How To Organize a Laundry Room

According to Reader’s Digest, the first electrically powered washing machine was built back in 1908. Although a lot has changed in the 113 years since it was invented, such as the ability to monitor your washing machine via your cell phone, some things have remained the same. One thing that hasn’t, is that the laundry room is often given less attention when it comes to dedicated space. For some, the available space in their home for a laundry room is 8 ft (or sometimes even less!) If you happen to be one of these individuals with very limited space to manage your laundry chores, then this blog will give you some worthwhile insights on how to make your space work harder, without sacrificing too much on your wish list. For those with a laundry room larger than 8 ft or with plenty of space in general, this article will reveal how you can add storage solutions to maximize the productivity and potential of your laundry space consolidating both laundry and cleaning items, thus streamlining your process.

The Washer & Dryer

For those with limited floor space, a useful strategy is to stack your washer and dryer on top of each other and, in this way, take advantage of vertical space that may otherwise go unused. Whether your configuration includes stacked machines or side-by-side, deep cabinets can be placed above them, creating a bonus storage space.

Ironing Board & Drying Space

Traditional ironing boards are often long and, although collapsible, still require wall space for storage. Not to mention the hassle to put them up and take them down all the time, especially for just a small touch up. A good alternative is a folding ironing board that swivels, hidden behind a drawer front. It uses minimal space when it is stored and when it’s used!

For some, drying delicate items such as fine knits can be problematic due to their tendency to shrink in the dryer or stretch on a hanger. Therefore, the days when you do need to launder such items calls for special care and treatment. It’s not recommended that you hang them because this may cause them to stretch or lose their shape. For these reasons, we suggest special drying racks, again, hidden behind drawer fronts. The mesh on the bottom of each “drying drawer” is mold-resistant and designed to provide air flow to dry your fine woolens perfectly. These drying racks also have the benefit of not taking up any floor space and eliminating a free-standing drying rack or a clothesline. Check out the photo below to see these drying racks in action!

Going Vertical

When you’re limited on floor space in your laundry room, a useful tactic is to go vertical. Many like to store their cleaning supplies in the laundry room. Brooms, Swiffers, dusters, dust pans and cleaning products can sometimes be storage problems. Typically, you use these items in various rooms, but you end up storing them in one place. Even in a small laundry room, if you employ a vertical slide-out broom closet and a cabinet of roll-outs, you can keep everything in order, easy to find, and easy to use. The hook pattern in the vertical broom closet can be completely customized to suit your specific needs.

Another handy feature to have in a laundry room is some hanging space for items that you may want to hang for drying, such as t-shirts, lingerie, hosiery etc. In the example below, you can see we’ve fitted the area above the sink with a 2 ft hanging rod so that there is a place to dry these types of items. Just remember that an experienced space planning professional can help you determine exactly what kinds of accessories will suit you and your way of doing things most effectively.

Easily Accessible Storage Solutions

To ensure the utility and functionality of your laundry room, regardless of its size, there are a few more features to consider.

• Roll-outs. Roll-outs are a great storage solution & provide easy access to supplies that may be stored in deep cabinets. Of course, if you have a cabinet with only 12 inches of depth, roll-outs can certainly be used. However, you can see their true value in action when you have a cabinet with 24-30 inches of depth, because you can extend the entire roll-out to easily reach all of your supplies stored in the back of the cabinet. Keep in mind by doing this, you’re capitalizing on an existing space that would otherwise be very difficult to access. Another great feature of roll-outs? They can be created to fit any space. If you have a sink in your laundry room and would like roll-outs fitted to go underneath, they can be shaped to avoid your plumbing and give you bonus storage.

• Hooks behind the door. Hooks placed either on the back of your laundry room door or on the wall behind your laundry room door will give you additional hanging space. Damp towels can be hung here, as well as robes, jackets and coats, if you simply need more space to hang larger items. If you have a few items that will need to be quickly ironed in the morning, hanging your clothes for the next day on these hooks will set you up for success – you’re all set to iron.

• Hamper. Keeping a hamper in your laundry room can also make sense. You can use a hamper here for really dirty linens and/or clothes (for those with kids on sports teams – you understand), preventing the mess from spreading to other areas of your house as you carry them to the hamper in the bedroom. Another benefit is that it can serve as the hamper for the rest of your home: the kitchen, the office, the entryway bathroom and/or basement where you typically wouldn’t have a hamper. Convenience made, well…convenient!

Wanting easier and faster ways to do chores and laundry is pretty much at the top of everybody’s list. An emphasis on the organization of your laundry room can help you achieve just that. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to create a space that works for you instead of against you?

Whether you choose to utilize all or just some of these suggestions, know that organizing your laundry room is truly an act of self-care.

Interested in learning more about getting organized or The Closet Works’ laundry room installations? Request a free design consultation with one of our professional Designers today.