Oh, lordy-loo. We’re sure we don’t need to tell you just how awful and not fun it is to do the laundry. It’s one of those hidden gems of adulthood that make you long for the days of snacks and nap time. It never ends and it’s never going to be any less tedious. But that doesn’t mean your laundry room has to be the Pit of Despair. Granted, it’s incredibly difficult not to feel that way, we’re still going to encourage you to rethink your laundry room and how it can function for you so that it becomes a little less daunting and much more enjoyable task.
Form and Function
It’s a room with a very specific function. Really, it just needs to house two appliances. That’s it. But there’s a lot to consider in how it functions. Is it easy to get to? Is there space for just the washing and drying or can you also fold and work away stains, too? Does it have enough storage for all your laundry supplies? Can it be combined with another room to maximize the overall flow and efficiency of your house? Really take some time to think about these things, but mostly, what can you do that would make the job of laundry easier. It may not ever be fun, but if it’s less of a hassle, it’s much easier to convince yourself to just do it.
Where your laundry is located is a significant factor in all this. If you’re getting on in years and there are stairs to your laundry room it becomes an increasingly difficult task to manage. You could solve this problem with a laundry chute, but your walls may not allow this for this feature. Moving the laundry room to the main floor of the house makes a huge difference. If you are moving the laundry consider a combo room where there’s already access to the plumbing. This will cut down on overall costs and labor. En suite/laundry rooms are popular as are mudroom/laundry rooms. Putting your laundry closer to all the regular action of housekeeping helps integrate it into daily life better, helping you stay on top of the mountain without it overwhelming you.
The Basics
Once you know where you’re going to relocate or what your plans are for the new and improved laundry facilities, it’s time to talk basics. While design and layout of a house can vary, certain layouts are standard for rooms like the kitchen where a triangle formation is set up in regards to the major appliances. A triangle is formed between the fridge, oven, and sink with two stations side-by-side and the third directly across from these two. This allows for optimal workflow and accessibility. In the laundry room, it’s much the same. Machines can be side-by-side or stacked. Storage for your supplies should be easy to reach, and hampers should be on the wall opposite or adjacent.
Next, you’ll want to make sure this new room can handle humidity with materials that stand up to moisture and proper ventilation. Outside of these things, the rest is up to your personal style and flair. But no matter how elaborate your decorative plans may be, don’t skimp on the basic needs and function for visual appeal.
Bells and Whistles
The fun part. Remember when we asked you what would make doing the laundry easier for you? Well, this is where you get to implement it. Things like a folding table, retractable, wall-mounted drying rack, a work sink, and steam closet can do a world of good in making the execution of this job much more manageable. Even something as small as multi-compartment laundry hampers to help you pre-sort quicken the overall job that is laundry. And we can all agree that anything to make the process go quicker is worth it.
Storage and masking provide a lot of opportunities to blend form with function. You can opt for space opening solutions like open shelves, or bookend your machines with some cabinets to hold all the things you could possibly need for successful laundry jobs. Keep your hampers in the free space under your folding counter and cover them with a simple curtain rod and your favorite fabric. For combo rooms like the en suite, add a closet around your machines to close them off to guests when you host parties. No need to literally air your dirty laundry to friends and co-workers who might come over.
Then there’s the color and decor. For laundry rooms, choose a color that evokes happiness. Blues often convey calmness and serenity, they’re also quite welcoming. Bright vibrant colors like greens, oranges, and yellows are energizing and can help prevent you slowing down during this mundocity. Then fill the room with photos and art that sparks true joy. You may not enjoy doing the laundry, but you can certainly love the room you do it in.