Organization can ease your workload
Even if your laundry space is ultra small - let's say a washer and dryer tucked behind bifold doors, or a tiny walk-through mudroom - you can still make your laundry area a fun and inviting place. The key to small-space laundry rooms is organization.
Counter space in a small laundry area will most likely be at a premium or even nonexistent. Thus a few organizational tricks will go a long way in helping to make wash day a pleasure.
"With any space, you want to clean house and evaluate what you have," said Olescia Hanson, public relations director for The Container Store. "You want to find a way to help you sort your laundry, with areas for whites, brights, colors, and even dark colors separated."
Look for laundry baskets and hampers that have at least three compartments so you can sort your washables as soon as you take off your clothes. Another option in a small space is to hang small bags over your washer and dryer in which you can sort laundry. Don't forget to get the kids involved, too. Asking them to sort their washables, whether in their own rooms or in a central location, will ultimately save time in the long run.
Another timesaving trick is to make sure you have room to hang drip-dry clothes. You may accomplish this by incorporating a closet rod or a free-standing rack, depending on how much space you have in your laundry area.
"The trick is to get your clothes on hangers as quickly as possible after washing to avoid wrinkles," Hanson said.
To expedite the process even further, give a different colored plastic hanger to each member of the family and hang clean clothes accordingly. With such a system, anyone can easily go in to the laundry room to pick up and put away his or her clothes.
Maximizing storage is also essential. Organizational tools such as Elfa's slim drawers, which can be tucked in tight spaces on the floor next to washers and dryers, can store laundry detergent and other cleaning aids. If your space is so small that even slim drawers won't fit, consider purchasing a carryall to keep your laundry essentials organized.
"When you're limited on space, don't forget to utilize the back of the door," Hanson said.
Elfa's platinum laundry door rack is one such tool you can use for storage. Other organizational tricks include an over-the-door ironing board holder, for when installing a built-in board is impractical or too expensive. Finally, consider organizational gadgets that may even have an element of fun, such as sock sorters and a folding template that gives pointers on how to fold shirts, pants and the like. By learning how to fold properly, you'll also save time by not having to iron clothes that were messily folded in the first place.