Living in a smaller space makes you surprisingly opinionated about things like laundry hampers.
I don't want to dedicate an entire corner of my bedroom to dirty clothes, but I also need a hamper that can hold more than three outfits before it's overflowing. Ideally, it fits into a space I wasn't really using anyway, keeps everything out of sight, and doesn't look terrible if I can't hide it in a closet.
The good news is that there are much better options than the giant plastic laundry baskets I immediately picture when I think of a hamper. Tall, narrow designs make better use of vertical space, some have wheels for getting to a shared laundry room, and hanging versions take up no floor space at all.
I went through the options on Amazon and narrowed it down to six that make sense for different types of small spaces. There's a clear winner for me, but depending on your apartment and laundry setup, one of the more specific options might actually work better.
Six that suit different kinds of small
- Best overall: Lifewit laundry hamper
- Best with wheels: efluky slim rolling hamper
- Best large capacity: Lifewit large laundry hamper
- Best collapsible: Odonata foldable hamper
- Best for almost no floor space: KEEPJOY hanging hamper
- Best basic slim hamper: Mind Reader laundry hamper
If I were choosing one, I'd start with the Lifewit. I like that it's tall rather than wide, has a lid, and doesn't look overly utilitarian if you need to keep it somewhere visible.
The KEEPJOY is the most interesting alternative, though. If you're really short on space, getting the hamper off the floor completely may be smarter than trying to find a slightly narrower basket.
1. Lifewit laundry hamper
Best overall.
This is the one I'd choose for my own bedroom.
The shape is what initially makes sense to me for a smaller space. It's tall and relatively narrow, so you're getting useful capacity without having a huge basket sticking out from the wall. I could see this fitting nicely beside a dresser, in the corner of a bedroom, or tucked into a closet.
I also want a lid. If the hamper has to sit somewhere I can see it, I don't particularly want to see the laundry inside too. Closing the lid makes the whole thing feel a little more intentional and a lot less cluttered.
The removable inner bag is another feature I think is genuinely useful, especially in an apartment. Instead of carrying the entire hamper to the laundry room, you can leave it where it is and take the bag.
It's not doing anything particularly revolutionary, which is actually why I like it. It holds plenty, uses space well, and looks nice enough that I wouldn't feel like I needed to hide it.
Best for most bedrooms and apartments, especially if your hamper has to stay visible.
2. efluky slim rolling laundry hamper
Best with wheels.
If I had to carry my laundry down the hall to a shared laundry room, I'd seriously consider getting a hamper with wheels.
A completely full laundry bag gets heavy very quickly, especially once towels and jeans are involved. Being able to roll everything instead of carrying it is one of those features that sounds slightly unnecessary until you're actually doing laundry every week.
What I like more about this one, though, is the shape. It's tall and narrow, so it can fit into the kind of awkward gap beside a dresser or bathroom cabinet that isn't really useful for much else.
That's exactly how I think about organizing a small apartment. Before giving something new floor space, I'd rather see if I can make use of space that's already sitting empty.
I probably wouldn't choose this over the Lifewit if I had a laundry room right next to me. But for a shared laundry setup, the wheels would win me over.
Best for apartments with shared laundry rooms and narrow spaces beside existing furniture.
3. Lifewit large laundry hamper
Best for more laundry.
Having a small apartment unfortunately does not mean you produce less laundry.
If anything, a hamper that is too small can make the room feel more cluttered, because once it's full the clothes have to go somewhere else.
This larger Lifewit makes more sense if you tend to wait until you have a full load, wash a lot of towels and bedding, or share a hamper with someone else.
I still prefer this shape over a wide basket because it gives you more storage vertically. That's really what I'd prioritize in a small room: go up before you go out.
I wouldn't buy the larger version just for the sake of having extra room, though. If you do laundry regularly and you're only storing clothes for one person, the standard Lifewit is probably enough. Bigger isn't automatically better when you're already short on space.
