The month of August is a good time to organize the laundry area. Laundry has probably stacked up from vacation. New school clothes are being washed. Team sports have begun. You want this area under control before the fall season really hits. Keeping up with the laundry becomes less of a chore with a well organized space.
Laundry areas crop up many places in homes. I see them in or right off kitchens, in hallways near the front entry, at the top of the stairs, in basements, and even off the main bedroom. What you don’t want to see is laundry that migrates into the rooms nearby.
My laundry area is very small. I only have a washer, some shelves, and a place to hang my drying rack. Even though most people have dryers, a drying rack is handy for delicates and hand wash items. Shelves are necessary to store all washing/drying products. You can note in my picture that I also store other cleaning products here. You’ll want laundry soap, dryer sheets, stain removers, sponges, and scrubbing brushes near your washer/dryer. A stain removal chart hung on the wall can be helpful. If you have room place a table to lay clothes on or to treat a stain or to use for folding clothes. I have a small table right outside this area for that purpose.
At least once a year, you want to look over your products you are storing here and consolidate. Did you buy a product that you did not like and it is still hanging around? Get rid of it now. Do you have spray starch that is 10 years old and you never use any more? Toss it. Do you have 2 half bottles of Woolite? Consolidate them. If you have a large container of soap powder on the floor, transfer some into a smaller container that is easier to handle. This will cut down on spills. While you are in here organizing the shelves, it is a good time to give them a good cleaning as some of the products tend to leave rings.
Have a small container in this area for tossing the items you find luring in pockets or for the loose buttons that come off in the wash. I find this area is also a logical place for me to store my iron, ironing board, and water spray bottle.
To keep this area neat, only bring in the dirty clothes when you are ready to wash them. Let them live in the dirty clothes baskets until the actual laundry time. Mounds of dirty laundry are not enjoyed by anyone but the family cat. As soon as the clothes are dry, get them back to their original space.
Jonda S. Beattie Professional Organizer