Home Sweet Home

For an area that is used several times a week and is always hard at work to keep you looking your best, the laundry is often sadly neglected. Pay it a little attention, too, and solve those washday blues at the same time.

To get the most space and ease out of your laundry, first consider its layout and be critical about its shortcomings. Many householders have no choice but to incorporate the laundry into the bathroom or kitchen, so the laundry basket, peg bag, sink unit, bucket, washing machine, dryer, detergents and all the rest of it has to be fitted in as unobtrusively as possible. Your laundry may even be positioned in a narrow passageway or back corner. Don’t despair — well-thoughtout planning doesn’t require a lot of space.

If your appliances rest on the floor, take full advantage of any unused wall space above by fixing a full-length cupboard along the wall. The deeper the better — you can always use the extra room for safe storage of cleaning solutions and spare light bulbs. By building an enclosed cupboard around your washing machine and dryer you can hide them away while at the same time creating valuable worktop space for folding and sorting.

If you have enough room, also allow space for an airing cupboard — it will prove to be an invaluable in-between storage area. A fold-away ironing board attached to the wall also saves space and eliminates the often awkward storage of a traditional freestanding one. Don’t forget about stackable wire baskets, racks and hooks — they take up very little room and provide handy extra storage.

Stacking your front- loading washing machine and dryer will help create immediate space. If possible, try to leave some room between them for a pull-out shelf to rest your laundry basket on, or for folding clothes. Stacking your appliances may also free you of space to build a tall side- cupboard, which is sometimes easier to access than the high mounted type of cupboard. Shallow, wire pull-drawers are excellent for storing sewing utensils for on-the-spot repairs. Install a wire rack or hanging rails for hanging ironed shirts and other clothes.

If space isn’t a problem, include built-in bins for dirty clothes so that the whites can be separated from the coloureds. Two more bins for clean clothes will complete the set, one for clothes which need to be folded and the other for those to be ironed. A stylish choice of cane baskets can also be a help here. Cane baskets last virtually forever and are highly portable and environmentally friendly.

If your laundry is confined to a small, awkward space, why not hide your appliances behind bifold doors, louvres, Roman blinds or curtains? Or convert space in an alcove or under a stairway into a new laundry.

Just make sure you take into account electrical outlets and the surrounding floor covering (carpets do not sit well with washing spills). With small laundries try and keep things sleek and simple — the less cluttered it is the more organised you’ll feel.

If you are lucky enough to have a small room devoted to it or have space to spare, think about turning your laundry into a multipurpose utility room packed with convenience. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a complete sewing and mending centre close at hand? Or a room you can count on for 101 tasks, from polishing your shoes or silver to fixing that broken lamp?

Transforming your laundry can often be as simple as installing additional cupboards and shelving where space permits. See- through wire baskets, too, are readily found and slide easily under countertops. Drying racks can double as an extra space for ironed clothes. Use the worktop as a desk and sewing area, positioned by a sunny window if possible. Sewing enthusiasts will appreciate the convenience of having a walled pegboard to keep thread and scissors.

With so many practical storage options, it’s easy to get carried away. But don’t forget about the finishing touches. A friendly, warm colour scheme and comfortable chair or stool will make all the difference in turning your utility room into an area you’ll enjoy using.

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)
Washday Blues, Get the most Space and ease out of your Laundry, DIY Laundry Layout

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