Image via Flickr by christianbroscabinets
Choose Vertical Washer-Dryer Combos to Save Space
Initiating small laundry room ideas should have you feeling more inspired to do the regular washing and drying of clothes without having it feel like a major chore.
If your small laundry room usually makes you hate cleaning clothes, consider drawing inspiration from these nine ideas.
They could change your whole outlook for you on doing your laundry.
Buying a vertical washer-dryer combo is one of the easiest things that you can do to create space in your laundry room. Instead of setting the washer and dryer side by side, the dryer sets on top of the washing machine.
By choosing this type of appliance, you immediately add at least three square feet to your floor.
The only problem is that washer-dryer combos can cost quite a bit of money.
Many models sell for more than $1,000.
If you decide to invest in a vertical washer-dryer combo, you should consider getting a TotalProtect home warranty that will insulate you from expensive repairs.
If the appliance ever starts to act up, you can get it fixed without spending a lot of money.
Remove Cabinet Doors
If your laundry room has built-in cabinets, you may have noticed that the cabinet doors get in your way or take up space.
At the very least, those cabinets extend about a quarter of an inch into your storage space.
When you have a small laundry room, that space matters.
Cabinet doors look nice (and they can hide clutter), but you don’t need them in your laundry room.
It only takes a little effort to remove them.
Just get a screwdriver and take them off. You’ll add a little space within minutes.
Plus, the open shelves make it possible for you to store items that hang over the edges. You could potentially gain several inches of space just by removing your cabinet doors.
Add Storage Above Your Washer and Dryer
Image via Flickr by mattgosselin
People with small laundry rooms often have extra space that they don’t know how to use.
If the wall above your washer and dryer is empty, it’s the perfect location for cabinets or shelves.
Even a little bit of extra storage space can go a long way since it offers a place to keep your laundry detergent, dryer sheets, and other household supplies.
If you don’t have space above your washer and dryer, then you may have to get more creative.
An empty section along a wall could make a good location for tall, narrow shelves.
Any unused space that you discover could make your laundry room more useful.
Add a Chalkboard to One Wall
If your family’s wardrobe includes complicated instructions, you may need to write down reminders so you don’t ruin cherished pieces of clothing.
The matter becomes even more complex when some family members have allergies to detergents and dryer sheets.
Instead of writing notes on a piece of paper that could get lost, write them on a chalkboard.
You only need to apply a coat of chalkboard paint to change the way you keep yourself organized.
Use Retractable Clotheslines
Image via Flickr by erix!
Using a dryer will ruin some pieces of clothing.
A lot of people, therefore, have drying racks and clotheslines in their laundry rooms.
Since you have a small space, you may think that it’s impossible to install something as big as a clothesline.
Retractable clotheslines could offer a solution to your problem.
These lines retract into a cabinet when you don’t need them.
When it’s time to dry your clothes, you open the cabinet and extract the lines. You can make the lines any length you want, so this type of project can fit practically any room.
You won’t even need to hire someone to install the clotheslines since it’s a DIY project that only requires a few basic supplies.
Install a Fold-Away Ironing Board
You can also save space in your laundry room by installing a fold-away ironing board.
An ironing board that folds down from the wall appears when you need to iron your clothes.
When you’re done, you just push it back against the wall and secure it. It’s easy to install and simple to use.
Install Hidden Drying Racks
You can’t trust your clothes dryer with items that might shrink when exposed to heat.
Even when you set the dryer to tumble on cool, you run the risk of ruining a favorite sweater.
If your clothing’s tag says to dry flat, then using the dryer is out of the question.
Drying racks will help clothes maintain their shapes, but they’re often big, clunky apparatuses that take up too much room.
With a little ingenuity, though, you can install a hidden drying rack that doesn’t get in the way.
You have a couple of options when making hidden drying racks.
You could build them into the wall so that they pull down when you need them.
You could also attach drawer slides to the drying racks and install them under deep shelves.
This option only takes up space that typically goes unused.
Use Hooks to Clear Up Floor Space
Image via Flickr by @ go haus go
You need an empty floor to do laundry efficiently. Unfortunately, people with small laundry rooms often keep hampers and baskets on the floor.
This may feel like a good way to stow dirty clothes, but it will make your chores harder to do.
Find some empty wall space and attach hooks so you can hang laundry bags from them.
Now, you have a few more feet of floor space so you can maneuver easily while washing, drying, and folding clothes.
The chore won’t seem like such a hardship once you have more room to work.
Remove Unnecessary Items
Potted plants and decorative jars may make your laundry room feel like a nicer place to clean clothes, but those items take up space that should go to more important things like detergent and dryer sheets.
No matter how much you like your decorations, they don’t belong in your cramped laundry room.
Find other, more spacious, areas of your home for them.
Don’t let a small laundry room make you feel discouraged.
There are plenty of creative approaches you can take to make the space more useful and comfortable.
After trying these ideas, explore other concepts to improve your laundry room.
