Nobody wants to do laundry, but it’s something we all have to do. That makes the laundry room one of the essential rooms in your house. A thoughtfully designed laundry room can help to streamline your workload without skimping on style.
Depending on the size of your family, you may be spending a great deal of time in your laundry room. As the Japanese author in “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” suggests, you might as well make it a space that brings you joy. Gone are the days of a dark closet where everyone tosses their clothes. Today’s laundry room is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Exterior windows, built-in desks, good lighting, and even a wall-mounted tv will help make laundry bearable. However, be careful not to make the room too inviting because you may never want to leave.
First, you need to decide on the location of the laundry room. Where does it make the most sense for it to be so you don’t have to lug baskets full of clothing from one side of the house to another? Laundry rooms are often placed near the kitchen and garage. It serves as an overflow storage space for the kitchen, and the kids don’t stroll through the house in dirty clothes. Instead, they can stop and drop sweaty sports uniforms and sandy towels from the beach.
If your home has a second floor, you may want to consider an additional laundry room up there, so you don’t have to haul laundry up and down the steps. Another option is to have a laundry chute installed so that you can send clothes down at will. Instead of one person carrying everything up, many families assign a basket to each family member. Each individual is then responsible for carrying their clothes and linens upstairs when they’re ready to tuck in for the night.
Wherever you decide to put the laundry room, many modern advancements will make life much easier. A tub sink is always a good investment. You never know when you’ll need to soak a wine-splattered table cloth or someone’s favorite shirt covered in chocolate. A built-in ironing board is an absolute pleasure. It’s easy to access and doesn’t take up any space. Drying racks for delicate clothes, extra cabinet space to store things, built-in baskets for sorting, and a steamer if you have hard-to-iron items are all worthwhile additions that can streamline laundry day.
Contact Harbor Classic Homes to discuss design options for your laundry room. Whether you are building a new home or renovating an existing home, your laundry room can be user-friendly to the entire family.