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dempsey12

Need help with Laundry layout

10 years ago

I have a very small mud room. Need help figuring better ways to add storage. One wall is door to garage, other wall is door into family room. Any suggestions?

Comments (17)

  • 10 years ago
    Put them stacked on the wall to the right of where they are now, then put a cabinet or shelves under the wall cabinet. If the cover part of the window, put a blind up so you don't see the appliances from the outside.
    Megan Lelli thanked Depo
  • 10 years ago

    We originally had them stacked like that but then it was awkward getting in the house because you would have to close the garage door behind you before opening the door to the house. Bringing a baby in a car seat and a toddler became impossible so we had to put them side by side. It's a really tight space. We're trying to figure out if it's possible at all to do something to keep them side by side

  • 10 years ago
    Expanding on what izeve said, if you move the washer/dryer back to the other wall, could you reverse the garage door so that it opens to the window wall? Probably not an easy task, but at least you can walk in without having to close it before opening the family room door. I think a sliding barn door on the FR side would be a great solution.
    Megan Lelli thanked Depo
  • 10 years ago

    What are the room dimensions?

  • 10 years ago
    last modified: 10 years ago

    Is this the current layout?

    I would install a pocket door or remove the door to the family room entirely. Based on the layout above, here's how I would arrange it...

    Megan Lelli thanked er612
  • 10 years ago

    Yes, it is the current layout but it's much smaller than your picture. The length of the room is 7'6" and the washers nd dryer take up about 44" of the length.

  • 10 years ago

    The room is 5'w X 7'6"l

  • 10 years ago

    I'd put a storage bench under the high cupboards -- extra storage underneath, and a place to sit to take off boots (or to set the car seat while fussing with others). Also agree that some door needs to open a different way, pocket or out.

    Megan Lelli thanked acm
  • Megan Lelli thanked shirlpp
  • 10 years ago

    I updated the floor plan with the correct dimensions. Side x side W/D layouts:

    Here's an example of shallow storage opposite the W/D:
    Glastonbury, CT Mudroom Renovation · More Info

    Stacked W/D layouts:

    If the window is off-center, can you stack the W/D to the left of the window? Like this...

    Megan Lelli thanked er612
  • 10 years ago

    Pocket door sounds great in theory, but unless your mud/laundry room is properly insulated; heated and cooled, it will be a drain on your heating/A/C. Can you switch both doors so they open in the opposite direction they currently do? That is, the family room door opens towards the wall cabinet, the garage door opens towards the window. You'll be able to open both doors at the same time. Move the washer and dryer to the long where where the hook-ups are. Add cabinets above both along the whole wall (or as close to the window as looks okay. Add a seat/bench beneath the window with hooks the the left for coats. Good luck

    Megan Lelli thanked Barbara Almandarz
  • 10 years ago

    Barbara makes a good point. The first and last two layouts in my previous post should work (and improve the space) without changing the current doors.

  • 10 years ago

    er612. Thanks for all of your ideas! We have to have them side by side. I don't think your side by side ideas will work tho. The measurements will not work. The washer/dryer are front loaders and are 54" across both side by side. The distance from the door to the wall adjacent to the window is only 41". This is prob a better idea of what my dimensions look like. But I really do appreciate your feedback, I know it's a tough space.

  • PRO
    10 years ago
    This feels like an insignificant comment in lieu of big decisions like changing to a pocket door, but if you can install some counter top on top of the washer dryer you will have some additional horizontal space to keep a laundry basket or do some laundry folding!
    Megan Lelli thanked Ball&Paw Salvage
  • 10 years ago
    What is your budget? If the sky is the limit, what about moving the window to the left and stacking the washer and dryer on the right? Then you could add a counter under the window for folding and additional storage.

    If that's not feasible, I'd add a counter over the washer and dryer. It's amazing how much more finished it makes the room feel. I'd also add narrow shelves or cubbies on both sides of the window. It wouldn't hold much, but it would give you a place to keep laundry detergent, bottles of stain cleaner, and miscellaneous cleaning supplies.

    I'd finish out the cabinet next to the door. For that, evaluate your needs. It looks like a landing zone for coats and shoes now, so it would be easy to add a cubbie on the floor for shoes and put additional hooks on the wall for coats. If you need more storage instead, add a shallow cabinet under the existing one. I'd probably leave all the storage open on this wall, otherwise you'll be doing a dance of swinging doors whenever someone is using the room.
  • 10 years ago
    Actually, I see you have little ones to navigate in and out of here too, so I see your problem with stacked units, unless you could put them on the left side instead, but that would mean moving all the hook ups...additional $$$.

    I wouldn't be afraid of going all the way to the ceiling with storage. Unless you are exceptionally short, you can tuck in a folding step stool to reach things you don't use often.