Airing My Dirty Laundry...Room

We all know laundry is a chore that is never done.  What I dislike about it most is all the steps: sorting, pre-treating, washing, drying, ironing, folding or hanging, and putting it away.  I am just thankful that I live in a day and age in which we have washers and dryers.  I am also thankful for having these machines in my home.  I don't miss the days of trucking my dirty clothes to the laundromat or to my parents' house. 

My ideal space for a washer and dryer would be in a walk-in closet, so I wouldn't have to lug the clothes to and from the machine.  For now, I will need to be satisfied with my current laundry room. 

The cupboards above the machines come in extremely handy, but you could also use shelves or pedestals for storage.  (My mom uses an armoire next to her stacked machines.)  I chose not to have pedestals so I could utilize the tops as a folding table and a place to iron.  I am short and don't have back issues, so having the machines low to the ground isn't an issue.  There is a space between the machines and the cupboards.  To cover up the hook-ups, I painted a 1 x 6 board and had my husband use c-hooks to hang it. 

Laundry items are kept in the cupboards above the washer.  Detergent is placed in a plastic canister, since the boxes of detergent I buy are too big and heavy for me to keep handy.  Those I keep under the utility sink.  I also make sure to keep the handles of the vinegar, bleach, and fabric softener out so they are easy to grab.  There is an outlet in the cupboard, so I keep my iron there.  I also have a glass liquid measuring cup, Mr. Steamies, delicate bags, dryer sheets, and a lazy Susan with Wool-lite, Static Guard, Shout, a bleach pen, lint rollers, and cheap hair spray (for removing ink stains).

When I did the major reorganization last summer, I found duplicates or triplicates of cleaning supplies in the kitchen, bathroom, and/or laundry room.  So, I decided to put my cleaning supplies in a single location, which is the cupboards above my dryer.  This has freed up the space under the sinks in the bathroom and kitchen.  However, if it is a cleaning item that is kitchen specific, I still keep it under the kitchen sink. 

Not having a basement in our home means that we have our furnace and hot water heater in the closet of the laundry room.  I also utilize that closet for hanging the mop, broom, dust pan, Swiffer, and duster, as well as, the ironing board.  There is also a hamper and a drying rack that folds which is stored below the ironing board.