Having an inside laundry is a dream. Something taken for granted by those that have never had one under the house, in the garage or shared beneath a block of apartments.
You may find you’re never up to date with your washing, simply because it’s freezing out there, or there are mosquitos or cockroaches, or the rain hits you as you dash from back door to laundry door… it’s a first world problem, but a handicap to an efficient washing system nevertheless.
Moving your laundry inside the house might be easier than you think. You don’t need an entire room to make it happen – depending on the layout of your home, borrowing space from other rooms such as the laundry or kitchen, sneaking it into a cupboard or under the stairs might just see you with a whole new optimism for clean and dry clothing possibilities.
Some things to consider:
Ventilation
Ensure adequate ventilation if you’re including a dryer in the space. An exhaust fan is a must and will remove the risk of electrical accidents through wet and steamy walls and fixtures.
Bench space
Front loading washing machines have the advantage of leaving the top surface free as a workbench – whether or not you add a benchtop. Even with a top loader, make sure you allow space to fold and stack washing and store your laundry baskets.
Organisation
Bring baskets and buckets into the space that are streamlined and pleasant to look at. Store your cleaning products, equipment, rags etc. in designated spots and use wall-hung storage where possible
Use the full height of the space
Erect a rod or dowel above head height between walls where possible for hanging space to dry shirts, smalls and delicate items. As little as a metre is all the width you need.
Built in storage
What seems like an extravagance will pay dividends in the long run. Not only will you maximise the use of space when you custom build cabinetry for your laundry, it frees up space elsewhere for other uses. Modular off-the-rack solutions like Ikea, Bunnings or Howards Storage World will often fit beautifully.
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