How Do I... Organise a Small Laundry?
Don't let a small laundry defeat you – an expert reveals how you can make the space work as efficiently as possible
Georgia Madden
14 December 2017
In this practical series, we ask experts to answer your burning design and decorating questions. Nicki Kenvyn is a professional organiser at Uncluttered Living and a member of the Institute of Professional Organisers International. Here, she shares her top tips for getting the most of a tiny laundry.
Honestly? The laundry isn’t anyone’s favourite place to hang out. And if your laundry is small, doing the family washing feels more like a punishment than a party. Yet, like death and taxes, doing the washing is an inevitability in life. Knowing how to set up and organise your small laundry can make the process a little more bearable.
If you live in an apartment, townhouse or an older home, then your laundry is probably small – maybe even an afterthought. It might be squeezed into a cupboard or under a staircase, or tucked behind concertina doors in the corner of your bathroom.
Laundry setups such as these are often short on storage, hard to navigate and quick to get messy. But don’t panic. Some simple organising principles, thoughtfully chosen appliances and storage options can help make even the smallest laundry work more efficiently.
Laundry setups such as these are often short on storage, hard to navigate and quick to get messy. But don’t panic. Some simple organising principles, thoughtfully chosen appliances and storage options can help make even the smallest laundry work more efficiently.
Plan the space
First up, think about how you actually use your laundry. Do you simply wash your clothes there or do you need to dry them too? Do you sort and fold washing there? What about ironing? And how much do you need to store?
Once you have a clear idea of how your laundry needs to function, you can follow a process to integrate the products and systems that will help you achieve your goal.
First up, think about how you actually use your laundry. Do you simply wash your clothes there or do you need to dry them too? Do you sort and fold washing there? What about ironing? And how much do you need to store?
Once you have a clear idea of how your laundry needs to function, you can follow a process to integrate the products and systems that will help you achieve your goal.
Choose the right washing machine…
For small spaces, a front loader works well. Integrate it with a clothes dryer sitting on top, or wall-mount it above. Most companies sell matching washer/dryer pairs with dryer mounting brackets, or collars that sit upon the washing machine to stop the dryer moving while tumbling.
For solo dwellers or couples, a washer/dryer combo can be a great option. These front-loading units first wash and then dry the clothes in a single unit. They’ll save you space as you’ll only have the one machine, but be aware that combo machines don’t have a large drying capacity (this will be less than the washing capacity) and therefore won’t suit families or those who do regular heavy loads of washing.
For small spaces, a front loader works well. Integrate it with a clothes dryer sitting on top, or wall-mount it above. Most companies sell matching washer/dryer pairs with dryer mounting brackets, or collars that sit upon the washing machine to stop the dryer moving while tumbling.
For solo dwellers or couples, a washer/dryer combo can be a great option. These front-loading units first wash and then dry the clothes in a single unit. They’ll save you space as you’ll only have the one machine, but be aware that combo machines don’t have a large drying capacity (this will be less than the washing capacity) and therefore won’t suit families or those who do regular heavy loads of washing.
… And the right dryer
Tumble dryers are fast and easy, but they do generate moisture and can be heavy on electricity. If going down the traditional, vented tumble dryer route, make sure your laundry has an extractor fan to vent heat and moisture out of the room.
Condenser dryers are another great option. They collect, condense and store the moisture extracted from clothes in a reservoir, which needs to be manually emptied. They don’t require venting and can be positioned anywhere in your small laundry. If energy efficiency is a priorty, consider a heat pump condenser dryer, which uses minimal power.
Whichever dryer style you opt for, be sure to choose sensor- rather than timer-drying. This means the dryer automatically stops once clothes are dry. This prevents over-drying, which can waste power and damage your clothes.
Tumble dryers are fast and easy, but they do generate moisture and can be heavy on electricity. If going down the traditional, vented tumble dryer route, make sure your laundry has an extractor fan to vent heat and moisture out of the room.
Condenser dryers are another great option. They collect, condense and store the moisture extracted from clothes in a reservoir, which needs to be manually emptied. They don’t require venting and can be positioned anywhere in your small laundry. If energy efficiency is a priorty, consider a heat pump condenser dryer, which uses minimal power.
Whichever dryer style you opt for, be sure to choose sensor- rather than timer-drying. This means the dryer automatically stops once clothes are dry. This prevents over-drying, which can waste power and damage your clothes.
Don’t forget natural drying
Natural drying is free and gentle on clothes, making it an appealing alternative to using a dryer. If you can squeeze a natural drying rack into your set-up, it’s well worth it.
