evaluate THE SPACE

Ample storage capacity, a surface for folding, and a place for hanging clothes are essential elements of any functional laundry room. The following are ways to boost your own room’s potential, no matter how big or small.

consider your regular routine

Before you invest in organizing tools and supplies, ask yourself the following.

• How do you typically handle laundry chores? If it’s all on one day as opposed to spreading loads out over a week, you will likely need more hampers and more space for sorting everything at once.
• Do you iron often? If so, is there room to set up an ironing board or will you need to handle that task in another, nearby space?
• It’s always better to fold laundry right out of the dryer rather than have the items pile up on a bed or sofa or languish in a basket, where they’ll be forgotten and end up wrinkled. You’ll want a surface for this purpose; if space is too tight, a fold-down ledge will do the trick.
• Factor in how you’ll hang just-dried clothes: A tension rod is easy to put up, or mount telescoping rods (used for towels in a bathroom) that swing out when needed. Freestanding clothing racks are also convenient, and can be repurposed in a guest room.
• Will other household goods, such as cleaning supplies or rolls of paper towels, be better stored here? If space allows, you could create a “surplus station” for those and any other items that otherwise don’t have a home, such as in a closed cabinet, assigning different shelves to different needs.

make the most of the machines

When you are ready to replace your machines, consider the following ways to get the most bang for your buck.

• Washers and dryers come in many space-saving packages—there are stackable units and compact models to choose from, as well as all-in-one machines that have ventless (plug-in) dryers. (If you do a lot of tumble-drying, however, the longer drying time of these smaller units may not be worth the trade-off in added space.)
• Front-loading washing machines have greater water-extracting functioning than top-loaders (so clothes will take less time to dry) and are the only option when it comes to washing down pillows and duvets, which tend to float and remain dry in top-loaders.
• If you have kids (and their stains), it may be worth splurging on a steam-wash unit, which blasts steam from the bottom to attack even tough spots.

towels and bed linens

Fold these right away—and the right way—before stashing in a linen closet or elsewhere.

• A properly folded towel has a fluffy appearance and hidden edges. First fold the towel into thirds lengthwise. (If the towel will be hung, do it now.) Then fold it into thirds the other way, creating a rectangle.
• Bind sets of guest towels (washcloth, hand towel, bath sheet) using twine or ribbon. When visitors arrive, transfer a stack from the linen closet to the guest bedroom.
• To keep bed linens organized, wrap each folded set into one of the set’s pillowcases (page 25). Then coordinate sets by room or by sheet size, shelving together.