But if your current hamper is constantly overflowing, buying another tiny one isn't solving the problem.
Best for couples, larger laundry loads, or anyone who goes longer between laundry days.
4. Odonata foldable laundry hamper
Best collapsible option.
I like collapsible storage in a small space because not everything needs to occupy permanent real estate.
The Odonata makes the most sense to me for a dorm, guest room, temporary living situation, or anywhere you want the option to put the hamper away when you're not using it.
It's not necessarily the one I'd pick to sit next to my bed every day. If something is going to be permanently visible in my bedroom, I'd rather have the more structured look of the Lifewit.
But that's not really the point of this one.
The advantage is that when you don't need it, you aren't stuck figuring out where to store another bulky basket. And if you've ever lived somewhere with one small closet that is somehow expected to hold absolutely everything you own, you know how valuable that can be.
Best for dorms, guest rooms, temporary spaces, or anyone who wants storage that can disappear when it's not needed.
5. KEEPJOY hanging laundry hamper
Best for almost no floor space.
This is probably the smartest option on the list if you're working with a genuinely tiny room.
Don't have space for a hamper? Don't put one on the floor.
The KEEPJOY hangs on a door, so you can use the back of a bedroom or closet door instead of squeezing another basket between pieces of furniture.
I wouldn't necessarily choose a hanging bag if I had room for a regular hamper. I like having something structured with a lid, and I think it looks nicer in a bedroom.
But if the choice is between a hanging laundry bag and a traditional hamper that you're constantly walking around, I'd choose the hanging one without thinking twice.
I also like that this is a completely different solution to the problem rather than just making a normal hamper slightly narrower. Sometimes the best way to organize a small space is to stop trying to fit another thing on the floor.
Best for tiny bedrooms, dorms, packed closets, or anyone with a door available but essentially no floor space.
6. Mind Reader laundry hamper
Best basic slim hamper.
This is the least exciting option on the list, and I don't mean that as a bad thing.
It's a laundry hamper. Sometimes that's all it needs to be.
The Mind Reader has a simple, narrow design that's easy to tuck inside a closet or bathroom. It's also the kind of material I'd be comfortable wiping down, which makes it practical for a bathroom or laundry area.
I wouldn't pick this one if I needed my hamper to double as bedroom decor. There are better-looking options for that.
But if it's going inside a closet where no one is going to see it anyway, I don't think you need to spend extra money on fabric finishes, removable liners, or anything particularly decorative.
This is where I'd save.
Best for closets, bathrooms, laundry rooms, or anyone who just wants something slim and straightforward.
What actually matters in a small space
I wouldn't start by looking at capacity. I'd start with a tape measure.
Figure out exactly where you want the hamper to live and how much floor space you're willing to give it. That sounds obvious, but "slim" is pretty subjective when you're shopping online. A hamper that's narrow enough for one bedroom can easily be three inches too wide for the gap you actually have.
Once you know your dimensions, I'd look at shape. For most small rooms, I prefer something tall and narrow. You're making use of vertical space instead of letting a wide basket creep farther into the room.
Then I'd think about whether the hamper will be visible. If it's sitting in my bedroom, I want a lid and I'd probably spend a little more for something that looks nice. If it's going inside my closet, I care a lot less. Give me the inexpensive plastic basket and close the door.
A removable liner is worth considering if you have to carry laundry any real distance. The same goes for wheels. Neither is something I'd pay extra for if my washer were five feet away, but they're much more useful in an apartment building with a shared laundry room.
If you truly do not have floor space, stop searching for increasingly narrow hampers. A hanging bag solves the problem instead of shrinking it.
Which one I'd actually choose
For a normal bedroom, the Lifewit is my pick. It has the combination I care about most: it uses vertical space well, has a lid, includes a removable bag, and looks nice enough to sit somewhere visible.
If I had a narrow gap beside a dresser and needed to move my laundry down the hall, I'd switch to the efluky for the wheels.