Hardware stores and specialist storage retailers offer a great range of compact, wall-mounted clotheslines suitable for courtyards and balconies and that can fold down flat when not in use to minimise visual clutter. A free-standing clothes airer is another cheap and flexible option. Move it into the sun and load it up with your daily wash. Once you’re done, pack it flat and hang it on the back of the laundry door, or store discreetly along the side of the washing machine. Or consider wall- or ceiling-mounted clothes racks that fold down.
Natural drying is free and gentle on clothes, making it an appealing alternative to using a dryer. If you can squeeze a natural drying rack into your set-up, it’s well worth it.
Hardware stores and specialist storage retailers offer a great range of compact, wall-mounted clotheslines suitable for courtyards and balconies and that can fold down flat when not in use to minimise visual clutter. A free-standing clothes airer is another cheap and flexible option. Move it into the sun and load it up with your daily wash. Once you’re done, pack it flat and hang it on the back of the laundry door, or store discreetly along the side of the washing machine. Or consider wall- or ceiling-mounted clothes racks that fold down.
Set up your folding station elsewhere
Your small laundry is almost certainly not the best place to fold your washing, so seek out a spot in the house where there’s more space. You’ll want a large, flat horizontal surface that’s at the right height to protect your back – a dining table or kitchen benchtop is generally ideal.
Your small laundry is almost certainly not the best place to fold your washing, so seek out a spot in the house where there’s more space. You’ll want a large, flat horizontal surface that’s at the right height to protect your back – a dining table or kitchen benchtop is generally ideal.
Choose a space-savvy ironing arrangement
If you don’t have room to set up the ironing board in your laundry, consider simply storing it there instead – the back of the door is a great spot to hang it. When you need to iron, take the board out to the living room and set it up in front of the television.
If you have a little more laundry space, a wall-mounted, drop-down ironing board, or one that is designed to tuck away into a dedicated storage nook, may be the perfect solution – just fold it out when you need to use it and pop it away after use.
If you don’t have room to set up the ironing board in your laundry, consider simply storing it there instead – the back of the door is a great spot to hang it. When you need to iron, take the board out to the living room and set it up in front of the television.
If you have a little more laundry space, a wall-mounted, drop-down ironing board, or one that is designed to tuck away into a dedicated storage nook, may be the perfect solution – just fold it out when you need to use it and pop it away after use.
Can’t stand ironing? Here’s a laundry life hack I swear by – you can minimise creases in clothes by hanging them straight from the washing machine onto hangers and then hanging them on the clothesline. Wall- or ceiling-mounted horizontal drying racks within your laundry also work well. Transfer clothes straight to your wardrobe when dry.
Customise your storage
Well-thought-out storage is particularly important in a compact, functional space such as a small laundry. First, limit what you keep in the laundry to only those items you use frequently. Open shelving works well in confined spaces, as there are no cupboard doors or drawers to extend out into the work space. Take shelving units as high as you can. Store frequently used items in accessible spots and duplicate products on the upper levels.
Well-thought-out storage is particularly important in a compact, functional space such as a small laundry. First, limit what you keep in the laundry to only those items you use frequently. Open shelving works well in confined spaces, as there are no cupboard doors or drawers to extend out into the work space. Take shelving units as high as you can. Store frequently used items in accessible spots and duplicate products on the upper levels.
Group similar products in baskets and label them for easy access and identification. Buy multiples of the same shape and size storage boxes, baskets or containers so they can sit side by side. Angular rather than circular storage containers will mean less wasted space between items.
Measure the width and depth of your shelf storage, and customise it to fit your laundry baskets. Different coloured baskets marked ‘whites and ‘darks’ for each family member will make sorting and distribution easier. Label everything in words, or for children, with pictures or photos.
Measure the width and depth of your shelf storage, and customise it to fit your laundry baskets. Different coloured baskets marked ‘whites and ‘darks’ for each family member will make sorting and distribution easier. Label everything in words, or for children, with pictures or photos.
Tell us
What’s your top tip for organising a small laundry? Tell us in the Comments below. And while you’re at it, don’t forget to like, share or bookmark this story. Join the conversation.
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What’s your top tip for organising a small laundry? Tell us in the Comments below. And while you’re at it, don’t forget to like, share or bookmark this story. Join the conversation.
More
Read more ‘How Do I… ?’ stories
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My advice would be to ditch the sink. I am a small family, with a small laundry that doubles as a galley. I made an exec decision to ditch the laundry sink years ago and have never missed it. On the odd occasion when I have to soak something, I use one of the laundry baskets.
@Jennifer Nielsen, I am the opposite! I got rid of my laundry sink and now regret it. Mine was quite deep and it was great for soaking larger items. I used it to fill buckets for mops as well. Never occurred to me till it was removed and then much later I needed to do a big item in it. Oh well!
My laundry is in the kitchen and I hate it! I am planning a better one and this article really helped me.