Inside this edition: I want to help you put the “fun” back in functional when it comes to your laundry room.
Hey y’all! It’s me – your girl Rainey. You know I am always looking out for YOU – my tribe – The Rainey Crew. Now raise your hand if you enjoy doing laundry? Believe it or not I can see how many hands are down. Doing laundry is not fun and never has been fun. What you can do is make the space that you do it in more pleasurable rather than functional to take the edge off. Whether it may be updating the color of the room, adding pictures, or quirky decor to raise your spirits. The important thing is making it a place that you want to be, for whatever space of time that forces you to be there.
Laundry Room Requirements
Before we remodeled our home our laundry area like most of yours was in the unfinished side of our basement. It did not bring me joy to visit that space. There was little or no natural light, brick walls with pipes, and open duct work above. It did beat the alternative of going to the laundromat every week, so I found the blessing in that. We did our best to brighten the space with paint, pictures, and we added extra lighting where ever possible. It was not much, but it helped us mentally to get through the chore.
If you are lucky enough to have a designated space for a laundry room in your home; you should do your best to make and keep that space tidy and orderly. A junky laundry room helps no one mentally or physically. Making it that way means you should have adequate shelving for detergents and other cleaning supplies close by. If the space is there should be:
- a folding table is essential.
- a utility sink for washing delicate items, and storage beneath.
- a rack for hanging clothes that cannot go into the dryer. The racks are usually inexpensive. I got one that folds flat from Ikea for under ten dollars.
In most homes space is at a premium. We usually find that laundry rooms also serve a utilitarian purpose for storing household supplies, broom closet, mudroom, even a sewing area. There is nothing wrong with using your room for more than one purpose, but keeping it tidy is key if spending any amount of time there. Highly recommended are pastel or neutral colors, and good lighting to inspire a laundry visit.
Laundry Equipment
Obviously the washer and dryer are the stand out functional appliances in the laundry room. When ready to replace or buy your first set. think through the accessories and features you want. There are so many features that come with today’s washers. Gone are the days of just a hot and cold water option, or Delicate and Permanent Press settings. Today’s washer and dryer are not only extremely functional, but also very fashionable. For the purpose of this post I want to focus on two features – top loader and front loader.
The Top and Front Loader
I have been the owner of both models and each come with their own level of pluses and minuses. However, I must say that the top loader is probably the most ergonomic of the two options. Our first washer was a top loader, which did not have a lot of bells and whistles back then. The set came in white, but it did the job. Not a lot of bending required is the best pro.
Our front loader – the current machine is aesthetically pleasing in a Steely Gray. We opted to purchase the pedestal drawers that go below it to give it height, so we were not constantly bending to put in and take out laundry. There is nothing fun about an aching back while doing laundry.
Tip: Keep in mind that you do not have to buy the drawers. I have researched online where people built pedestals for their machines. That will save you some cash if you or your spouse are handy. Front loaders which are not boosted for height can also be enclosed like a built-in. This allows for counter space for storage, or can be used as your folding area, therefore no folding table needed.
Other Functional Options
Stackables are great if you have a small laundry room or a small closet. They also do a great job performance wise. There are the combination washer and dryers which are also an option. Unfortunately, from personal experience I would highly discourage that as an option. I found the washing results to be poor, and the drying times inconsistent.
Laundry Room Accessories
To make the job at hand as easy as possible the key is to have all the necessary tools available. No laundry area is complete without an iron and an ironing board which should be hung on a rack. Laundry baskets, a drying rack as mentioned earlier, and glass or plastic containers for powdered detergents or pods. Unique container options like fish bowls or large glass canisters with screw on covers will give the room a fresh modern feel, and you will always know when you are running low on supplies.
Tip: No matter where your laundry space is be sure to get a comfortable laundry mat to stand on. Buy what you can afford, but it should be long enough to cover the area between both washer and dryer. You may also want to look into anti-fatigue mats. You can find those at Bed Bath and Beyond, Home Goods, Wayfair or even Overstock.com.
If there is a closet area within your laundry room, be sure to install a rack to hang mops, brooms. Wall mounted racks are great. If those items are not touching the floor that means that space on the ground can be better used for storing something else in the closet.
Tip: Laundry baskets made of wicker are cute, and add character, but not practical. Plastic baskets are best since they can be used with both wet and dry clothing.
Are we having “fun” yet
Creating a room specifically for doing laundry in our house was one of the best decisions we ever made. The only thing worse than going down two flights of stairs to do laundry is having to leave the house to do laundry.
If I had another chance and could do more; I would create a laundry area in my master closet. We are not getting any younger, and stairs would be a challenge in the future. Staying organized by having the right tools in any space is important. It is also important to perk up the space with color and decor. This creates a sense of comfort when performing those mundane tasks of washing, drying, ironing, and folding clothing.