Most people have a disaster area for a laundry room. This area of the house can usually use some serious help. Disorganization, germs and heaps of clothing can make it seem like an insurmountable task. Whether you have a small space or a large area, there are ways to make this area user friendly and organized.
Make sure that you have a dry place for dirty clothes to go. Wet clothes can mildew and mold your carpet and floors. Choose hampers or laundry baskets with plenty of breathability to lower your chances of creating a mold or mildew problem. Many people choose to have three or four separate areas for dirty clothes to go. You can have one for dark clothing, one for whites and one for delicates. Some people separate red clothing into its own load as well. Depending on how your family works, you may want a separate basket or hamper for each family member.
Folding Clothes Racks
If you have problems getting your family to actually put the dirty clothes in the laundry room, get separate hampers and laundry baskets for each family member's room and one for each bathroom in your home. If someone keeps making a laundry mountain instead of using the container you provided, simply move the laundry basket to the area where they always seem to drop their clothes. For some people, it is very hard to break the habit of throwing their clothes in the same spot all the time. Moving the basket to this spot will train them to aim for the basket, even if it is in the middle of the room. You can slowly move the basket day after day until it is near the wall or other area that you would like for it to be.
In your laundry room, you need a place to fold or put folded clothes until they can be put away. If you do not have room for a lot of shelves or a folding table, install a hanging bar over the washer and dryer. Get some good sturdy clothes hangers that will work for wet or dry clothes. You can even build a small drying rack for your small delicates. Simply build a wooden frame with four sides and wrap it in laundry line. Screw one side of the frame into studs in your wall so that the rest of the frame juts out. Use the laundry line stretched across to hang all of those little items that need to dry. This is an inexpensive option and it takes up very little space. You can even hang clothes hangers all around if the frame is sturdy enough to hold a little weight.
Once you get your laundry room in order, make an effort to keep it that way. Use the wooden hangers and drying racks to keep your clothing nice and wrinkle free. Create a laundry routine and stick to it. Make certain days laundry days and do not veer from the schedule. This will take the stress out of doing laundry and make your life a lot easier.