Outfitting a laundry room
 

We talk about our sewing rooms, but, today, i would love to hear about your favorite laundry room furnishings, tips, etc. Setting up our laundry room. It is in the basement. We just finished getting the basement waterproofed and now the fun begins! Yippy!!

first, i want to put one of those indoor/outdoor patio area rugs down in front of the washer and dryer. Colorful!

A drying rack, shelving for organizing the laundry baskets. Rolling wire cart for the detergents, etc. Folding table for, well, folding!

Sandy

I have a set of sinks for soaking stubborn stains, washer, dryer, a counter for storing my soap/bleach etc. and folding laundry. It is more functional than fancy since I want to spend as little time as possible there.:)

I'm a big believer in recycling or reusing. My neighbor was remodeling his kitchen and getting rid of his old wood cabinets. We took the small cabinet that is usually above the fridge and hung it over the sink to store soap, brushes, colorcatchers, brushes, and other smaller items. We used 2 lower cabinets back to back, added a cheap counter top and casters for storage of large items and a folding area. It's not glamorous and like Tartan said, I spend as little time as possible there.

Sounds like you have all the essentials. We don't have a basement and the laundry room is next to our bedroom. Very handy since I never run it at night to disturb our sleep. Just the two of us and it has washer, dryer, cabinets over them, and we put in some wire shelves to hold hangers and hanging to dry clothes, plus what I take out of the dryer and put on hangers. Also a table to hold miscellaneous stuff waiting to get washed, like my bras that go in a mesh bag. We did put a tall free standing type cabinet in there to hold things like rags, cleaners, etc. Cabinets over the washer/dryer hold things like paint cans, aerosol cans, etc. We don't have a garage and it would be too hot in the outside storage room to keep things like that. Anyway, the system seems to work ok for us.

Cabinets definitely.

A hanging rod for hanging the clothes right out of the dryer.

Trash bin.

My laundry room is on the main floor. It's an L shape that doubles as the furnace/water heater room on one side of the L and the other side is the laundry area. It's too small to call a "room", it's two small closets in an L shape. My washer is my "folding table" and my dryer is where I stack the "already folded". Above the washer/dryer are two cabinets where I store bits of this and that (spare light bulbs, rarely used kitchen stuff like crock pot, batteries, candles, etc.). Immediately to the right (at the turn of the L) is a small stand which holds detergent and other regular laundry supplies, a pile of "rags" on the bottom shelf, and other utility items like the box of trash bags. To the left of my washer/dryer is a hook rack to hang brooms, mops, swifter, etc. Going diagonally across the L (and partially overhanging the utility shelf) is a curtain rod where I can hang clothes out of the dryer - or clothes that need to hang to dry.

It's a small room so I had to make the best of it. It's functional, but because it is small I have to make sure I keep it tidy.

IF I had more space ... I would want a tall cabinet for storage, a small table for folding with storage underneath (I would not want a large table as that would only encourage me to leave clean clothes there instead of putting them away), a rolling rack with a curtain rod, and most of all ... a deep double utility sink!!

Good lighting.

I have a large laundry room. Washer and dryer of course, large upright freezer and one small chest freezer. We have wall to wall over head cabinets that match the kitchen cabinets above the washer and dryer. We have a half bath in the laundry room too off the opposite wall. Everything is white, the walls, the appliances, the floor is ceramic white, and the cabinets. Easy to tell if it needs tidying up. One little colorful decorative item really pops in there, so it's fun to change out different things.

We re-did ours last year. I put linoleum flooring directly on the cement floor (glued). I had carpeting before and I was tired of cleaning lints from the laundry. We have old kitchen cabinet that we painted. the countertop is useful for folding laundry, it serves also as my cutting table as my sewing room is also in the basement. the laundry room is big enough so we added a shower and a toilet so it is used as a second bathroom. This room serves many purposes now and I like it. If I need to soak stubborn stains I use a big plastic bucket in which my laundry soap came in.
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Helou,

what a great laundry room! Alas, our basement is old (farmhouse) and "finishing" it is not practical. My room will be functional. The area rug is to brighten up the space. Might rethink it tho. Perhaps some rubber mats. My DH has been working on installing the electrical outlets, he installed a nice florescent light that will hang over the W/D so the lighting is covered. I forgot about getting a trash can! And, no, I don't anticipate hanging out in the laundry room but I want it to be not so dingy. Silly, I know.

i wish now that I had the plumber add another faucet fr a small laundry sink. They do come in handy.

sandy

Place for trash and the lint from the dryer. (Wastebasket)

Ours is "primitive" - but a major step up from wash tubs, gray Maytag washer, and heating the water in a boiler, and carrying the water to and from the washer and tubs.

