What is the best Laundry Hamper, and Where to put it?

Why focus a whole article on laundry baskets? Although it is just one small piece of laundry management, it is a significant one. 

Laundry is something we all have to do, but most don’t like to do or is something we try to avoid whenever possible. However, laundry is more than just laundry day; it is part of many people’s daily routine when they undress or get dressed, and if you are like us, half the time it doesn’t make it to the laundry hamper, creating an extra chore that you already don’t have time for.

You will be surprised to learn that laundry is one of the leading causes of disorder and mess around the house. Laundry that is not taken care of can sometimes be a burden on all family members. For some odd reason, our dogs love laying in these extra piles as they accumulate. 

Determining where and what type of laundry basket you have is essential to avoid these extra chores. The type and size of a laundry basket determine where you place it, how much laundry it can hold, and how you carry your laundry to the laundry room or the laundromat. 

Your laundry basket is the crux of keeping your laundry management running efficiently. We are going to break this article into the following sections:

What is the best Laundry Hamper?

The different types of Laundry Hampers?

Where to put your Laundry Hamper?

What is the best Laundry Hamper?

This will be different for everyone. Usually, the answer will be a combination of a laundry hamper and a laundry bag. The amount will also vary for how big your family is, your home’s size, and if you do laundry several times throughout the week or have one dedicated “laundry day” because it fits better with your schedule or you need to go to the laundromat. 

Below are the best solutions for us. You can follow it or read about the uses and the current solution with the information about hampers and where to place them to find what will work best for you. 

The best laundry hamper for us isn’t a single laundry hamper. We use a variety to develop our laundry management system.

We have a 4-basket laundry sorter, two collapsable laundry hampers for clean clothes (or guests when we have them), but most importantly, the Hanging Laundry Bags to gather dirty laundry.

Our house is relatively small, but with four people, two of those being kids under two years old, we go through a lot of laundry and towels. My wife tries to do a load or two a day, so we keep up with it. Marina is also particular about the laundry, and although she has relaxed since we were first married, she prefers I don’t wash or dry in case I do the wash on the wrong setting or forget to take something out of the wash before putting it in the dryer.

The laundry bags are probably the most critical part for me. We have one hidden in a hallway closet, so kitchen towels don’t pile up on the floor as they did before having the bag. It is also in a central area, so if we pick up any random dirty laundry, it is easy to throw it in the bag. 

 As you will notice, this laundry hamper comes with wheels and has four sections. It is placed in our small walk-in closet not to clutter our already full room. The laundry is then wheeled out, or a section is transported to the hallway closet where the washer and dryer are. This hamper is hidden, easy to move, but big enough to hold all of our laundry for those times we get behind. The sorting feature allows me to help, so Marina doesn’t have to spend as much time sorting when she wants to wash. 

Types of Laundry Hampers

Below we will go and list all of the different types of laundry hampers. There are a lot more than we realized. We will mention some pros and cons of each one briefly, however we feel the images do a great job of explaining how they look and you can conclude if it would be good for your laundry processes or not.

Laundry Hampers with wheels

Easy to move from room to room.

Laundry Hampers with lids

Excellent for making areas look neat and clean, but hard to move around.

Laundry Hampers with shelves

Great for laundry room sorting and extra storage. Is also a great way to have your laundry bag in the open and still look nice.

Laundry Hampers with removable bag and liners

Perfect for sorting and carrying to the laundry room/closet.

Laundry Hampers with handles

Easy to move around and small. These laundry baskets are great especially if you have to go to the laundromat.

Collapsible Laundry Hampers

Best for tight spaces or rooms that don’t get used often like guest rooms. They are great for nurseries and taking laundry to the laundromat.

Wicker Laundry Baskets

Lightweight and easy to carry up and downstairs. They are also very elegant looking.

Where to Put a Laundry Hamper?

Next you need to decide where to put the hamper. If you found a hamper above you liked you may realize it doesn’t work where it needs to be. Placement is key. If the laundry basket is not where you collect, sort or fold laundry then it probably won’t work. Let’s face it we all don’t want to see dirty laundry all day or have it in the open, however the further the laundry hamper is away from where you do the laundry or take of your clothes the less likely the hamper will be used effectively. Great and efficient hampers can be useless if placed in the wrong place.

Inside Closets

The best option for a closet would either be a laundry sorter or a collapsible basket. If the closet is big enough and there is no room in the laundry room, then the sorter would be the solution. If there isn’t enough room or you already have a sorter in the laundry room, it is best to go with a collapsible one. 

Dorm Rooms

I know the cheapest is usually best for you college students, but trust me when I say a single basket on wheels is your friend. They’re small to fit under your bed and mobile to drag to the laundry room easily. 

Small Bathrooms

In our small, main bathroom, we have the over-the-door hanging laundry bag. It is such a great space saver and still easy to reach even for us shorties. 

The Nursery

Since our son loves to sit inside laundry baskets, and he is not the most gentle with things, we have a foldable mesh basket in his room. That takes away any suffocation hazard and makes any poop stains easy to get out. It is also there for when you need it.  

Bathrooms

If you have some extra space in your bathroom for a basket of laundry, I’d suggest one with a lid. That way, any guests that come and use it won’t be surprised by dirty underwear. 

Bedrooms

The laundry sorter would be my number one option here, but if you don’t have enough room for a clunky four-bag sorter, then a lovely wicker basket might be your option. Light enough to carry around, and it will look like a nice piece of furniture. 

In Small Spaces

For a small space in your home, your best bet is one with shelves or an over-the-door hanging laundry bag. If there’s enough wall space, the shelves are the best bet since it doubles as a side table, but if it’s mostly door, then an over-the-door one should be the choice. 

How to hide the laundry basket in the bedroom? 

Believe it or not, laundry baskets aren’t that difficult to hide if you have the right type. An over-the-door bag can be put on the other side of the door, a collapsible one can be tucked away in the corner, and the ones with shelves are nice furniture within themselves, so they don’t have to be hidden.

The only exception I would say is the laundry sorter. It is a big and clunky essential to smoothen out any laundry process.

We hope you enjoyed this guide to the different types of laundry hampers and where you can put them. We will be publishing more articles about our laundry management process soon. In the meantime please don’t forget to subscribe to our email list for other great home management, and project tips.