Do you have the tiniest laundry room you could imagine? Many homes are built with no laundry room, a tiny laundry area in the hallway behind accordion doors, or they simply have a washer and dryer hook-up in the garage. They really aren’t concerned with giving you much to work with, are they? Well, it is what it is, so you might as well learn to make the most of it. Here we’ve compiled some tips for giving your laundry area a makeover that will help you to stay organized and efficient.
1) Most laundry rooms have either nothing on the wall above the washer and dryer or one long skinny shelf. That shelf is only good for storing your iron and laundry detergent. It doesn’t help you with much else! If you think about it, there is actually a good amount of square footage on that wall. Making better use of the space should be your first priority. You can purchase cabinets at a hardware or home improvement store for very little money. Or, consider getting used cabinets and refinish them yourself. If you buy new, going for unfinished can save you money. Paint, stain, and varnish the cabinets yourself. Don’t forget about the side walls of the laundry area. Don’t limit yourself to the back wall! Put the cabinets up high to make more space beneath them. You can usually slide a little step ladder to the side of the washer or dryer if you need to get up there.
2) One of the most popular laundry room additions is that little rolling cart that fits neatly between your washer and dryer. These slim carts are great for holding your detergents, fabric softeners, stain removers, and ironing supplies. They are close at hand, easy to access, and free up storage space in your cabinets above. Another option is to build a wood platform around 12” high for your washer and dryer. Cover the platform with industrial rubber foam to quiet your washer and dryer. You can build drawers to go inside the platform, providing you with extra storage beneath.
3) Think about what you don’t like about your current laundry room. Do you have somewhere to toss lint? Do you have somewhere for change and other items found in pockets to go? Hang a little shelf or place a container in the cabinet for these things. You don’t want them to end up sitting on top of the dryer, creating more work for you later. Another great thing to do is to install an ironing board on the wall. It stays completely out of the way and is right there when you need it. Some people even keep a long board beside the washer and pull it out when they’re ready to fold clothes.
4) Another really helpful thing to have is a hanging bar. Hang a long one underneath your cabinets. Use special space saving hangers, like velvet hangers, to give yourself plenty of room to hang clothes for drying or storing until you can get them put away. Finger clips and cascading hooks make it easy to make room and transport clothes to their respective closets when you’re done.
About the Author: Rick Miller is on the staff of Only Slimline Hangers, a leading online resource for velvet hangers which are space saving hangers, non slip hangers and slim line hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.onlyslimlinehangers.com.
