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Where do you fold laundry?

10 months ago
last modified: 10 months ago

I was talking about updates to my laundry room in Funky’s thread, and the challenges concerning how small it is.

I’ve fantasized about having a long counter for folding …. but then realized I’d most likely just continue what I do now: dump it all on my bed, fold or hang it up, put it away. There’s only DH and me, so the majority of laundry goes back into our closet and our bathroom, a short walk away from the bed.

What do you do?

PS: Speaking of laundry … I got my dad this rolling laundry cart for Christmas (with other, more exciting, presents, too :D) —



He loves it! He lives alone, is in his 80s with back issues, and his laundry room is quite a ways from his closet. It was getting to be a pain carrying his old basket. This is working out well, plus looks cool. :) It comes in a cream color, too, but I liked the green for him.

Comments (55)

  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    Jilly, I don't use mine for folding-I keep our Container Store wheeled cart, behind a barn door in a closet in our master bath for throwing in our dirty laundry-but I specifically bought it so I don't have to bend down so far in a hamper-type cart. I've loved it for a few years now!

    https://www.containerstore.com/s/bath/laundry-hampers-baskets/steele-canvas-elevated-laundry-cart/12d?productId=11024706&country=US&currency=USD&skuId=10079837&adpos=&cid=cse%7CSSC%7CGoogle%7CTCSP_X_US_EN_CatchAll_PLA_X_15280379436_128482502623_pla-294682000766_en&g_acctid=801-592-2151&g_adgroupid=128482502623&g_adid=562170882905&g_adtype=pla&g_campaign=TCSP_X_US_EN_CatchAll_PLA_X&g_campaignid=15280379436&g_ifcreative=&g_ifproduct=product&g_keyword=&g_keywordid=pla-294682000766&g_merchantid=9074407&g_network=g&g_partition=294682000766&g_productchannel=online&g_productid=10079837&sc_intid=10079837&scid=scplp10079837&utm_campaign=pla&utm_source=google&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADHVeshryhIArYE8bX-MXKG25bhXB&gclid=CjwKCAiAm-67BhBlEiwAEVftNmqtmwJnS-fGw4lksflPbST2eyCpELM8e0n_Qs9wKa_OmjOv5CHP_hoCdWkQAvD_BwE

    As far as folding-I normally fold at the washer/dryer. I keep hangers on a rod right above. Bath towels are taken to my bed. I had an assumingly perfect folding area in our mud room with the W/D but DH kept throwing stuff on it when he walked in the back door and to save arguments, I now have that countertop built-in for table lamp, along with an area for keys, tape dispenser, pencil holder etc. After 32 years of marriage, I know he'll never change-so I had to LOL

    Jilly thanked OllieJane
  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    The key for me is to take everything out of the dryer while still warm and no wrinkles have yet formed where they're unwelcome. Reasoning: no ironing if I can help it. All the jeans, sweats get folded as they come out. Underwear gets tossed in the basket for later, and all my tees get hung over the side of the basket, to be put on hangers later.

    I love matching up socks, could do it all day.

    Jilly thanked Bunny
  • 10 months ago

    On the bed. I like how there is plenty of room for the pile of clean laundry, room to fold, and room to sort and stack as each is folded. ”Downstairs” type items like rags, kitchen and beach towels, table linens, are washed separately and folded on the dining room table.

    Sometimes I have something on Netflix or the like, but it takes maybe five minutes so not really worth it for me.

    Laundry is my favorite household chore, because my active time with it is so short and pretty easy!

    Jilly thanked bpath
  • 10 months ago

    Uhhh, on the kitchen table. Our laundry is at the end of the kitchen — no ”laundry room” here.

    Jilly thanked Sueb20
  • 10 months ago

    On the bed, and watch tv while I do it. Most laundry gets hung up, stuck in drawers, etc. in the bedroom anyway. Laundry room is off the kitchen, and I could fold and sort on the kitchen counter, but everything is going to the bedroom anyway.

    Jilly thanked ladypat1
  • 10 months ago

    On the bed - as ladypat says, most everything gets put away in the bedroom anyway. I have a counter in the laundry room but that's also the litter box room so I put nothing on any surface in there because there's always dust everywhere except for a few minutes immediately after I wipe it off.

    Jilly thanked 3katz4me
  • 10 months ago

    No laundry room in this house. I dry most clothes on the line, it gets put in a basket and folded on the couch or the bed.