Lucky you! I just have a closet off the bedroom. Open the doors and there's the washer and dryer. No sink, no shelves, no trash bin. I miss having a sink and a place to hang clothes other than the shower rod.

I don't know if your space has walls, but I hugs some bright, colorful quilts in my laundry room to cheer it up.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...n-t185572.html

Elise

Yes I think you might like a rubber mat better than a rug because of lint even a leftover piece of linoleum that stores might have. I agree, an extra faucet is useful, and a bucket, it does not need to be an extra sink as long as there is a drain nearby. This what the plumber did in the workshp where the water comes into the house, and the drain is right beneath. We had it finished this way because we have a bedroom downstairs and our visitors are our age or older so we needed another toilet specially during the night if need be.
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I have a laundry tub not a sink. It allows me to wash or soak big things that won't go in my kitchen sink or things I don't want in my sink. It also gives me a great spot to wash our 2 dogs. They are each about 40 lbs and short hairs so this saves us a good amount of money and no bending over the bathroom tub :-)

Don't forget good lighting and a fun wall color. I have a small ironing station right by the W/D so anything can be quickly pressed and hung.

I also have a cloths line w/ hangers across a small area to hang finished laundry and not have it in a basket.

My laundry room was added on along with a living room and bedroom (now my sewing room. It is between the kitchen and sewing room. I have oak cabinets top and bottoms with about a 90 " or so countertop, an oak wooden pantry closet thing W/ narrow shelves. I keep my laundry products and bug spray in top section, hardware in plastic drawers, etc. in bottom section. We also have a pantry closet w/wire shelves. I have pans , etc. I use a few times a year. I have lots of storage. We don't have a basement.

I miss my deep utility sink from my old house. If I ever have room for one, I will have another.

The best laundry room feature I ever had was a pull down ironing board in a cabinet. I don't love to iron, but that was so convenient to pull out, use and put away. It also had a little shelf to store the iron. Oh, the things we love as we get older! Alas, moved from that house and no room for this in current laundry room.

I had a rod placed above the dryer to hang empty hangers. Makes it handy to put clothes on after drying. I bought a portable hanger to transfer the clothes onto. I also have a soaking sink. Tip if you do do not get a stainless steel if you like to soak bleach loads. It only took about 6 months for the bleach to eat holes and make rust. The manufacture stated it was not meant for that so no help there. Also had a shelf above the dryer rod to put cleaning products on.

I would love to redo my laundry room. It is fairly large, but has 4 doorways on 3 walls plus a wide window on the fourth. The windows sounds great, but there is a large deck on the floor above and very little light comes through it.

Last week my $5.00 thrift shop table collapsed for the third time, I am going to replace instead of another temporary repair. It is time to go. We used to use an 8 foot folding table, but it was too big for the space. I will check out a 6 foot folding table.

The washer and dryer are under the window, there is a single basin kitchen sink to the left of the washer with one upper cabinet above it. The sink cabinet needs a new counter top, all the cabinets need a good coat of paint, the wood has been bare for 50 years, and the floor is bare concrete.

There is a chest freezer, perfect height to use as a cutting table opposite the washer and dryer between two of the doors.

And wood paneling on the walls.

I would love to paint the cabinets and walls a very pale creamy yellow,

A hide-a-way ironing board and a closet rod/portable closet for hangables. I found if I carry clothing into the sewing room to iron they are never seen again :(

Me, too! I have to store the laundry detergent in another room. So inconvenient!

