Well a front loader would give you the ability to have counter space to fold and store stuff on. Although I've gotta say I personally never fold in my laundry room, even though I have space - I just unload into a basket and fold wherever it is convenient, usually on my bed and when I used to have kids' laundry to do I could easily parcel it out from there or have them come pick it up.

I would not choose a top loader unless one of the new deigns , stackable W& D s come in full size i owned a pair for years . I have a SMALL laundry room with sXS W/D I fold on top of them and put away

I fold clothes as I take them out of the dryer...put them in a basket ready to be taken to the bedrooms or wherever. Could you have a basket for each room....when done tell kids to come get their basket? If you don't have a basket...then a small plastic bin or small basket would do. As for water heater...can you use a folding screen to hide it? Or a curved shower rod with a curtain on it.

Family of nine here. They do have stackable large capacity machines. I prefer a top loading washer myself and I never fold in our laundry room. But I do like my storage in there.

Our water heater took up half the laundry room. We went tankless gas unit. Life changing!

I have a full size stackable set too. It actually holds more than the top loader (which I too prefer, lol). Another benefit of front loader is the storage space on the washer top. You can put a countertop across the two machines and fold or store detergent...

Large families be jealous of me. My husband insisted on a second laundry room upstairs because he didn't want me having to take laundry up and down after our addition. This means the older kids who have rooms downstairs will be doing their own laundry. Woohoo! Due to space requirements, I will be buying a stackable and using a front loader for the first time up there. We'll see how that goes.

Yep, jealous!

We are a family of 7, and my laundry system is different than yours... I adore my extra large capacity stacked front loaders, and while I now have the space to fold laundry in the laundry room, I still almost always transfer the freshly dried laundry into a basket and then take that to my closet and hang and fold directly in my closet. It's just the way I prefer, and as all of my kiddos are now teens they all have their own laundry days and do the whole process themselves, so I no longer have to give them piles to put away. (Honestly, I mostly like my units stacked because 1. It gives me space for a utility sink, and 2. It forces me to not be able to have piles sitting on my dryer.) By the way, my kids also take their freshly dried laundry straight to their rooms to fold or hang... probably because that's the way I've done it most of their lives, except when they were very young and we all folded laundry together in the family room.

But everyone has their own system that they prefer. I think that if I wanted to do laundry in the way you have described I would probably ask my hubby to take the cabinets out of the room and install open shelving along most of that length that could fit some baskets that folded laundry could go into while waiting to be put away. I would likely assign an older or taller child to help the ones who might not be able to reach their own baskets if that was needed. (Or I'd keep a cute step stool handy)

I hope you find a great solution... very few seem to understand the logistics of large family living anymore!

Skmom I love your ideas. I thought of doing closed cabinets to the ceiling and open shelves on bottom for folded things. Also skinny built in shoe cubbies by dryer for shoes that need to be accessed for back door. In my ideal world laundry would not sit around unfolded or in piles...but we haven't reached that ideal yet...too much action around the rest of the house!

Sarah I hear that. Ours sits on the couch a lot before it gets folded. Not what I want, but I can't do everything

I have a large family also. Most kids started doing their wash at age 10. Everyone has their own basket. Works well!

Me too @ Kris and Sarah, regarding the piles . It's ok.

This could work for you. I like to do a basket for each kid. They like it too, and when they start to do their own laundry it moves to their room as a hamper. If you stack a w/d it could go right next to them. Enclose the hot water heater (unless you decide to get on-demand), mount a shelf to the door of it for your detergent etc., and add a cupboard to the ceiling above it.

Put a long bench with an open base as far as you can from door to w/d while still being able to open the washer door, and add bins beneath for shoes and hooks above for coats, with a shelf above that for extra stuff like hats and mitts.

On the third wall keep your drying rack and add a shelf above that, too.

Oh and if you want a folding space, you could do a drop leaf under the drying rack.

I also wanted to add that I know a lot of people think they have to have a basket per family member, and that usually works for average sized families, but I found it can just lead to too many baskets LOL! You can also do a basket per bedroom or a basket per 2-3 kids and have them work together to put their stuff away. It's more enjoyable to do chores alongside others anyways. (Well, unless they're bickering hahaha!) I discovered the basket per bedroom when I was looking for ways to simplify my system before my kids were old enough to do their own laundry and I found out about doing laundry by room each day. (i.e. Boys' room, girls' room, master bedroom, bathrooms, kitchen laundry, misc items... that's how it worked in my home, LOL!)

I like your idea of a skinny shoe cubby though I do wonder if that space is too deep and might end up being difficult to keep decently tidy.

@skmom Yes! That doesn't work for me, either. My laundry room is too small.

You know what works for me? One large bin in the laundry room. I sort as I load. Put clean on the couch and teenager folds and everyone puts away. I do laundry every day but Christmas. I keep it simple. I will have to change things up with two laundry rooms and more people actually doing the laundry. But that has worked for us for a long time.

That's the most important thing: finding a system that works for you. Much more so than a beautiful space, although that definitely makes things more enjoyable.