    Jilly thanked localeater
  • 10 months ago

    I had nine feet of counter and cabinets added to my laundry room, but I don't fold there. 😆

    Almost everything comes out of the dryer still damp, and is hung up to finish air drying in the laundry room. After the unmentionables are dried, I fold my mine as I remove them from the dryer, and toss his in a basket. He folds his stuff while watching sports in the LR. Some of my unmentionables, including socks which I will mention 😆, are not put in the dryer at all, and are hung to dry on a folding rack. Towels are sometimes folded as removed from dryer, sometimes folded by him in LR. Our king sized sheets are folded by both of us while still warm out of the dryer (bc I can’t maneuver all that sheet alone without it hitting the floor).

    A friend just hung 6 shelves (2 sets of three) on the 9 ft wall, and he’ll be returning to hang some art once I have it ready.

    Jilly thanked hhireno
  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    In my former house, I folded things on the kitchen island as it was the next room from the laundry room and the bedroom was on a different floor.

    In this house, I tend to fold things on top of the washer and dryer except for sheets which get folded on the bed because I need the extra flat space for those. I'm excited that the spare bedroom is now cleared out so I can put my collapsible drying racks in there when I do laundry. I could also put up a temporary card table for folding if I needed it.

    ETA: I love that rolling laundry bin. The green color is so elegant.

    Jilly thanked Fun2BHere
  • 10 months ago

    Washer and dryer are in the creepy basement. i tried setting up a table there for folding but it was soon full of other stuff. Now I carry the unfolded laundry up two flights to my bed and dump it there.

    Later on i go up to go to bed, see the unfolded laundry, smack my self on the forehead and fold the laundry so I can go to bef.

    The urge to dump it all on the floor is real.

    Jilly thanked dedtired
  • 10 months ago

    I'm blessed with an actual dedicated laundry room in this house, First home we've owned with a deep porcelain laundry sink, counter space, cabinets with under cabinet lighting even 😁. I occasionally fold at the counter but truthfully, DH does most of the folding now that he's retired. And any ironing required that are his things other than his dress shirts - those I can iron to please him. I notice he often folds onto the top of the closed washer, or the dryer door that opens downwards. Whatever works for him is fine with me. This is a long stretched out house with two of the three bedrooms (including ours with its closets) at the far end so its something of a walk with a heavy armload of clean clothes, towels. He carries them back for me. I'll find the stack on my bed or in the window seat in our bedroom, but I haven't had to carry them.

    1955 build. I've been in the home the doctor and his wife who planned this one for their retirement had raised their family in. 3 story colonial. The laundry is in the basement there, all bedrooms and full baths on the second and third floors. I'm not at all surprised she put in a same floor laundry when they built this one 😁 - that woman had two flights of stairs to climb with clean clothing, towels, sheets while raising 4 children.

    Jilly thanked morz8 - Washington Coast
  • 10 months ago

    Normally, once the dryer is done, I hang everything that needs to be hung in the laundry room. The rest goes into the laundry basket and put on our bed, folded and put away. The hanging stuff gets hung in the closets.


    In CT, our W/D is in the basement. I still hang items that need to be hung and lug that and the rest of it all upstairs to be folded and put away. Usually on the bed also.

    Jilly thanked orchidrain
  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    Thanks, all (and future alls). :)

    I have an IG folder with just laundry rooms I like saved. Too many to post here, but will share a few …







    The one below would actually be doable in my laundry room. The color is pretty, but not what I’d choose, and I don’t need stackable units, but I adore the counter area. It’s similar in size to mine and I’ve always liked wood counters:


    This sink, SWOON:


    So … clearly I’m drawn to enclosed units!

    One of my favorites ever was Allison’s laundry room in her former lake house. A wonderful and collected room of rustic elegance and sophistication. Beautiful soft colors, rug, art, cool old chair, great counters, etc. Just dreamy. I’d want to do laundry all the time!

    (I’m home today and actually doing a couple of loads as I type.)

  • 10 months ago

    We placed laundry baskets in our laundry room where we pre-sort dirty laundry. A folding shelf is directly above them. Washer/dryer on opposite wall. Behind the door my DH installed bars for air drying. Compact for a downsized home.

    Jilly thanked fnmroberts
  • 10 months ago

    Wellll....when we remodeled our house, we turned one of the front bedrooms into the laundry/mudroom/dogroom. I had about 60 feet of Skandiashelving, and the desk was the perfect folding area. Then, we brought the cats to KY, and that was the safest place to feed then. Now, I fold laundry in the living room, because the camping gear took over the shelving......

    Jilly thanked Springroz
  • 10 months ago

    Our laundry room is downstairs with all the living upstairs. I take the laundry downstairs wash/dry it and then dump it all back into the laundry basket and carry it back upstairs to be folded on the bed.

