Does your basement laundry room feel like a dungeon?
The average person spends six hours a week doing laundry. That’s the equivalent of 13 days straight of nothing but laundry! Not surprisingly, there is a trend towards upgrading laundry spaces.
While upstairs laundry is becoming the standard, many people still have to trudge down to the basement to get work done. But you can make doing laundry more enjoyable (or at least less boring) if you set up the room with respect for both form and function.
Let’s first address the function part of the equation. What activities do you need to do in this space? In what order are these tasks completed? Here is a list to get your brain going:
- clothing transport
- classify clothes
- pretreated laundry
- Clothes folded and hung
- Arroying Laundry (yes, some people still do this!)
- Hand wash (and air dry) Delicates
- Sewing and craft activities.
- Gift wrap station
- Store laundry supplies
Now that you know what needs to be accomplished in this space, think about the shape. After all, the laundry room is a space where you can really get creative! While an animated decoration does not necessarily make washing clothes fun, it will make time seem faster. And you’ll be surprised how little it costs!
- Clean up! Before you begin, create a clean canvas. CLUTTER: If you have it, you need to purge it. Then clean it up like your mom is coming to visit and sleeping in the basement. If her basement is still in her original form, consider painting the walls and the floor with a light and neutral color. Keep items off the floor as much as possible.
- Falls and stairs! Consider adding a laundry hopper to help with the transport of clothing (even in a way!). This is especially useful if there are people (and know who they are) who do not get their “dirty” where they belong regularly.
- Define the laundry space. Is your washing area floating in the middle of the room or is it hidden in a corner? Establish some limits. Add colorful FLOR interlocking carpet tiles to define your laundry space. You can make it the size you need and in the colors you want. Not only is it a great design element, but it’s easier on your feet.
- In his place for everhip, and all his place. Cree un gabinete móvil con almacenamiento incorporado agregando ruedas en la parte inferior de un gabinete de tocador. Use este divisor de espacio móvil para ayudar a definir su espacio en una habitación que de otro modo sería amplia. Verify irregular or discontinuous items in your local DIY store to obtain a good offer.
- Make it happen. Buy three large laundry baskets to sort your clothes into light, medium, or dark. Make decorative signs to indicate which is which. Or just write on them with a marker pen, whatever gets the job done!
- Know when to fold them! Get with a cooking island at a very good price and use it as a folding table. Not only will it be a more comfortable height for your back, but you will also get additional storage below! And why not add a pair of bar stools to make crafts or simply hang out? Optional Mini Nevera.
- Hang out. Hang a post on or near the “folding island” to hang articles while bending them, or get a coat rack with wheels. If you hang the shirts while they are still a bit wet, it will be much easier to iron them. Use hanging divisors to separate clothes by owner to keep the organized items.
- Bright ideas. Do not skimp on lighting. Use a combination of ceiling and work lighting to make sure you can see what you are doing. If you have windows in the basement, limit them and wear them with light curtains that let the natural light in.
- Make it fun! Add a whimsical element, like a colorful sign that says “Leave Your Dirt Here” with an arrow pointing to the clothes sorting area. Find clever cabinet knobs with a laundry room theme. Add a tip jar for loose change found in the wash. Use colorful containers to store supplies. You can find many inexpensive plastic containers at dollar stores. Use your imagination! But avoid small chatchke items that collect dust (and spiders).
- Think green. Add an indoor tree to add life to the space. Perhaps a nice long lasting rubber tree or false ficus.
Still not excited about laundry? Add a stereo or TV to help pass the time. Chaka Khan’s “I’m every woman” could do the trick!