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    Home » DIY » Build It » DIY Laundry Cart

    DIY Laundry Cart

    Published by Gail | Published January 16, 2018 | Updated October 29, 2021
    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    Do you drop laundry on the floor when using your front loader? I looked for a solution, but couldn't find one. So I used spindles to make a DIY laundry cart for my basement laundry area. #MyRepurposedLife #repurposed #spindles #laundry #cart via @repurposedlife

    I made a DIY laundry cart. Why? Ever since I got my new washer and dryer I have struggled with dropping clothes on the floor. Soon I’ll share a laundry room stenciled rug that helps when I do drop items, but now that I have a laundry cart it rarely happens anymore.

    After getting the new appliances, I polled my friends and asked “do you drop laundry on the floor when you transfer it from the washer to the dryer”? The answer was always YES! Good to know I’m not the only one. I thought about the design for the laundry cart for weeks. I did make one small mistake. I’ll explain as I go so you can avoid making the same mistake.

    Rip boards on table saw

    rip 1 by 4's to size

    I ripped some scrap 1x’s down to size to match the size of my spindles. Your project may differ.

    collection of spindles

    See the two tall bedposts? To the right of them are some porch spindles I chose for this laundry cart project. This view is in the shed after it got cleaned up.

    Measure the laundry basket you plan to use

    design process of diy laundry cart

    This was the design stage. It all had to be based on the size of the laundry baskets I would be using. I wanted the basket to rest on the inside diameter of the cart.

    make your own laundry cart MyRepurposedLife.com

    Pin It!

    Drill pocket holes for assembly

    kreg jig pocket holes

    The simple construction of the cart stars with my favorite Kreg Jig. I marked the holes on each end of the board so that I don’t mess up and drill them on the wrong side of the ripped 1x4. Voice of experience talking. Winking smile

    scrap wood spacer kreg pocket holes

    Whenever I make an apron or a skirt for a project with legs, I use a scrap piece of wood as a spacer so that the apron is positioned in the middle of the leg (spindle) instead of the very front or back. With the scrap wood in place I secure the two pieces with pocket hole screws.

    You should have two matching sections

    make 2 sets of legs

    I made a set of two identical leg sections using four boards and four spindles cut to size.

    Affix Side Rails

    test out laundry cart design

    After securing the two sections, I cut more ripped 1x4’s to size for the top and bottom sides. I secured these the same way as I did the others. I couldn’t wait to slip the laundry basket in place to see how it fits! Voila! Perfect!

    Mark and install wheels

    mark holes for wheels

    I marked the holes for the wheels/casters.

    utility wheels from IKEA

    You can’t have a cart without wheels, right? I picked these up a few months ago on a trip to IKEA just to keep on hand. Smart move!

    pre-drill holes

    It’s best to pre-drill holes in such a tight space to keep the wood from splitting.

    attach wheels

    Slowly secure screws to hold wheels in place. HINT: Do this AFTER you paint. I was so anxious to see this project come together I sort of got ahead of myself.

    Test fit of diy laundry cart

    test run of laundry cart

    I immediately took it to the basement to try out the design. Oops! Here is where I miscalculated and made a slight design mistake. I wanted the door to swing freely with the cart in place but because the laundry basket has such a large lip the door will not swing. That’s okay, I love it and I’ll go with it.

    Paint Laundry Cart

    time to paint

    I grabbed a bright blue spray paint and did a couple of light coats.

    dark navy blue spray paint

    I decided to go with a darker navy blue. You can see I have the wheels taped off to prevent overspray.

    diy laundry cart for front loading machines MyRepurposedLife

    I use it to load the washer, take clothes out of the washer and to remove AND fold clothes from the dryer.

    folded clothes diy laundry cart

    After folding my clothes in the laundry basket I just grab it and carry it upstairs. That leaves me two more baskets loaded in the laundry cart for the next load. I LOVE it. I no longer dread doing laundry. Folding and putting away clothes is my very least favorite thing to do. But now that I do it as I pull it out of the dryer, I don’t have baskets of laundry all over the house waiting to be folded.