For myself, I find there is a lot less bickering and easier compliance when each has their own basket. I can more easily see who's not pulling their load, too! But I just keep empty baskets for my Middles and Littles (Bigs do their own so keep their baskets in their room as hampers) stacked in the laundry room on non-laundry days (I wash once per week except farm clothes, which are done as their specified hamper fills) and use a hamper in each bathroom. I carry the hampers to the laundry room to sort loads on laundry day, using the empty baskets to contain each type.

As yet no one has addressed your question as to a tankless heater. If you live in San Diego, Vegas, Phoenix, or Miami an electric will be fine. If you live outside those areas you will need a natural gas tankless which will need venting. Depending on how far north you are, you made need several units run "in series". The cost of the units and the plumbing required is expensive. I assume the issue at hand is hot water for showering. I would suggest this as a much less expensive option.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/IHeat-2-5-kW-1-5-GPM-Electric-Shower-Head-Tankless-Water-Heater-AHSH2500/205602695?cm_mmc=Shopping%7cTHD%7cG%7c0%7cG-VF-PLA-D26P-WaterHeaters%7c&gclid=CJO9o5Ljy88CFQGSaQodZAoAzQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

This type of unit is a supplement to your tank water heater. When the hot water from your tank arrives at the shower head this unit allows you to reduce the temperature of the incoming water, thereby using less of the tank's supply. It should allow for several showers in a row. Hope this helps.

Thanks for that info chiflipper. We do not have natural gas available, but I may at some point put in propane for gas stove. Everything now is electric. Tankless water heaters don't seem very popular so I was curious with the results.

They are expensive compared to a tank water heater, plus because folks haven't gone over to them, yet, finding a plumber that can work on them can sometimes be a pain.

Still, if you have gas, they are worth it. I don't know how that would work with propane.

I would buy three large baskets and place across your cabinets for additional storage.
I would adjust the interior shelves to accommodate your largest laundry soap container/dispenser placed in the cabinet directly over your washer for easiest access. Tip: if you add that drippy laundry cap to your wash load each time, it will always be clean for the next load.
Remove the item you have to the left of the w/d and slide both units over against the wall. This will give a more tidy appearance.
Locate a folding screen to hide your water heater or have the hubs fashion one.
I would use the remainder of space for a work table for folding laundry.
Below the table, have as many laundry baskets as will fit to receive the clean, folded laundry. Each basket should either be labeled or color coded for identification for rooms or family members.
To maximize space, install a shelf the length of the cabinets (you can use an L-bracket, board, and edge with a thick molding which can be applied easily with Liquid Nails. This ledge can serve as a space for other laundry day items - buttons, lost socks, clothes pins, etc.
An additional tip to make laundry day easier: if you hubs wears only black socks, buy two dozen of the same kind and you'll never have to match them. As for other family members, give each child a mesh laundry bag that hangs inside their hamper and have them put their socks in there when they take them off. Zip shut for laundry day and again, never have to sort soxs - just return to child when clean.

Instantaneous gas for a large family would be great, if you did get propane. We were early adopters of electric instantaneous, over a decade ago, and found we had to send the units away every 18 months or so for rebuild. We replaced them with normal water heaters after five years.

New house has natural gas, and I can't say enough about the noritz gas instantaneous gas water heater. Very happy.

Unless someone can advise differently on electric instantaneous, I would steer clear of them.

Just something for future reference. I live rural and my co-op electric utility has a "lease" program for Marathon HW tanks. This is the unit:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rheem-Marathon-50-Gal-Lifetime-Warranty-Electric-Water-Heater-with-Durable-Design-MR50245/205466186?

The monthly charge is $15 for the 50 gallon model. The delivery / installation / yearly check-up / any repairs etc. are included in the "lease / rental".

Another thought; would it be possible for you to build a well-insulated "bump out" to hold just your water heater?

PS...I don't know if a tankless would work well enough using propane because of the lack of "line pressure".

We sort dirty clothes roughly into colours, as I wash same colours together, except for my hubbys clothes that are covered in sawdust. If you wash same colours together they stay looking new longer, which would be good for handing things down in a large family.

Yes, we wash same colors together, I just don't sort them until I am ready to throw in the load.

^me too

That method doesn't work with my colourblind hubby, but I banned him from using the machines because he broke so many of them.

Oh, my!

Sorry Kris, too far?

Deleting in

5

4

3

2

1

Gone lol!

What did I miss?

I must have missed something, too. I was commenting on your husband breaking machines.

What did you say, kris? One thing he did when we were moving house, was to drag the top loader upside down, and broke off the knobs. Haven't had a better washer since.

Oh, I just said oh, my! That comment is above. I don't know what Lindsey said.

Lol guys, I just made disrespectful little wife comment about Husband. Kris's oh my made my already guilty heart give an extra little twang. Nothing that bad, but not necessary either.

How do you make a heart on Houzz? <3

As Mum would say "It will all come out in the wash! " Translation , don't sweat the small stuff.

