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jlakow1

laundry/mud room dilemma

5 years ago

We are moving from our home which had a HUGE laundry room/ mud room to a new build condo with a “walk-through” from garage to house. It is a 55+ community in New England and it is just 2 of us- no children or pets. On the left, I am stacking our washer/dryer and having a sink/cabinet installed with a clothing rod above for drying hand-washables. What’s the best use on the right side? It is about 6 ft.by about 2.5 ft. I was thinking of some cabinets that would give me a folding area and storage for detergent, bleach, etc. And some open space near the garage door for wet/dirty shoes. Any other suggestions??? Thanks

Comments (9)

  • 5 years ago

    Good idea about the folding/storage area on the right side. Suggest going floor to ceiling with that to max storage for other items (pantry overflow, extra linens, etc.) — there never seems to be enough storage in a condo. You may also want to install a hideaway ironing board. Have fun!

  • 5 years ago

    I would do standard washer/dryer with cabinets above for soap, etc and do counter height cabinets on opposite side with hanging bar above. You could even add a full height cabinet at one end for more storage. It would still give you enough room for folding area plus hanging area.

  • 5 years ago

    I would absolutely want a folding area. Possibly storage for ironing board & iron. I always set mine up near the t.v. for my once a quarter ironing.😂

  • 5 years ago

    I like my folding area near the dryer if possible, with space enough for stacking folded items and hanging shirts and clothing before delivery to the rest of the house/bedrooms. An ironing board is nice if you have the space. Make sure you plan a couple of electrical outlets for where you will do any ironing or plug in the vacuum or any other appliance.

  • 5 years ago

    I agree with the flat folding area and some cabinets for storage. Do you have a spot for your brooms/vacuum elsewhere? Also perhaps a bench to sit on to take shoes on and off with shoe storage underneath the bench and a couple of hooks above the bench for jackets, etc.

  • 5 years ago

    Do you have a pantry area for storing bulk items? A closet for a mop, broom, vacuum anywhere in the house? I wouldn’t try and cram a pull down ironing board in that small space (do you really want to iron in there?). But I suggest you plan space to hang a board. I would also install a strip of outlets for charging gadgets like hand held vacuums, etc. there. Or perhaps shelves to store crock pots, etc. that you don’t use all the time. Unless you have space for this elsewhere. And...a coat closet for heavy winter coats and boots?

  • 5 years ago

    I absolutely would not do a stacking washer dryer at your age.

    Speaking from personal and professional experience, it would be a miracle to not develop significant shoulder arthritis which would make it difficult to reach up into whichever you put above.

    Do you really want to be standing on a stool/step ladder at age 80?

    Do I need to list the medical conditions that make that unwise?

    A folding table is great and if you can fit it in great, but it is secondary to side by side washer/dryer.

    You can always fold your clothing on your bed, or on your lap while you watch TV like the rest of the world that does not have a dedicated folding table.

    As you age, you might not really want to be be standing at a folding table anyway, you might prefer to be sitting while folding.

    I would plan a space for a collapsible wheeled folding cart so that you can bring your laundry in and out of the area when it needs to be washed and after it is clean, folded or not, so you are not carrying it.

    A laundry sink really isn't necessary, and takes up precious real estate and adds extra cost.

    How many things do you really soak before washing and how often?

    Can you instead just buy a plastic tub and do this in the kitchen? Or soak the items in the washing machine?

    These days most people spray their spots and stains or use a stain stick.

    For washing hand washables, most of us use the mesh laundry bags and put most of the things in the washing machine on gentle cycle in cold water.

    The very few things that you don't feel you can do that with you can really wash in your bathroom sink or as mentioned above in a plastic tub that fits right in your kitchen sink. (Rubbermaid makes great ones. And thoroughly clean the sink afterwards, including using chlorine bleach, which these days we are all doing anyway.)

    You can get a pull down rack and attach it to the wall.

    Or for the same (or less) money you can buy a collapsible one at the hardware store and open it as needed and it will give you far more space for lingerie, and it will be tall enough from which to hang shirts and you can drape a towel across the top and put a sweater on it if the sweater needs to lay flat to dry.

    And plan space for that folding drying rack.

    Wherever you will put your detergents, bleach, pre-wash agents, etc, should not be where you have to reach high up as mentioned earlier, or bend down low for either.

    If you could have some shelves at a good height that would be great, and cover them with a material that is easily changed that would protect the shelf from the detergents, bleach, etc.





  • 5 years ago

    We added an addition to our lake house thinking it will be our retirement/forever home. I put full size washer and dryer on pedestal drawers. I’m only 5 feet but having issues already. I do not like the bending and it works out great since I can pull the drawer out and place
    The laundry basket on it to load the washer and empty the dryer. I bring the clothes right into the nearby kitchen and fold there. Works great since it’s a lot more room to sort into piles ( we have 3 kids)

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    If I'm not mistaken, you have enough room on the right side for a sink with a drying rack above. If so, it could be centered with floor to ceiling cabinets on either side for some symmetrical storage.
    If you need a place for shoes, coats etc, you could have one of the tall cabinets be a bench - coat rack/hook combo (as others have suggested that you incorporate).

    That would leave the left side of the room for a rather comfortable layout of side by side washer and dryer with a wall-to-wall countertop for a folding area. You would also have room to add a rolling laundry cart under the counter, next to or between the machines.

    Hope you find the solution that works best for you,
    Alicia