Our first house we lived in had a proper laundry room. We bought our very first washer and dryer from Sears, BARELY missing the innovation, style and space efficiency of front loading machines. These machines always worked great, especially in the space we had them in.. til we moved. Our current house is in the city and is a lot smaller space than our previous house. We don't have a Laundry Room, we have a Laundry Closet. I've been living with the mess and general craziness of having a Laundry Closet for a few years now and am looking to make a change.
I always figured I would just purchase a new set, ones that stack, and fit the space better. But the ones I have work great. So instead of wasting my money on new ones, I figure the space just needs an bit of an overhaul and some organization. I found some good laundry tips on Blissfully Domestic. One of their tips I already use: several bins designated for clothes sorting. Does anyone else have any good tips or ideas on how to get a humble Laundry Closet to function like a Laundry Room? Or other good laundry org tips?
Here is my "Before" pic…
Laundry “Room” Makeover – The Plan
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Hi.
Lost my first post, trying again.
1) get the hangers out of there–either into a bin or on the bar.
2) put a shelf between the machines that has space for the useful stuff, like maybe two shelves for those low hampers you’re using. Or maybe soap and softener and the like. You can get creative and build a fold-out surface on top that can turn into a clothes-folding table.
3) make sure the hanging bar is as long as one load of shirts–but no longer. Use any remaining space for more shelves, especially over the dryer since it requires little vertical clearance.
shris
shris,
so sorry about your lost first post! (that’s so annoying) I appreciate your diligence in retyping. My dream laundry room thanks you! Thanks for you all your tips.. my hangers really are out of control! I will definitely look into a shelving system, that’s a great idea. And I definitely need some sort of surface situation to be able to fold clothes on. I think I’ll pull that bar out and install something a little more useful for the space.
Thanks!
Sam
I think shris is on to something. I also think it would look tidier to use all wooden hangers. They can be pricey but they aren’t as painful to look at as the mixed up metal and plastic ones.
I agree about the shelf between the washer and dryer, but i know that your dryer is turned so that won’t be possible. Your best bet is to get a stackable in there and maximize the shelf and hanging space on the side opposite of the machines.
That way your hanging clothes and shelves aren’t in the way of transferring your clothes from the washer to the dryer.
Your first poster took my initial thought – the hangers! We do keep ours in the laundry area (granted we have a room, not a closet), but we store them stacked in a basket. We also have gotten rid of all metal hangers and switched to either (me) the thin, fuzzy hangers that fit more closely and keep clothes from sliding off of (hubby) sturdy wooden hangers to limit the weird creases in the shoulders of his shirts. I’ll second adding shelves in that are sized to the bins you already have and use. Good luck!
that “of” before hubby should be “or.”
Love the idea of wooden hangers.. I will check out Marshalls or TJ Maxx for some lower priced options. They will definitely look neater than the mishmash I have in there now!
As for my turned dryer sitch, I had a handyman do a quick fix and move the dryer vent to the side. Now my old school units face front and are side-by-side! I am going to find a good cabinet system to install above the washer/dryer and use the small vertical space to the right of the machines as hanging space (that way I don’t have the TON of wasted hanging space I have now.. just enough space for one load of shirts!). Stay tuned…
Amy, Don’t worry about typos here! You’re in a safe place
I might look into the fuzzy hangers.. I have a few things that slip off a regular hanger easily. And my husband’s shirts DO need a longer hanger that doesn’t give his shirts those indents.. thanks for the tips!
Sam, what a fun project! It’s actually something I need to tackle as well. I have a very similar laundry ‘closet’ lay out though it looks as though you may have more room in the middle. It would be great to put one of those ironing boards that folds down out of cabinet there. Then it would keep it organized, but fold away when not in use.
Can’t wait to see the AFTERS
Sam, I don’t know how expensive it would be to change the doors on your closet, or if there is even room outside the closet to have doors that open, but regular doors would give you a space to hang your ironing board, as well as over the door hooks and/or a drying rack. We use a lot of over the door hooks at our house.
Have you thought about using some mirror in there somewhere to make your laundry room feel bigger?
ooooooo! Alexa, I love that ironing board idea! I have a board now, but its SUCH a pain to get out, set up and then put away. That would be SO much easier and more effective. I think I’ll put it on one of our side walls. Can’t wait to SHOW the afters!
Over the door hooks are fabulous! No room in the hallway for that type of doors, though it WOULD make more usable space. Love love love the idea of a mirror though! We don’t have any lights in there, so something to reflect the light… brilliant, Alisa! Ok.. no crazy hangers, add some cabinetry, add an ironing board, and a mirror. I will have the coolest laundry closet EVER!
To be an organized diva (like me):
1. Throw away the current hangers. Make a small investment and buy a stock pile of the same style hangers (plastic or wooden). Keeping everything the same will eliminate the jumbled look. I’d also recommend hanging the unused ones on the rod next to the ironing board. Then, use the other end for hanging your clothes to dry.
2. Use your shelves for products, the iron and additional supplies like (paper towels, etc). I also use my shelves for cleaning towels (for the house, car or the dog) so my linen closet towels are just for humans.
3. And lastly, I totally agree with the sorting comment. I love using my laundry closet as the hamper. I’d buy two tall bins or the stack n store baskets if they’d fit (one for your whites and one for your colors) and place them between the washer and dryer. It makes for a quick drop off point for your dirty clothes and when it looks like one is about to overflow you know you’re ready to wash. No sorting necessary.
Sam, I have absolutely NO experience with this idea of “organizing” anything, but do dream about it!
My daughter came home and organized my clothes closet, and I do absolutly love my fuzzy hangers. They take up less space, keep clothes from sliding off, and make the closet look neat. My husband has even decided that he likes them – not for suits or knit shirts, but his dress shirts. Highly reccommend them. And about using the vertical space for hanging clothes – at least 95% of what we hang is much shorter. Maybe shelves under the hanging area? And look into adding lights!! Should make it easier to KEEP things in place after you finish this project.
it’s been said before, but here are my 2 cents -
1) get rid of the hangers on the floor and get some even sets. they’re pretty cheap at family dollar or the dollar stores.
2) in our laundry room, we had a hamper for whites and one for darks and that seemed to help me a ton and save time before i do the laundry – the sorting has been done way ahead of schedule!
can’t wait to see the AFTER photos too!