I don’t know about you, but I find the laundry has a bad habit of turning into a mysterious hidden kingdom in a house. Bits and pieces that can’t find a place anywhere else vanish into its depths. Washing piles up to the point that it’s impossible to tell what’s been washed and what’s just waiting to be redistributed back to members of the household.
Whether you’re designing a new laundry or just want to try and get control of the one you already have, there are things you can do to make your life easier, as well as keep the laundry space more efficient.
First up is baskets for your laundry. Have more than one, as there’s always delicates or woollens sitting around because it takes a while to build enough for a load. Open shelves are great for baskets, and if you can, make them big enough to take BIG baskets. The little cube units just don’t cut it.
Keep your main washing supplies close at hand. If you can reach, a shelf just above or even to the side of your machine is great. Personally I use the cupboard under the laundry trough which is right next to it.
A bin! This is something that’s often overlooked in laundry design, but it’s very useful. If you’re good and clean your lint filter after every dryer load, you need a bin to drop the fluff into. Plus laundries do generate other waste. Maybe go all out and have a recycling bin as well for bottles and boxes.
Another item that’s often missed in houses is a broom cupboard. This should be big enough to fit an upright vacuum cleaner as well. If you don’t have a cupboard, put hooks up on the outside of existing cupboards or the wall, and hang your broom and mop up. Much better than the mop falling over at 3am in the morning.
If you have the space, then a section of bench is good as it gives you somewhere to rest baskets, fold washing and more. And if you’re really keen, a small hanging rail so you can take items straight out of the dryer and hang them up.
Chances are your laundry is still only going to be visited by people doing washing, and that’s fine. At least by making the effort to design and organise it properly, the process of doing laundry can be more efficient, so you can spend your time doing other, more enjoyable things.