Laundry bags and baskets for dorms quick picks
Rolling laundry hamper: Caroeas Slim Laundry Hamper on Wheels
Simple plastic laundrybasket: Sterilite Stacking Laundry Basket
Collapsible laundry bag with handles: CleverMade Collapsible Laundry Caddy
Easy-to-carry laundry backpack: Dalykate Backpack Laundry Bag
Stylish woven laundry basket: Youdenova Cotton Rope Laundry Hamper
Most people don’t put a lot of thought into picking out the right laundry bag, basket or hamper for their dorm room, but they should! The right dirty laundry receptacle can make a big difference in how your dorm room looks and make the dreaded chore of doing laundry while away at school a little less horrible. So it’s worth spending a little time picking out the right style for your needs.
Kate Pawlowski and Ann Lightfoot, the co-founders of Done & Done Home, a professional organizing and move management business, and authors of “Love Your Home Again,” understand this. “When it comes to dealing with our possessions, the college years are some of the most challenging,” they say in an email interview. “Dorm rooms are often very small with limited storage space, and constantly moving over the span of four years can be exhausting.”
To help you find the best dirty laundry storage solution that will survive years of dorm life, we asked organizing experts what features to look for when choosing a laundry hamper for use in a dorm room and tapped them to pick some of their favorite styles.
How to choose a laundry bag or hamper for your dorm room
When selecting a laundry bag, basket or hamper for a dorm room — or other small spaces — experts say to keep these features in mind.
Size and design
According to Shaniece Jones, the founder of One Woman Army Closet Design and Organization, laundry bags and baskets aren’t all created equal. “The laundry bags and baskets I recommend for college students are options that collapse or fold to save space.” She recommends styles that are small, adaptable and easy to store. And, where possible, the experts we spoke to all encourage you to think vertically and use floor-to-ceiling space to maximize storage in small dorm rooms.
Construction and materials
Look for durable materials and sturdy construction, with a smooth finish to prevent snagging clothes. When choosing materials, also keep ease of cleaning in mind. “A plastic hamper or one with a removable bag will be easier to clean,” says organizing expert Rachel Rosenthal.
Portability
For comfort and ease of use, choose styles that are lightweight and ergonomically designed, especially if the laundry facilities are a hike from your dorm room. “Consider portability,” Rosenthal says. “Ask if the laundry room is on the same floor as your room or if you need to transport your laundry farther; in that case, a rolling hamper might be more convenient.”
Compartments
If space allows, Rosenthal suggests choosing a hamper with two or more laundry sections to eliminate the need to sort through piles of dirty laundry on wash day. “If you separate your laundry into categories like lights and darks or sheets and towels,” she says, “look for a hamper with multiple compartments.”
Style
While function is the most important feature to look for in a laundry bag, basket or hamper, Jones also says not to overlook style. “Make sure to select an option that will match the aesthetic of the room so, when in use, it doesn’t appear as a fish out of water,” she says.
Best laundry baskets, bags and hampers for dorms
Rosenthal picked out this slim, compact hamper on wheels — which also happens to be the hamper that I have! It can be tucked into a narrow space and rolled out when it's time to do the laundry.
"When storing laundry in a small space, it is important not to overwhelm the space with large, bulky items like tall wicker baskets," Jones says. "It is best to go with storage that can be put away when not in use and also looks aesthetically pleasing when in use." This hamper from Yamazaki has a simple, unobtrusive design that won't get in the way.
For people who prefer a laundry basket, Rosenthal likes this sturdy plastic option from Sterilite. "It can stack and utilize vertical space in a room," she says.
"We often recommend collapsible laundry bags because they work in every situation," Pawlowski and Lightfoot advise. "This bag is sturdy, has padded [carry] rings for easy transportation and folds down flat when not in use."
Jones recommends this collapsible caddy, which can be stored flat when not in use. It has large, sturdy handles so it's easy to carry to the laundry room.
Having a place to toss dirty laundry is crucial in a dorm room, but hampers can take up a lot of space. This hanging hamper can be hung on the back of the door, where it won’t take up valuable square footage but will still be convenient enough to keep you from tossing your dirty PJs on the floor.
Backpack-style laundry bags are another popular choice for college students because of their ease of carrying. This bag can transport up to 44 pounds of laundry, and it comes in a variety of colors, including standards like black, gray and beige, and more festive shades like turquoise and canary yellow.
Another laundry bag that collapses when empty, this hamper from mDesign has wheels and handles so you can easily drag it from your dorm to the washer and dryer. We also like that it has a lid to hide your dirty clothes — a nice feature when your hamper is out in the open.
“For the college student who wants to keep their carbon footprint to a minimum,” say Pawlowski and Lightfoot, “this bamboo laundry hamper is a great choice. It’s made from sustainable materials, has a lid to contain smelly clothes and is well suited for use in a bathroom. It’s not collapsible so it’s better for the student who plans to stay in one place for a while.”
The experts we spoke to all recommended laundry baskets and hampers, but sometimes a basic laundry bag is what’s called for. Laundry bags lack structure and can make a small dorm room look messy and cluttered, but they are also inexpensive, lightweight and small. Plus, they can be used to pack items like pillows or bedding when it’s time to move in and out of the dorms.
Want a laundry hamper that doubles as decor? “This laundry basket is one of our favorites because it adds a little style to the often dreaded chore of dealing with dirty clothes," Pawlowski and Lightfoot say. "It comes in a multitude of colors, it’s made from sustainable cotton and has handles for easy transportation. It also folds flat so it stores well and can be easily transported.”
Let’s face it, college students aren’t exactly known for staying on top of their laundry. The extra-large capacity of this basket provides more space for dirty laundry to pile up. It has a curved design and three grab-through handles that allow you to rest the basket on your hip and carry it one-handed.
“If there is a bit of extra room to have a laundry system in place, we like divided bins that have removable bags,” Pawlowski and Lightfoot say. “Dirty clothes can be sorted into colors, darks and lights. Additionally, the aluminum frame is collapsible so it will be easy to transport after the school year is over.”
“Occasionally, a laundry basket with wheels is the best solution,” Pawlowski and Lightfoot say. “We like this option because the cotton bags are removable or the entire unit can be wheeled to a different location if necessary.”
This small mesh pop-up laundry tote is sort of a hybrid bag and hamper: It has the structure of a hamper with the flexibility and small footprint of a laundry bag. It also has a number of the features our experts told us to look out for: It's lightweight, durable, collapsible, easy to carry and versatile.
Styles that allow users to pre-sort laundry were popular among the experts we spoke to. We especially like that this hamper — which holds a full load in each bin — takes advantage of vertical space.
Those looking for a more tailored style but prefer a laundry bag to a basket or hamper, will love this set of two washable cotton laundry bags. They can be used on their own or as inserts into a traditional hamper.