Laundry is the chore that never ends, but there are ways to make it easier. With the school year looming, here are some laundry room tips for making your laundry routine simpler and more efficient.
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1. Plan Storage Space
Making sure you have a good amount of storage space is one of the most important laundry room tips, and probably the one people pay the least attention to when designing laundry rooms. You’ll want to plan cupboard space for chemicals and laundry tools as well as shelf space for folded clean laundry.
2. Save Time Sorting
Keep several laundry baskets in your laundry room, one for each type of load – lights, darks, etc. Give each member of the family a laundry basket in their room so that they can periodically bring their dirty clothes down and sort them into the correct baskets. Pre-sorted baskets make doing laundry easier than ever.
3. Space for Laundry Tasks
Another one of the laundry room tips that is frequently overlooked is to make sure you have counter or other surface space in your laundry room. This will streamline your laundry routine, giving you a place to sort, iron and fold all in the same place.
4. Install a Utility Sink
When you find an unexpected stain, a utility sink is incredibly useful. A sink in the laundry room will allow you to soak the stain and give you a place to work while you scrub it out. You may have to update your laundry room to accommodate a sink, but it’s worth it.
5. Light it Up
Like any chore, it’s easier to do laundry when you can see what you’re doing and there’s less chance of overlooking a stain. Install task lighting over the sink and counters so that you’ll be able to see what you’re doing as you sort, remove stains, iron and fold.
6. Provide Hanging Space
A laundry room that can accommodate a rod for hanging clothes will make the chore easier. Permanent press clothing, such as dress shirts, can be hung on a hanger immediately after coming out of the dryer, without requiring a special trip to the closet to be put away.
7. Make Space for Drying Racks
For clothes that have to be hung dry or dried flat, consider installing drying racks or retractable clotheslines that can be hidden away when they’re not in use. If you plan to use collapsible drying racks, include storage space for them in your cupboard design.
8. Plan a Sewing Drawer
Most laundry room tips don’t include sewing supplies, even though the laundry room is where you often need them the most. Instead of having your sewing supplies scattered all over the house, use a spare drawer or cabinet for easy access when you find a tear or loose button. Consider having a bar stool at the counter in the laundry room so you have a comfortable place to sit and sew when something needs mending.
Laundry Redesign
Would an improved laundry area make your life easier? Request an estimate and start planning!