Who wants to wake up with dirty clothes, right? Laundry is one of the best ways to take care of yourself, your loved ones, and even the household. The question is, how do you design a laundry station? How do you make it easy to work with and not clutter your house? Here are four ideas:
Focus on the essentials
Your laundry station needs two essential pieces of equipment: a washing machine and a dryer. If you are economising, you can rent appliances or hang your clothes outside. Note, though, that outdoor drying may be challenging during rainy days and winter. When choosing your washing machine and dryer, consider:
- Do you want a top-load or front-load for your washing machine? Each has its pros and cons. For example, top-load washing machines may be cheaper to buy or rent, but they are less efficient. They may also use more water and detergent.
- What brand do you like? More known brands may be costlier, but they may also have better customer service and well-designed models.
- How big is your laundry station? Remember, you need to squeeze in two bulky machines. If you have limited space, find units you can place on top of each other.
- What is your usual load? Bigger machines can clean and dry many clothes at one time, but they can also eat up plenty of space.
Keep your laundry baskets handy
Designate an area in your laundry station where you can also organize laundry baskets. This way, you can spare yourself carrying a heavy load across rooms. You may even start teaching your kids to do chores. Children four to five years old can already help you with loading clothes from the baskets to the washing machine (especially if it is front load). They may have fun sorting them out too.
What if you have little space for two baskets? Here are some of your options:
- Group baskets according to rooms instead of assigning one per person instead
- Attach wheels on plastic ones
- Use cloth laundry baskets or boxes you can fold and store away when not needed
Put Up Some Shelving
The last thing you want to do when doing the laundry is to spend time looking for your detergents or moving back and forth across the room. Keep everything you need in one place. These include detergents, fabric conditioners, and clothespins nearby. To be safe, though, attach wall shelves high enough children cannot reach your supplies.
Kids, especially toddlers, can become curious and accidentally eat detergent pods. These can cause significant health issues, such as poisoning.
Do Not Use It as a Pet Station
When space is a premium, usually, you make rooms multipurpose. For example, living rooms may also include a small dining set. You may extend the kitchen to the outdoors. Some homeowners may combine laundry stations and pet areas. Dogs may eat their food, or cats may do their business there. The problem is pets are sensitive to sound. The noise your washing machines and dryers make can increase their stress and anxiety.
Having a dedicated laundry station can help you run your home more efficiently. It need not be costly either since you can rent appliances when money is tight. Many homes, though, do not have enough space. Paying attention to the design and getting smart on the layout, therefore, can help.