We just visited a friend this past weekend. We had never been in their new home. Her laundry room was huge and absolutely fabulous. The whole end was windows with a sink in the middle of about 12 feet. She uses it to start seeds for her garden because it is a deep shelf. She has a second (yes I said 2nd) dishwasher there because they do so much entertaining. Each side wall is all cabinets upper and lower wih bookshelves for her gardening and cookbooks plus a small desk with her computer etc. All the lower drawers are slider drawers, not shelves because of her crafts etc. The far end is her washer, dryer, freezer and second refrigerator (yes 2nd). But the coolest part was the center of the room which contained a HUGE LONG open shelf lower cabinet. She stores big pots and pans, totes etc. on those shelves. She folds laundry there and so on. The whole unit was easily 12 feet long. I could have lived in that room. Next room over was the mudroom and bath. In the kitchen a pantry which was as big as my whole kitchen. I came home with a major case of jealousy!!!! LOL

Space for a drying rack, and a bar for hanging. A laundry sink are a must for me and a cabinet to store supplies.

We have lived in quite a few houses over the years and have had really nice laundry rooms. Unfortunately that's not the case in this house. It's right off the garage and very small. One long shelf that is too tall for me to use except to hang clothes on out of the dryer. I have front loaders with the pedestals and use the tops to put things like detergents and softeners. Drawers hold a lot of other things, sweeper bags and such. No folding space at all. I would move this whole thing to the basement and set up a really nice space down there but DH is against it. Don't know why since he never does any laundry! The work involved I guess. I've been here for 8 years so I guess I'm used to the lack of things.

Athomenow, i feel your pain. I figured out that when my DH "won't" (can't) do something, i call a contractor, make the appointment, tell my DH to be there for the appt. and get it DONE! My guy can do a lot of things around the house but after looking at full kitchen remodel that stalled halfway through it, he finally admitted that it was the plumbing that he was not equiped to DIY! I suspected it and frankly would not want to DIY plumbing either! So.....i called a local company, got the bid, handed it my DH and got it done! Two weeks later the new plumbing was installed ( complete whole house plumbing replaced), the counter tops and new sink installed and flooring installed. Good grief! Waited 5 YEARS to finish this project. Just talk to me!

I did the same with getting the oozy basement waterproofed. It was completed earlier this month and DH is busy
wiring extra outlets for his new man cave corner and my new laundry area. His life is made easier by just getting some projects professionally done tho he won't admit it.

I am mentally planning my 2015 project! LOL ! Gotta get this years' completed first.

sandy

good for you. we contract out plumber, electrician, carpenter and it takes enough time as it is. We keep the painting and the cleaning and that's enough for me. If we want to get it done before it's time to go to a retirement home may as well get it over with loll

Mines pretty big...it takes up almost 1/3 of the basement... I have my washer and dryer.. Magnetic metal clothes hanger-rack-thingy that attaches to the dryer and is like an extra arm to hold items to hang- pretty awesome.. cabinets above both to hold opened laundry detergents and softeners, color catchers and all that other stuff we need. mud sink for the extreme grubbies under the window, and a Propane Stove .. Yes a full working stove for canning and when the power goes out, we get really bad ice storms- once there was no power for 14 days.. across from all that is a counter top with a wall of cabinets ( for my canning stuff) , vintage metal/porcelain table for folding and right next to that is a wall clothing bar..take two steps and you are in front of the cold storage cellar/tornado shelter encased in concrete... few steps past that is the water softener , upright freezers; one for his 'hunting' game and one for me just for 'stuff' like ice cream and other yummy stuff ! across from that is the floor to ceiling shelving unit that hold excess laundry supplies, extra coffee maker, crock pots and what nots not being used, and next to that is drawers and cabinets to hold 'his' hunting gear and out of season wears... walk past that and its the heating/water unit.. few more steps is the hallway that is lined on both side of two 3 compartment laundry sorters, a few more steps and there is another floor to ceiling metal shelving unit to hold extra canning jars and 'his' stuff.. another few steps youre out the laundry room door to the secondary kitchen/bar area... and thats whole 'nother section.. i do spend lots of time in my laundry room.. We have an orchard and a garden.. Need i say more?!?!?

Just enough counter top for folding at the machines is a great addition. Looks like you have pretty much covered your bases here though