Being able to sort and store unwashed laundry and also be able to fold them in a busy room is a priority for me. These slide out bins not only allow you to easily sort, (the top two bins are smaller for MY clothes and for drycleaning/hand washing) but allow you to easily see which load should be washed next.

My husband is allowed to wash anything in the bottom two rows but after 41 years of marriage, he has learned not to even touch anything of mine.

Wow, a family of 8's laundry duties! Well, she may have slightly more room or a different configuration than you do, but this woman's laundry room story is really inspiring and you two have some things in common:

https://www.houzz.com/magazine/houzz-tv-mother-of-6-rocks-her-laundry-space-stsetivw-vs~44994223

As I understand it, tankless is expensive but ultimately will save you money over time. If that's not an option, is there any way to move that sucker into another part of the house? Between the way it takes up room on the wall I'm not sure stackables would give you enough space for a nice tall vertical cabinet next to them, which is what would look more clean-lined to me.

I'm also wondering if you can take advantage of the back of that bathroom door with hooks for hanging things to dry, and take over that area where the clothing rack is with more cohesive cabinets or shelves that will serve you better? I'm a big fan of over-the-door hooks with a few hangers on them. Admittedly, I have no idea if that will serve 8 people's air-dry only needs though!

More shallow ideas — I think painting the walls a nice light bright white would give everything a more cohesive look, maybe have fun with the trim paint if you want a color in here. The stuff on top of the cabinets and that shelf to the left of the machines make it look messy. Give the cabinets and shelves a ruthless cleanout and reorganize them so that you can fit all of the stuff you need in them. Find homes for the non-laundry-related things like old caulking guns and twine (at least that's what's lurking in mine!) or whatever else might be hiding and make rules about what gets to enter this room and stay. Put a cute canvas bin or basket to corral stuff on top of that clothing rack. Buy matching hangers that make you smile (I know that sounds silly, but sometimes it's the little things).

Write
your "wish list", then prioritize them. For example, if linear folding
space is high, leave the W&D level, and install an appropriate
counter above them. If a utility tub is high, then stack the W&D. Both scenarios will require a front load W&D with controls on the
front panel.

The
tank vs tankless water heater decision should be made first - it will
drive available space for your wish list. Regardless of choice, leave
clearances for service and/or air circulation. Start your research at www.energystar.gov.
Need more? Have a local experienced tankless professional contractor review the proposed space and answer your concerns. My last
home (southern WI) was converted in 2010, and though it was sized right,
it took just as long to get hot water to the 2nd floor taps furthest
from the unit as it did with the tank unit. (A recirculating pump near
the furthest taps will cure that - for either type unit.) Otherwise, it
was great (but we didn't have 8 in the house).

I agree with the comments to get the W&D closer to the left wall,
take the cabinets to the ceiling (if keeping vs open shelves), and to
brighten the wall color. Becky's link is awesome, and while your space
is constrained by 3 doorways, some features look possible though on a
smaller scale.

If
the budget, time, and or decisions are a concern and it were my laundry room, I would: keep the
tank heater; snug the W&D to the left wall and align the fronts;
use the cabinets for laundry stuff (cleaners, softeners, clothespins,
baskets for clean clothes, etc...); remove the cabinet doors for quick
access; use a brighter white light bulb; install a short rod under the
left cabinet for empty hangers; install a shelf above the rod that's on
the right wall; paint. By supporting your local Habitat Re-Store, GW,
etc... to score the rod, shelf, and paint second-hand, I believe this
room could be transformed easily for $20. Also, living with these
changes for awhile may help you decide if you really need to do other
things (which will cost a whole lot more). Best wishes.

Large family moms, something happened today. My less than two years old washer died and it would have cost nearly more to resurrect it than to buy a new one. So we cut our losses.

My mom has done a lot of research and last year she purchased a Speed Queen. Made in U.S., usually the brand you'll find in a laundromat and traditional drive engines that can handle lots of use. I bought one to be delivered tomorrow before Mt. Washmore gets out of hand. I'll let you know how it goes!

On my second load in one hour. It's definitely speedy.

We are a family if 4 and switched to tankless over a year ego. The negative is we live in a long ranch home and even with the heater being in the middle of the house it still takes a couple of mn to get hot water to most faucets. The positive is you never run out, and the bill is much cheaper every month. You can install small on demand units under sinks to not waist water but its not cheap.

We also redid our laundry room / mud room last year on a budget. We were able to get a mud room sink with cabinet in Costco for a much better price than most places. Also got more cabinets from Ikea to match (white) and they were easy to install. We got a butcher block top from Ikea cheap as counter tops (its sold as a table top that can be used as a counter) and was super easy to put down and cut out on your own.

We upgraded to a large capacity front loading machines and put a counter top on top. I dont fold the clothing in the room but its nice to keep things on top that i use often. We also have a basket in each persons room for laundry and one large canvas hamper bag for bedding and towels that is ether in a bathroom or the laundry room.

Walls that cant have any cabinets on them have lots of hooks for jackets, hats, and bags to keep things organized and off the counter top.