Make Laundry Easy And Fun: Two Key Essentials
Yeah, I know...laundry...fun? It doesn't really compute. I mean is there anyone who really looks forward to doing laundry? I know I don't. But over the years I've found ways to simplify it and make it more, well, maybe not fun, but much easier and at least somewhat enjoyable! Two things are key:
being really organized; and
making the laundry space pretty.
An organized and functional space where everything I need is accessible makes the job easy, and taking it up a notch with style makes me smile and appreciate the time I'm spending on the task.
First get organized.
1. Declutter
Get rid of trash like lint, old receipts and single socks that have never found their mates. Take all loose change to a change bucket outside the laundry room, and keep all loose buttons in a bowl or jar all together.
2. Gather everything you need.
Get everything for cleaning, caring for and repairing clothing, accessories and textiles in one place. That means all cleaning detergents, stain formulas, dryer balls, clothespins, dryer racks, sewing kit, iron and ironing board, and shoe care. Designate a spot for everything in a laundry room or closet/shelving close to where your machines are. In really tight spaces maybe this means a movable cart that holds everything and you can wheel it to the machines when needed.
3. Organize like with like.
Use baskets, bins and crates to keep everything tidy and separated based on task. Label them so everyone knows where to find what's needed - and where to put it back! Keep detergents and stain removers in glass jars so it's easier to see when they're getting low and need refilling. Designate a bowl or hanging pouch for socks without mates until you can find them.
4. Use space on the wall.
A laundry bar for air-drying clothes is ideal, but an inexpensive folding or tilt-out rack on the back of the door or wall works well and saves space. Or pull out a folding rack to hang over a door when needed and slid in between the machines when not. I also use pegs on the wall and have clothes hangers on them ready and waiting for wet clothing to be hung to dry. Get creative - even a long towel bar hung on the underside of the bottom shelf in the linen closet is a great option.
5. Decide where you'll fold clean laundry.
Designate a space to fold - whether it's a counter that's kept clear over or beside your machines, or a bed where you fold everything immediately and put it away. I recommend NOT folding on your dining table or coffee table where it could sit for days. Your bed is a better option if you don't have room within an actual laundry room. You can't go to sleep at night if there are piles of clothes on it!
6. Have enough hampers.
The other key to easier laundry duty is making collecting it simpler. Ensure there is a laundry hamper for everyone in the house, including one in the master bedroom or bath, one in each occupied room, and one in every heavily used bathroom. Encourage everyone in the household to use their hamper in their room for their dirty clothes so you don't need to go around searching for laundry that needs to be done on the floors, under beds or buried on hooks piled high. Dirty towels, face cloths and kitchen dish cloths go into the bathroom hamper. And consider options for hampers that are easy to carry to the laundry area. Large canvas bags could work well - and two of them in each bedroom labelled for darks and whites makes separating loads a breeze.
Then make it pretty.
A laundry space that's pleasing to the eye will help you stay organized and make the task more enjoyable, as you'll be more apt to be present and at ease in your surroundings.
Paint the room your favourite colour, or add a fun wallpaper to the back of shelving units.
Choose textured baskets or vintage crates to warm up the space.
Add a butcher block or quartz slab across the top of the machines to make folding a nicer job.
Make cute cafe curtains and put them on an extension rod to hide the machines if they're out in the open in a bathroom or hallway.
Put a beautiful and soft rug down for your tootsies.
Install a barn board floating shelf over the machines for displaying pretty jars of detergent, stain remover and scented linen water.
Keep lavender essential oil handy and put a couple of drops on dryer balls or cotton lint sheets- the sweet scent will put you at ease every time you enter the space, plus make your clean sheets and towels smell heavenly.
Hang kid's drawings or an inspirational quote on the wall.
Frame a handy stain removal cheat sheet (you can get one as a bonus when you purchase my ebook, A Simple Guide to a Naturally Healthy Home) so it's both stylish and practical.
If your space has a window, add a plant.
Ideas for a Small Laundry Space
You can see below from the small laundry closet in my previous home (a tiny condo) that even the smallest of spaces can be organized to be very functional. I really needed to make the most of this small space for storage capability and better functionality. And of course, to bring in some style! Here's how I did it.
There were 12 inches of space between the wall and the laundry machines, which is exactly what was needed for the IKEA LACK wall shelf. It fit perfectly and tightly so I didn't even need to anchor it to the wall. It's tall so takes full advantage of that awkward space and provides shelving for laundry soap, cleaners, an iron and lots of other laundry care and repair needs.
I wallpapered foam core board from the Dollar Store and cut it to size to go behind the shelf unit. This hides the mess of pipes behind it and adds interest. I then wallpapered a matching strip on the opposite wall (it's removable wallpaper so great for renters) over which I hung pegs for air-drying clothes and hanging a small ironing board so it was off the floor.
I continued adding style by using glass jars for laundry soap and mason jars for home-made cleaning solutions. Now I have them on hand quickly when I need them and can identify them by their handwritten labels.
I also took old cleaning spray bottles, covered them with scrapbook paper and labels, and filled them with natural home-made solutions, including a lavender linen water that I use on the sheets and towels when they're dry. Baskets keep sewing supplies, shoe cleaning items, lightbulbs and candles tidy and easy to find. A matching large basket on top of the dryer allows for clean blanket and linen storage.
I hope this helps you to simplify your laundry tasks so they are a little more enjoyable and generally make your life easier.
