We continue to explore cleaning and organizing for spring, and it led us to share tips for laundry rooms. Here are 5 things we keep in mind when remodeling a laundry room…
1. Location, Location, Location
Laundry rooms are often located in a basement or on the first floor in a closet or part of a first-floor bathroom. But that leads to laundry accumulation in hallways, or a long trek.
Rooms or spaces on the second floor are ideal for proximity to bedrooms. A first floor location is also ideal because it is centrally located to highly used rooms in the house, like the kitchen.
We found space on the second floor of this home where we added a wall to a large room and divided the space creating a separate laundry area with a door off the hallway.
We added open base cabinets with countertop space for folding, and overhead cabinets for storage.
Click HERE to see more pictures from this whole home remodeling project.
2. Mix of Storage
When we ask our clients what’s on their wish list for pretty much any room in the house, storage is always at the top of the list. We find that a mix of open shelving and covered storage work best. The covered storage can hide detergent and bulk items, while the open shelving can store towels, pictures and objects for visual appeal.
3. Add a Utility Sink
A stainless-steel wash sink comes in handy for hand washing as well as for “loads” of messy projects. This super-efficient space also includes a window and a door to the backyard allowing for lots of natural light.
Click HERE to see more pictures from this whole home remodeling project.
4. High Efficiency Appliances
Most of today’s washers and dryers are high efficiency (HE) – saving both water and electricity. We often send our clients to Yale Appliance to peruse the options. One thing to note is that they are tall, so adding a counter height shelf for folding is helpful.
5. Convert a Closet in a Bathroom
No space to add a full laundry room? No problem. Sometimes we can create the right amount of space within a room and hide the laundry room in plain sight. In this case, the homeowners’ laundry area is neatly tucked into their primary bathroom. The clever use of shelving, drawers, and stacked washer and dryer, means that the appliances aren’t the only thing that are “highly efficient.”