And if I were working with a bedroom where every inch of floor space was already spoken for, I'd get the KEEPJOY and use the back of the door.
Those are really the three I'd narrow it down to. The other options make sense for more specific situations, but I don't think choosing a hamper needs to become a major home-design decision. Measure your space, figure out how much laundry you realistically need it to hold, and pick the one that creates the least amount of inconvenience.
Final thoughts
Small-space organization isn't really about finding miniature versions of everything. It's about being a little more selective about what gets your floor space.
A laundry hamper needs to hold enough that clothes aren't overflowing onto the floor, but I don't think it should be one of the biggest things in your bedroom either. For most spaces, a tall, narrow hamper is going to make the most sense.
I also wouldn't underestimate how much a lid helps if the hamper has to stay visible. Closing it makes the room immediately look a little cleaner, even when you know exactly what's hiding underneath.
My pick is the Lifewit for that reason. It's practical, it doesn't take up more room than it needs to, and I wouldn't mind looking at it every day.
If you're tighter on space, go narrower or get the laundry off the floor completely.
And whatever you choose, measure first. Finding the perfect hamper and realizing it's two inches too wide for the spot you bought it for is exactly the kind of minor inconvenience I would like to avoid.
Frequently asked questions
What type of laundry hamper is best for a small space?
For most small bedrooms and apartments, I'd choose a tall, narrow hamper. It uses vertical space instead of taking up a large amount of floor space and can often fit beside a dresser or inside a closet.
If you don't have enough floor space for even a slim hamper, look at an over-the-door or hanging laundry bag instead.
Where should I put a laundry hamper in a small bedroom?
Before automatically putting it in a corner, look for space you're not already using. The gap beside a dresser, inside your closet, beside a vanity, or behind a door can all work.
I prefer finding a spot where the hamper doesn't interrupt the way I move around the room.
Are tall laundry hampers better for small spaces?
Usually. A taller hamper lets you store more laundry without increasing the footprint as much as a wider basket would.
Just make sure you can still comfortably reach inside and that the dimensions actually work for your space.
Should I get a laundry hamper with a lid?
If it's going to sit somewhere visible, I would.
A lid hides the laundry and makes the room feel less cluttered. If you're keeping the hamper behind a closet door, I wouldn't consider it nearly as important.
Are laundry hampers with wheels worth it?
They are if you have to move your laundry very far.
For an apartment with a shared laundry room, wheels can save you from carrying a heavy hamper down a hallway every week. If your washer and dryer are right next to the hamper, they're probably unnecessary.
Is a hanging laundry hamper good for a small apartment?
It can be one of the best options if floor space is limited.
Using the back of a bedroom or closet door gives you laundry storage without adding another item to the floor.
Are collapsible laundry hampers worth it?
I'd consider one for a dorm, guest room, temporary apartment, or anywhere you don't need the hamper out all the time.
For something I'm using every day, I personally prefer a more structured hamper.
How big should a laundry hamper be for one person?
There's no single capacity that's right for everyone, because it depends on how often you do laundry. Someone washing clothes twice a week needs much less storage than someone doing one large load every week.
For a small space, I'd focus less on finding the biggest hamper and more on finding the largest size that comfortably fits the spot you've chosen.
Is a laundry basket or hamper better for a small bedroom?
I prefer a hamper for storing dirty clothes, because tall designs tend to use space more efficiently.
A wide laundry basket can still be useful for carrying clean clothes back from the washer, but I wouldn't want it permanently taking up floor space in a small bedroom.
How can I make laundry look less cluttered in a small bedroom?
The easiest fix is a hamper with a lid.
I'd also avoid keeping multiple laundry baskets around the room. One designated place for dirty clothes makes the space look much more organized, even when laundry day is overdue.
About L. Preston
I write about the practical, unglamorous parts of living well: the home systems, the closet math, the products worth the counter space.
More about me →