From Pre-washed to Put-away – How to Make Your Laundry More Manageable
Be inspired by these smart ideas to help you tackle the laundry monster – and win
From the moment we discard them after a busy day to their glorious reincarnation in our cupboards, neatly pressed and ready for action, our clothes travel on a sometimes bumpy journey that many refer to with mild despair. The stages en route through washing, drying, ironing and repatriation to wardrobes can be beset with challenges and glitches – but I have some solutions that may just smooth the process.
Stay upstairs
There seems to be a consensus that your washing machine should be based in a utility room or kitchen. However, there’s something to be said for not having to trudge up and down stairs with baskets full of clothing. Why not take out a stage of the process and install your machines upstairs? The owner of this glamorous dressing room has her laundry done “in-house”, with a washing machine tucked into a full-height cupboard.
This solution may not work for everyone, since you will likely have to lay plumbing to a room that doesn’t currently have it, but if you’re planning a full-scale renovation or build, it may be something to consider. Don’t forget to guard against flooding by sitting the washing machine in a tray – just in case of leaks.
There seems to be a consensus that your washing machine should be based in a utility room or kitchen. However, there’s something to be said for not having to trudge up and down stairs with baskets full of clothing. Why not take out a stage of the process and install your machines upstairs? The owner of this glamorous dressing room has her laundry done “in-house”, with a washing machine tucked into a full-height cupboard.
This solution may not work for everyone, since you will likely have to lay plumbing to a room that doesn’t currently have it, but if you’re planning a full-scale renovation or build, it may be something to consider. Don’t forget to guard against flooding by sitting the washing machine in a tray – just in case of leaks.
Sneak a washing machine into your bathroom
Another great idea for cutting out stages of the laundry cycle is to put a washing machine in your bathroom. The plumbing will be there already, minimising disruption with installation. And being able to remove clothes and immediately push them into the open mouth of your washing machine will improve your laundry life cycle efficiency quite remarkably.
Read expert tips on what to look for when buying laundry appliances
Another great idea for cutting out stages of the laundry cycle is to put a washing machine in your bathroom. The plumbing will be there already, minimising disruption with installation. And being able to remove clothes and immediately push them into the open mouth of your washing machine will improve your laundry life cycle efficiency quite remarkably.
Read expert tips on what to look for when buying laundry appliances
Install a laundry chute
I can’t think of a way more likely to encourage my kids to get involved with laundry than throwing their smelly football kit down a slide. The UK hasn’t really embraced the laundry chute in the past, but surely a direct line between bathroom and utility has to be an innovation we get behind as soon as possible?
Ideally, laundry chute systems are best planned and installed at design and build stages. However, it’s perfectly possible to incorporate one into an existing building. Take note of fire ratings when you consider which system to go for, ensuring properly sealed doors and access points to prevent the potential spread of fire. Prices tend to depend on how many storeys’ drop the system covers, and the thickness of the chute material.
I can’t think of a way more likely to encourage my kids to get involved with laundry than throwing their smelly football kit down a slide. The UK hasn’t really embraced the laundry chute in the past, but surely a direct line between bathroom and utility has to be an innovation we get behind as soon as possible?
Ideally, laundry chute systems are best planned and installed at design and build stages. However, it’s perfectly possible to incorporate one into an existing building. Take note of fire ratings when you consider which system to go for, ensuring properly sealed doors and access points to prevent the potential spread of fire. Prices tend to depend on how many storeys’ drop the system covers, and the thickness of the chute material.
Put together a laundry nook
As you can see from this neat cupboard, you don’t even need to have a spare room handy in order to dedicate some space to the laundry. If your cupboard is narrow, stack your machines on top of one another. Remember that the washing machine should always be positioned below, due to its weight and the impact of energetic spin cycles, but it’s fine to put a tumble dryer on top.
Add some vital shelf space for washing liquids and powders, and if you have more space, you could even integrate a pull-out airing rack.
Discover more ways to squeeze a utility room into any size of home
As you can see from this neat cupboard, you don’t even need to have a spare room handy in order to dedicate some space to the laundry. If your cupboard is narrow, stack your machines on top of one another. Remember that the washing machine should always be positioned below, due to its weight and the impact of energetic spin cycles, but it’s fine to put a tumble dryer on top.
Add some vital shelf space for washing liquids and powders, and if you have more space, you could even integrate a pull-out airing rack.
Discover more ways to squeeze a utility room into any size of home
Hide machines in a sleek kitchen design
Many homes simply don’t have space for a dedicated laundry or utility room, so washing machines often need to live in the kitchen. To maximise your laundry efficiency, you’ll need to get the washing in and out pretty swiftly in order to reduce cooking odours infiltrating the lovely clean clothes. Try to find a spot away from the oven, hob and food prep area, and aim to dry clothes elsewhere in the house.
