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Ok, so doing the laundry may not be a luxurious task but that doesn’t mean we can’t take pride in our laundry room. And if yours is a chaotic mess now is the time to take charge of it and turn it into a functional and pretty space. With everything more organized in the laundry room, the chore is less likely to be a bore. The more efficient your space is, the more quickly you’ll get the job done. Below are some ideas on how to create a super space you can launder in style.
If you have space, it’s a good idea to create a laundry room. This means your fresh washing is kept away from the cooking area and can be dried and folded in this extra space. The best laundry rooms feature a washing machine, dryer, and sink for hand washing. They also include and an array of beautifully designed shelving and storage units. Also, make sure to design the room with lots of counter space, so you have plenty of room for folding. Butcher block tops work really well in the laundry room. If you are looking for some inspiration, check out http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/the-worlds-most-beautiful-laundry-rooms-229078 for some great photos of super swish
laundry rooms.
Choose a stylish faux tile or wood print vinyl flooring for this room. There will be spillages and leaks, so there is no point investing in too expensive a floor. Vinyl is a great choice as it is practical, durable and easy to clean. Color wise choose something fresh and stylish. White and duck egg blue are a beautiful combination for a laundry room, as is yellow, gray and olive green too. If you need some quick fix design ideas that you can use in the laundry room, take a look at my blog post right here.
Photo from: Flickr
Storage wise keep all your detergents and stain removers in high up cupboards away from eager children’s hands. You can take a look here http://www.cleanhappens.com/collections/laundry for some ideas on what kind of products to fill your laundry room with. On the lower shelves, you can store extra bales of white towels on any extra bed linens. Also use any free space under the countertop to keep three separate laundry baskets. One for whites, one for colors and one for darks. Keep a smaller linen basket for your delicates. Keep hand soap and hand lotion by the sink and create a special tray filled with all your alternative stain-removing ingredients. These can be anything from baking soda to vinegar and toothpaste to lemon juice. Write a small label for each bottle saying what type of stains they get out. This way if anyone else (read teenagers or husband) is in charge of the laundry, they’ll know what to. Check out this website http://www.savorylotus.com/5-tips-to-remove-laundry-stains-naturally/ for ideas on getting stains out of clothes. Use pretty glass containers to keep everything from pegs to spare buttons in, and also have one for lost socks. Any miscellaneous socks can be thrown in here and checked and matched every two weeks. If the sock doesn’t find a soul mate after this time, it goes in the bin. Other things you may want to store in the laundry room are your ironing board and vacuum. But don’t just shove them in there. Think about designing a cupboard which can be used for the vacuum with a hook inside the door to hang the ironing board on too.
Keeping everything neat and tidy and a little bit stylish in your laundry room will make the tasks feels a little less tiresome. And once you have established a special place to get the sorting, washing, drying and folding all done in one, your time will be used much more efficiently.