    Do you think a DIY laundry cart like this would keep you from dropping laundry on the floor?

    gail

    Get the details on the EASY stenciled rug here

    see more spindle projects here

    If you want to build easy projects, click here.

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    1. Cathy

      January 24, 2018 at 11:58 am

      I like it but would probably have made the bottom with a shelf across.

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        January 24, 2018 at 4:27 pm

        I understand what you're saying Cathy, but I didn't have a need for a bottom shelf on my laundry cart. But you're right--it would be very simple to add one.

        gail

    2. Bambi Mayer

      January 18, 2018 at 12:53 am

      Genius solution!

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        January 18, 2018 at 9:56 am

        Thanks Bambi!

        It really makes my life easier in such a small way. It's those little things that make me smile.

        gail

    3. Dee

      January 17, 2018 at 6:06 pm

      Wish I could do this but I do not have the pedestals under my washer. I refused to pay the $400 each for them. God Lord half the price of the washer. My laundry room is really small and would not accommodate a basket. But love the idea. Your projects are always brilliant.

      Reply
    4. Terri

      January 16, 2018 at 10:54 am

      Certainly nicer than the one at the laundry mats! When I moved into my house, the first thing I did was add a rod across my laundry closet (it’s just wide enough for the machines). I hang all my clothes straight from the dryer and drip dry articles from the rod.

      Reply
    5. girlfromwva

      January 16, 2018 at 10:11 am

      very clever. glad it has helped you out.i put a small laundry basket on the floor to help me because i am always dropping something. top loading washer/front loading dryer.

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        January 16, 2018 at 10:41 am

        Nova,

        Duh! That's a great idea-placing the laundry basket on the floor. 🙂 I never dropped clothes very much with my top loader. That's a great tip!

        gail

    6. sandy

      January 16, 2018 at 9:17 am

      Very clever, Gail. I just love how the DIY mindset can solve so many of life's little problems.

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        January 16, 2018 at 10:42 am

        Thanks so much Sandy, After a couple of months of dropping clothes, I just couldn't stand it anymore.

        gail

    7. Jennie

      January 16, 2018 at 8:34 am

      That’s brilliant. If I drop something I us the 5 second rule. If it’s on the garage floor longer I might rewash but the garage is is clean so. I do love the stands the washer and dryer sit on.

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        January 16, 2018 at 10:43 am

        That's what I was doing before the laundry cart Jennie, but that basement floor needed some TLC. Details on that coming soon. My friends had pedestals for their washer and dryer, so I don't really know what they look like without them. I've seen a lot of tutorials online for making your own.

        gail

    8. Paula

      January 16, 2018 at 6:39 am

      What an awesome idea, Gail! I know you are so pleased to no longer have the problem of dropping laundry on the floor when you transfer it from your washer to your dryer. Stacking three baskets in your caddy is also so smart!

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        January 16, 2018 at 10:44 am

        Paula,

        I'm so happy I picked up 3 baskets. If I buy any more than three I tend to abuse them! hahaha That's how I got in the bad habit of having baskets of laundry all over the house. lol

        gail

    9. Eliz~

      January 16, 2018 at 4:05 am

      Now thats doing laundry with style! Love it! Gail you think of everything! (((HUG)))

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        January 16, 2018 at 10:45 am

        Thanks so much! I really pondered and searched online for the perfect purchase, but couldn't find anything to suit my needs, so I made my own laundry cart!

        gail

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    Hi, there! I’m Gail Wilson, the author and mastermind behind My Repurposed Life. I’m obsessed with finding potential in unexpected places and believe that with a little hard work and imagination, any old thing can be made useful again—myself included! I hope you’ll enjoy the journey and pick up a few tools along the way… literally!

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