You can buy integrated appliances that are designed to sit behind a kitchen door fascia in your run of base units, or even, as in this sophisticated kitchen, keep a laundry cupboard behind closed doors. Just be aware, though, that if you want to hide a freestanding machine behind a door, you’ll need a deeper space in order to slot it in neatly, as it will sit proud of standard kitchen cabinets.
Many homes simply don’t have space for a dedicated laundry or utility room, so washing machines often need to live in the kitchen. To maximise your laundry efficiency, you’ll need to get the washing in and out pretty swiftly in order to reduce cooking odours infiltrating the lovely clean clothes. Try to find a spot away from the oven, hob and food prep area, and aim to dry clothes elsewhere in the house.
You can buy integrated appliances that are designed to sit behind a kitchen door fascia in your run of base units, or even, as in this sophisticated kitchen, keep a laundry cupboard behind closed doors. Just be aware, though, that if you want to hide a freestanding machine behind a door, you’ll need a deeper space in order to slot it in neatly, as it will sit proud of standard kitchen cabinets.
Be creative with drying solutions
Coming up with enough locations for drying clothes inside is hard, and it’s easy to resort to draping them over household radiators or even stair banisters. However, if you can carve out a well-ventilated utility space, there are a number of clever solutions to consider.
A foldaway plastic or wooden floor-standing airer is never that attractive, but at least it can be tucked away when not in use and employed to good effect when needed. Install a rail above the worktop, as the homeowners have done here, to dry shirts and tops crease-free. Hooks are useful as well.
A slatted shelf is great for those delicate items that need to dry flat, or for multiple items that can be draped over the slats. You can stack these racks up a wall or get fold-up versions, which free up space when not in use.
Coming up with enough locations for drying clothes inside is hard, and it’s easy to resort to draping them over household radiators or even stair banisters. However, if you can carve out a well-ventilated utility space, there are a number of clever solutions to consider.
A foldaway plastic or wooden floor-standing airer is never that attractive, but at least it can be tucked away when not in use and employed to good effect when needed. Install a rail above the worktop, as the homeowners have done here, to dry shirts and tops crease-free. Hooks are useful as well.
A slatted shelf is great for those delicate items that need to dry flat, or for multiple items that can be draped over the slats. You can stack these racks up a wall or get fold-up versions, which free up space when not in use.
Channel vintage vibes with a drop-down airer
Sometimes, the old ideas are the best. This pulley-operated airer design may have been around since Victorian times, but it still does the job of drying clothes perfectly.
Suspended from the ceiling, the robust framework drops down for loading, and can then be winched towards the ceiling and out of the way. It’s a great choice for compact laundry rooms, and especially for spaces with high ceilings.
Sometimes, the old ideas are the best. This pulley-operated airer design may have been around since Victorian times, but it still does the job of drying clothes perfectly.
Suspended from the ceiling, the robust framework drops down for loading, and can then be winched towards the ceiling and out of the way. It’s a great choice for compact laundry rooms, and especially for spaces with high ceilings.
Set up an ironing station
Another potential sticking point in the laundry life cycle is the ironing. The cumbersome board needs to be brought out and put up, often causing a trip hazard and cluttering the floor.
Having a dedicated ironing station where the board folds out from the wall – ideally out of the way of running children or pets – is an efficient solution. Here, the board folds out of a cabinet. Make sure the iron and plug point are adjacent to each other, in order to improve the process further.
Another potential sticking point in the laundry life cycle is the ironing. The cumbersome board needs to be brought out and put up, often causing a trip hazard and cluttering the floor.
Having a dedicated ironing station where the board folds out from the wall – ideally out of the way of running children or pets – is an efficient solution. Here, the board folds out of a cabinet. Make sure the iron and plug point are adjacent to each other, in order to improve the process further.
Give your clean clothes a tidy home
The final frontier for your journey has to be the return to the wardrobe. Often the process stalls at this last hurdle as piles of clothing build up on the floor in the bedroom. Keep the energy going by making sure your clothes storage is easy to access and well-organised, with minimal clutter, so you’re inspired to finish the job in style.
Do you have any tips for tackling the laundry? Please share them in the Comments below.
The final frontier for your journey has to be the return to the wardrobe. Often the process stalls at this last hurdle as piles of clothing build up on the floor in the bedroom. Keep the energy going by making sure your clothes storage is easy to access and well-organised, with minimal clutter, so you’re inspired to finish the job in style.
Do you have any tips for tackling the laundry? Please share them in the Comments below.
The trick to catching all those stray socks as they fall is to have a receptacle at the point of disrobing. This could be in a family bathroom or a bedroom, and could be like this huge basket that looks as though it could take the collective laundry of a small army, or a more compact alternative.
Whichever form your laundry basket takes, it will minimise escapee items. All you need to do now is train household members to comply.