    I don't have clothes that require air-drying.

    Jilly thanked blfenton
  • 10 months ago

    I have a collapsible laundry basket and use it to carry clean laundry to our bed. I fold most of it there but sometimes in the den if we’re watching TV. I do have a spot next to the dryer where i can fold a few thinga but seldom use it since most of our laundry belongs in our bedroom or bathroom.

    Jilly thanked OutsidePlaying
  • 10 months ago

    I’m not a fan of folding laundry, and so when we designed this house I had 2 longish areas put in our laundry room to fold on. And, I decorated it with photos, art, and other decor from my childhood summer house on a lake back in my Michigan days. Cottage decor that so does not fit with the rest of our New Mexican home, but I could care less. It’s a pleasant place now for laundry😉

    Jilly thanked LynnNM
  • 10 months ago

    Jilly, I love that rolling clothes hamper!!!

    Jilly thanked LynnNM
  • 10 months ago

    Lynn, your laundry room sounds so full of character … so I know it fits the rest of your gorgeous home!

  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    Nice hamper Jilly, and a very thoughtful gift for your dad.

    We have a long counter in our laundry room and that’s where I fold things directly from the dryer. All my clothes except socks and underthings and all DH's things except tee shirts are hung to dry, then go to the laundry for ironing. The counter is long enough to fold almost anything. For some reason I really dislike folding clothes sitting down. 🤔 I would not fold them on the bed anyway because I need a perfectly flat surface on which to lay garments to smooth and fold

    Jilly thanked Kswl
  • 10 months ago

    When shopping for our house I was sure I had to have a laundry room. This was one of the compromises we made, another house with laundry in the garage. Our house had a laundry room when it was built but the prior owners turned it in in to a butler's pantry, we do like how this works for us as the kitchen is small. I usually fold on the dining room table or my bed.

    Jilly thanked jill302
  • 10 months ago

    Wow, I'm surprised how many fold clothes on their bed. I have never done that. Never occurred to me to do that.

    I fold in the laundry room as I take out of dryer. Stack on top of closed washer and dryer and put in piles for each person. Then put in laundry baskets to be carried upstairs to bedrooms by someone that is not me.

    I leave in the dryer and put it on de-wrinkle when I want to wear it. Not really. Maybe sometimes.

    Wait, doesn't everyone do this? No? Just me? I often don't fold the last load until I have to move another load to the dryer. Run the dryer for a few minutes to remove wrinkles, then fold.

    I love matching up socks, could do it all day.

    The worst part of laundry for me. In fact, the only part I really dislike. I keep threating DH that I'm going to throw away all his white socks and buy all new ones that are exactly the same so I don't have to match them.

    Jilly thanked jsk
  • 10 months ago

    LOL @jsk - I actually did obtain matching socks for DH - dark in both athletic and shorties as well as his dress style ones.

    Jilly thanked fnmroberts
  • 10 months ago

    My dream laundry room would have space for hang drying lots of laundry and a countertop for folding. I already hang-dry but have to do it in another room. I often end up folding on the bed or on the top of the drying racks. The former is problematic because somehow I end up with dog hair on the bed even though she's not allowed on the bed! And the latter is awkward.

    Jilly thanked pricklypearcactus
  • 10 months ago

    I don't have clothes that require air-drying.

    My clothes don’t require air drying, I choose to do it. Mostly because I don’t want things to fade and shrink, there is much less wrinkling, and just a little because the dryer is an energy hog so its one small, meaningless thing I can do, at no inconvenience to myself, to be environmentally friendly. I do use it for sheets and towels.


    buy all new ones that are exactly the same

    My husband matches his own socks, but I buy multiples of the same color and brand. I did have to put a stitch in the blue ones to help him tell the blue from the black apart.

    Jilly thanked hhireno
  • 10 months ago

    I fold in the laundry. I’m another who hangs alot of items to dry or partly dry. We have more to hang than fold. Jilly, i love your ideas! Our laundry is off the kitchen and while not ugly, its pretty utilarian. Its longer than deep and one wall has shelves and hanging, so not much to decorate. I also have an area on one of the short walls to hang brooms, dusters, etc. and my steam mop and small vac are in one corner. Oh well.

    Jilly thanked Tina Marie
  • 10 months ago

    I like folding towels when they’re still warm. I have to bury my face in them first.

    Jilly thanked dedtired
  • 10 months ago

    My ”laundry” is in the garage. I dump mine back into the hamper and bring to the bedroom.

    Jilly thanked Sherry8aNorthAL
  • 10 months ago

    ded, me, too! And putting on warm socks (sometimes sweats). Bliss!

