The laundry room probably isn’t a place that you love to go into. But, you can make it more user-friendly. By doing so, you can keep it organized, useful, and maybe even a section of the house that you actually look forward to going into.
If you ask most people what they don’t like about their laundry room, they will say that it is too cramped, cluttered or doesn’t have enough space. But, the truth of the matter is, that most laundry rooms have a lot of space and it is very rarely utilized. Realizing the potential for usable space in the laundry room can give you even more storage than you thought you had before.
The wall behind the washer and dryer usually has about sixty four square feet of available storage space. But, with just a shelf above the washer and dryer, we are usually only utilizing about eight feet of that space. No wonder we all feel like we don’t have room to put anything!
Use that space to its fullest potential. Pull down that shelf and start from scratch. You may decide to build a platform with a rubber coating to go underneath your washer and dryer. This significantly cuts down on washer and dryer noise and also gives you a usable space underneath for storing linens, out of season clothing, whatever will fit. Plus, if you have a front-loader washer and dryer, raising them up puts them at a more ergonomic height, saving you back strain and pain.
Next, consider a workspace. One thing to consider is a countertop for folding. This can be just a small space next to the washer and dryer, or a long counter down one side of the room if you have the space. Underneath is a good area for stashing dirty clothes baskets and hampers.
You may decide to place a cabinet underneath your countertop for your heavy laundry detergent boxes or bottles. A sliding trash can is also a handy thing to put in a lower cabinet. You may even decide to put two trash cans inside of cabinets; One with a self closing lid for dryer sheets and lint and the other for recyclables, like laundry detergent and fabric softener bottles.
Deep cabinets are useful in a laundry room. Install them up higher than you normally would and place a hanging bar below them. Designate certain hangers, like metal hangers, for drying delicate items.
