HOW TO: MAKE THE MOST OUT OF YOUR LAUNDRY ROOM

Woods of London ltdlast Monday

Laundry rooms have grown and grown in popularity in the last few years. Why? Because they're a surprisingly easy-to-achieve but lovely concept to bring into our homes, much like boot rooms. A utility room can quite easily be re branded into becoming a laundry room. A porch way can be reconfigured and renamed a boot room.

Laundry rooms are where the washing machine and tumble dryer live. They're where the ironing board sleeps and the clothes airer spends its days. They're the room where we can hide away cleaning products, a vacuum and all other chore-related bits and bobs, tucked away from the rest of our home. Out of sight, out of mind. Just the way we like it.

Here's how to make the most of yours.

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Call for order

Like with any room in your home, the layout and the furniture inside your laundry room needs to make sense. Instead of working with what you have, it's a good idea to take a step back and to think about what you need and then go from there. Do you have your washing machine and tumble dryer side by side? If so, a cabinet that can stack them is a wise investment, freeing up a chunk of floor space. Do you have a vacuum cleaner, mop and ironing board propped up against a wall or stood in a corner? Items like these not only cause clutter but they just get in the way. Cabinets that can hold a number of household items like these can become saviors, in which everything fits snugly and securely.

Think sink

If you're reworking a space to turn it into a laundry room, a sink isn't a must, but it's certainly a nice-to-have. A deep Belfast sink is ideal. Delicate items that need hand-washing can then be done in the confines of your laundry room, leaving them to soak for as long as you wish without causing any inconvenience. Place another storage cabinet or two next to your sink to give yourself a bit of work surface space too. You'll be surprised how much you'll use it once it's there.

Having a sink installed isn't necessarily a costly project, especially if your laundry room is close to your kitchen so the plumbing work just needs extending. As always, get a few recommended plumbers to visit your home to provide a quote.

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Wall art

It's all too easy to neglect wall space. We're drawn to floors and to think about what we can put on those to fill and use the space efficiently. But our walls can create storage opportunities that look as good as they act. Peg rails are a space from which cotton peg bags can be hung, linen spritz bottles, and even a bunch of fresh lavender. And our airing rail is an unobtrusive piece that can be mounted between wall cabinets or used alone to construct an indoor washing line where crisp white shirts can air on hangers.

The beauty of baskets

Baskets make life more organised and more attractive. You can use them within cabinets to store like-things together so that you don't need to empty the entire contents to find the one thing that you're searching for. You can use them to unload the washing machine, tipping clothes into them to rest while you peg them out. And why not relocate your laundry basket here too? That way, it saves you having to haul armfuls down the stairs, because there's always that one sock that escapes, and that you notice when you've already pressed the start button.

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Make it special

Even though a laundry room is a room for chores, it can also be a rather peaceful place. There's something quite therapeutic about washing. It's about renewing and refreshing. Plus, everything smells so beautifully light and airy when it's freshly laundered. So make sure you fill your laundry room with the nicest possible cleaning products so that they're a pleasure to use. Invest in ironing water, be sure to never run out of your favorite scented fabric conditioner (Dayelsford is our favorite), and choose a herbal hand scrub and rich hand cream to thank your hands when their hard work is all done, and quite possibly dusted too.

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