The laundry room has to be one of the most utilized rooms in this house. It really doesn’t get credit for the amount of work it sees. In my efforts to organize, I decided to really make my laundry room more functional, and give it a bit of feng shui–you know, schnaz up the joint?
I put all of my DIY laundry detergents {which are awesome} in these gallon jars. I like them because they are pretty, they have a wide mouth, so it is super easy to get to the detergent, AND I can tell really easily when it is time to make a new batch.
I also decided to get an ironing board holder. I have to say, I don’t know why I didn’t do this earlier–it is such much easier than going to dig the stupid board out of the closet. Now, it’s right where I need it, but not in my way. Hot dog!
Pretty much every laundry room needs baskets and a hamper. Got to have a place to store dirty clothes and put clean clothes. How many baskets you need is entirely up to you. They make pretty cool hampers that allow you to sort as you go, if you have the room for them. Also, when you get laundry baskets, decide HOW you will be doing your laundry.
Do you want a basket for everyone in the house, so that they can grab their clean clothes and put them away easily? Maybe you only need one because you put laundry away right when you finish folding it {if that is you, then I would love to know your motivational secret}. Either way, got to have a place to store clothes waiting to be washed and to transport them once they are washed.
{photo credit nwedible}
Hanging clothes. Does your laundry room have a place for hanging clothes? When I started to organize mine, I read a whole bunch of tips on keeping hanging clothes organized. One was to color code hangers–different color for each person in the house, that way, they can easily grab their own clothes to put away. I have to admit, that would just be a pipe dream for me, because I would just grab any color if I ran out of one, and the whole system would go up in smoke. Either way, decide how you are going to address hanging clothes–because they won’t go away, I’ve tried.
If you don’t have cabinets in your laundry room, consider installing shelves that you can set baskets on. That way, you can organize the baskets by its contents: mismatch socks {that will probably never turn up, but you will keep anyway}, stain removers, lingerie wash bags, etc. Then, when you need something, you can easily pull the basket off the shelf, and voila, what you need, when you need it.
Lights, camera, I see a stain. If your laundry room isn’t bright enough, consider installing an under-the-cabinet light. Otherwise, you may not see the chocolate milk stain on the front of your son’s shirt until you have washed, dried, and effectively set the stain for life. A little extra light can really illuminate the problem {hey, I should embroider that on a pillow :}.
How about you?
What have you done to make your laundry room functional and organized?
~Mavis
Want to make your own laundry detergent without the mess? Try my laundry detergent tab recipe. Finish up with some homemade fabric softener and you’ll wonder why you ever even paid for the commercial stuff.
Becca says
Well my laundry room is far from ideal, but I try to fold laundry as it comes out of the dryer & since the only flat surface is the washer so that’s my motivation to immediately get it put away. I rarely allow myself to throw clothes on the bed or couch, with a two year old she will remove them pretty quick. 🙂
My secret for stains is felsnaptha. I use it to remove baby poo stains. I also try to sun bleach what I can. Between the felsnaptha & the sun I have been able to get some stains out that I accidentally dried.
Pam E-P says
My laundry room is tiny, so I have basically a rubbermaid shelf to help out. It works well enough, though. My real tip is to have each member of your family put their socks in a lingerie bag when they take them off and just throw them in the washer and dryer. Really cuts down on the unmatched socks!
Mary Ann says
My washer and dryer are in the garage with the stockpile shelves, extra refrigerator, freezer, and my husbands band equipment. Needless to say, it’s pretty crowded out there.
We have a front load washer that sits on a stand with a drawer, so that’s where my supplies go. My husband seems to set everything on the top of the dryer, so that’s useless space for me. So, as the clothes come out of the dryer I put them in the basket (only have one) and take them upstairs to the bedroom where I use our (made) bed as my folding table. They get put away immediately as I fold them or hang them.
No kids here, so it’s pretty easy to do it that way.
Lisa says
My laundry “room” consists of a washer and dryer (front loading), a wicker dirty clothes hamper (round), the laundry detergent jug (on top of the washer) in my bathroom!
Transport? I just take them out of the dryer and carry them to my bed, where I fold them! An ironing board? I do have an iron, but no board. I can’t think of the last time I ironed clothes.
I was always used to a washer and dryer in the garage (NEVER had a room just for laundry!), and thought I would never adjust, but now I love having them in the bathroom!
The cats eat on top of the dryer.
Cecily says
My children each have a hamper in their rooms. I spent the summers after my two eldest turned 9 teaching them how to do their own laundry. When they turned 10 they were then responsible for their own clothes (wash, dry, iron, fold and put away). This has cut way back on the mess in the laundry room. My youngest will learn this summer.
Ashley says
My ‘system’ is pretty lazy. When clothes are dirty, they get thrown straight into the washer. I’ve never had a problem with my colors/whites being mixed. I wash 1-2 loads per day, I fold and put them away at night. I don’t have space for hampers and baskets, so this is what has worked for me. I have a clothes drying rack for things that don’t go in the dryer, I do wish I had something better that didn’t take up floor space. My husband wears uniforms to work and I’m a sahm, so it’s very rare for me to have to iron something. I *think* I have a small ironing board somewhere though….
rachel says
No space to let clothes pile up means I always fold immediately when things get done drying. Our washer and dryer are in the bathroom (we have an old house) and I love it because in the winter I can heat my towel up in the morning!
A little white chalkboard chalk on a set stain . . . let the chalk sit a bit, use a little water and it comes out usually.
Veronica says
Our washer and dryer are in the bathroom. We don’t have baskets, just a hamper for dirty clothes. Laundry (most have stains on them from kids or hubby’s work) gets thrown in the washer before bedtime (when it needs to get done, not on a specific day) and soaks with detergent and oxyclean all night. I turn it on in the morning and with only one load to do, it gets folded right after it’s dry and then put away. Small “helpers” encourage putting folded laundry away immediately (if I want to keep it folded, that is).
elizabeth says
Where did you get those drying racks?
elizabeth says
Also Mavis, what are your favorite varieties/brands of hot tea?
Mavis Butterfield says
If I am splurging, The Republic of Tea Ginger Peach. But for everyday, Twinings English Breakfast and Earl Grey {decaffeinated of course}. How about you? What is your favorite kind of tea?
Mavis Butterfield says
Amazon and the Home Depot have them.
elizabeth says
Thanks, I also now see you have links to them in the post.
Lisa says
Instead of using Swifter cloths I made my own using fleece material. My material came from clearance fleece scarves. You can use a swifter cloth as a template to cut to your size and that is it! No sewing necessary. Everything sticks to it! Just sweep then throw in the wash. Just a suggestion after seeing your boxes of swifter cloths in your laundry room and knowing how you like your DIY cleaning supplies.
Mavis Butterfield says
Sounds like a great tip Lisa, thanks!
Helen in Meridian says
What no Oxi-Clean boxes in your laundry?
On Dr. Oz this week they were touting the healthy benefits of Matcha green tea. Have you tried it? Soooo do you have to be decaf tea all the time since your dental challenges?
Mavis Butterfield says
Well, I suppose techinally not for another 5 months or so until they screw in my teeth. 🙂 I am not a fan of green tea no Dr. Oz’s Matcha tea for me.
Lorraine says
My laundry room is my new kitty’s bedroom…..his potty box is in there, too. Believe me, this has made all the difference for me. I keep that laundry room floor cleaned up! HA! Also, it prevents me from leaving stuff lying around, lest he decide he wants to jump up on the counter and nest in the junk. It’s the perfect symbiotic relationship.