off, since most people have them

Tools

1 Step ladder· most people have this
1 Cordless drill· most people have this
1 Stud finder· most people have this
1 4 ft level· most people have this

It lands in the shopping form, where you can edit anything and say what you think each thing costs. Nothing is ordered until you send it.

How it goes · about a weekend · beginner

Pull the machines out a foot or so if you can, without straining the hoses or the dryer vent.
Wash the walls, fill the holes, and tape the trim and ceiling line.
Prime the patches, then cut in and roll two coats.
Once it is dry, screw the shelf and the drying rack into studs, using toggles only where there is no stud.
Push the machines back, and fill the shelf with baskets for the detergent and the odd socks.