Your worst nightmare may include a mountain of dirty laundry and a closet-sized laundry room. That’s an exaggeration, of course, but a poorly organized laundry room can sometimes make you feel like that’s what you are up against.
With an efficient and well-organized laundry room, the endless task of laundry can become a task that you really don’t mind. With everything at your fingertips, wash day can become a wash hour or two.
Hampers
Your laundry-room makeover starts upstairs in the bedroom. Laundry starts with the hamper where you put your dirty clothes. The right hamper system can let the dirty clothes breathe. And it can help with sorting too.
Look for a hamper that lets the air get to your clothes. An airtight bin may keep dirty clothes out of sight, but it will definitely keep the smells in – and intensify the odor. Many hampers let the air in – like a canvas bag or net hamper over a frame, or a bamboo, wicker or wood hamper.
The right hamper can also give you a head start on the wash by encouraging your family to sort their laundry when they take it off. Several hampers feature three compartments – one for heavy wash, one for casual wear and one for delicates. Just train the kids – and your spouse – to sort their laundry when they take it off. You will be way ahead of the game.
Laundry Room
Once you have started the laundry, you need to have products and tools within easy reach to cut down on the job. For example, if you need reading glasses to read the washing instructions on clothing, keep a cheap pair of drugstore readers on the shelf next to the detergent. You won’t have to stop the laundry while you hunt down your glasses to read the tag. Another trick: keep a lint roller nearby so you can get the fuzz off your clothing after someone threw a towel in with the load.
Tired of bras snagging everything else in the wash? Tuck them in a wash bag that has two compartments and extra fine mesh to protect them. It zips closed with a nylon zipper that will not snag other clothing. Similarly, use a hosiery bag to keep your stockings or other delicates from getting caught or twisted with the rest of the load. Made of mesh, these bags keep your delicates from getting manhandled in the washer or dryer.
A lint brush is a tiny tool that will make life a lot easier for you. With a sweep or two, you can easily collect the dryer lint that builds up after even one load of laundry. A clean lint trap will reduce the chance of a dryer fire and also let your dryer run more efficiently.
If your laundry room is short on shelf space – and you don’t want to cover the top of your washer and dryer with laundry soap, fabric softeners and dryer sheets – look for a rolling caddy that can be placed between the washer and dryer or set to the side. At just 9 inches in width, it will not take up much space and will keep all your laundry products close at hand.
Want to cut down on the ironing? Fill a Mister Steamy Dryer Ball with water and throw it in with your clothes in the dryer. As the dryer heats up, steam comes from the balls and releases the wrinkles.
Hanging and Drying Racks
Getting clothes out of the dryer as soon as the cycle is completed can really cut down on wrinkles. You need to hang or fold your clothes as soon as the dryer is finished. If space is an issue, find a folding dryer rack or hanger that lets you hang up your clothes – especially if they are still damp. Racks and hangers come in all shapes and sizes to accommodate any space. A folding clothes rack lets you hang socks, sweaters or towels to finish drying in the air. A stackable sweater shelf lets you dry sweaters flat. A telescoping wall mounted drying rack lets you hang clothing on previously unused wall space.
If you want to be sure your delicates last for a while, do not throw them in the dryer. The Hook ‘N Dry Bra Hanger lets you air dry up to seven bras on one hanger. It has a set of hooks that let you dry bras, several swimsuits, lingerie or gym clothes on one space-saving hanger.
Dryers and Steamers
When all else fails and you just have to get the wrinkles out of your clothing, there are several tools at your disposal. Start with an over-door ironing board if space is tight. Or use a magnetic, heat-resistant ironing mat that clings to your dryer top. It forms a perfect ironing surface and takes up no extra space.
As for the iron, try the cordless steam iron. It keeps the cord out of your way. If you have “dry clean only” clothing that needs freshening, try a Shark steamer. It will remove wrinkles, while killing more than 99 percent of germs and allergens on contact.
Rather than dreading laundry day, take steps now to make laundry day a better, more efficient experience. With the right tools and products, it does not have to be a chore.