  • 10 months ago

    @hhireno I'm like you and choose to hang dry nearly all of my clothing to increase longevity and fit and also to reduce energy usage. I live in a dry climate so clothing air dries very easily.

    Jilly thanked pricklypearcactus
  • 10 months ago

    I find when I hang dry things, they're not as soft as when they dry in the dryer. They're kind of stiff and I don't like that.

    Jilly thanked jsk
  • 10 months ago

    ilikefriday - It would be a toss up for the wrinkled look between your family and mine. I don't own an iron. I used to and the only thing I used it for was to iron my kids concert shirts for band performances.

    Jilly thanked blfenton
  • 10 months ago

    @blfenton

    Iron???? Do people own those anymore? I thought that was what the 5 minute timer on the dryer was for.

    Jilly thanked ilikefriday
  • 10 months ago

    I don’t iron clothes — I have the bizarre ability to make them look worse than before. I will iron tablecloths and napkins when having guests, that’s it. I think my iron might be considered an antique now. :D

    DH does any clothing ironing needed. He’s very good at it.

  • 10 months ago

    I fold on top of washer/dryer. Sometimes, I bring up to kitchen countertop to fold. I machine dry most things. Have a folding rack and stainless steel drying thing that hangs on shower rod (bathroom down there seldom used!) for drying a few things. I iron ONLY when necessary- guest napkins, tablecloths, etc. But, I iron everything when going on vacation!

    Jilly thanked maddie260
  • 10 months ago

    I fold laundry in the laundry room. I have an old butcher block table that I use, and if that's not big enough, I put my ironing board alongside the table. Yes, I still iron. Some things. I also have a small TV to watch mindless programs - like cooking shows - to take my mind off the drudgery of folding laundry.

    Jilly thanked suero
  • 10 months ago

    Yall are too funny! I iron almost everything. 😳

    Jilly thanked Tina Marie
  • 10 months ago

    You never need to match socks if you pin them together when you take them off, before throwing in the hamper.


    I take most of my clothes out of the dryer after 10 minutes - still damp, but not dry - hang on hangers and let air dry. Bras - air dry, socks already paired just get dropped into a drawer, the rest is usually folded either as I pull it from the dryer.

    Jilly thanked Jennifer Hogan
  • 10 months ago

    One thing I liked about this 50's ranch style house when I bought it 10 plus years ago is the prior elderly original owners had likely not long before, moved the washer location from the basement to a closet in the kitchen - likely a former small pantry. I absolutely love not having to trek to the basement anymore to do laundry. The unfortunate part is that it can only just accommodate a washer/dryer combo but my Speed Queen unit is at least full sized unlike the unit they had. I also fold on my bed, but hang to dry all my 'better' clothes, by that I mean anything I wear out in public!

    Jilly thanked Indigo Rose
  • 10 months ago

    Jilly, I wish you lived Nextdoor to me

    Jilly thanked LynnNM
  • 10 months ago

    Lynn, I’d love that so much! :)

  • 10 months ago

    I might've missed it, but Jilly, where did you get that awesome cart?

    Jilly thanked sjerin
  • 10 months ago

    sjerin, here ya go! (Sorry for just a screenshot, couldn’t get link to work.)

    My DH put it together and we’re really impressed with the quality!



  • 10 months ago

    Sorry I didn't read all the replies. We have a laundry room/mud room combo with 2 front loaders so folding is done on top of the appliances.

    Jilly thanked Annie Deighnaugh
  • 10 months ago

    Nicole

    I have a huge....long...counter for folding laundry fresh out of the dryer.


    Love the rolling laundry basket. It's functional "and" cool looking!

    Jilly thanked HU-376768088
  • 10 months ago
    last modified: 10 months ago

    I live in a 75 year old house, so laundry is in the basement but without a good area to fold clothes. So I get my exercise going up and down the stairs to fold them on the 1st floor. Love the laundry cart you got your Dad, Jilly! So many lovely laundry rooms you all have!

    Jilly thanked Arapaho-Rd
  • 10 months ago

    I'm in sole control of my socks. I have more than I need. I was a rabid Bombas fan for years and then discovered the humble DSG socks at Dick's. Am I allowed to mention that store by name? I truly love the black (winter) and white (summer) low-cut socks.

  • 10 months ago

    Thanks, everyone!

    My DD’s W/D are down concrete stairs in her garage and I’m trying to help in making it cheerier!

    My dad and I talk numerous times a day and he called me yesterday — “Guess what I’m doing right now? I’m rolling my laundry in my fancy new cart!” Cracked me up. 😂