Organizing Your Laundry Room

I love having an organized laundry room. When everything has a place and everything is in its place, it makes me enjoy doing laundry just a little bit more.

I have been very fortunate to have a decent size laundry room in most of our homes. I have also had the dreaded closet with a washer and dryer that was called the laundry room, but even that small space can be organized.

What is Done in the Laundry Room?

A lot more is done in the laundry room than just washing clothes. I’ve had my husband pop his head in and say, “Are you still alive?” It takes time to really take care of our clothes the right way. Here’s a list of some things that might be done in the laundry room:

• Mending
• Ironing
• Stain Removal
• Washing
• Drying
• Sorting
• Folding

We once thought it would be a good idea to set up an office for my husband in the laundry room. There was really no where else for one to go. It ended up not being very effective. Do you have any idea how hard it is to carry on a conversation on the phone with the noisy dryer and washer going in the back. Yeah, I wouldn’t recommend that route.

Equipment You May Need

Having just the right items in your laundry room can make such a difference. Here are a few that I would recommend:

• Place to fold clothes like a small table (I actually prefer my bed. It makes a great laundry folding table!)
• Sorting baskets for each category: lights, whites, darks
• Stain removal products, laundry detergent, fabric softener
• Stain removal guide
• Care instructions for certain clothing
• Zippered mesh bad for delicates
• Drying rack
• Iron, ironing board, starch, water for the iron, etc.
• Trash can
• Plastic tub for pre-soaking items
• Small container to collect treasures found in pockets (It’s like Christmas when I let my kids go through it to retrieve their belongings. I’m going to start charging them though!)
• A line to hang garments on hangers when pulled fresh out of the dryer (helps reduce those wrinkles).

Getting your laundry room in order will help you take better care of your clothes and it will also help you to be more efficient.