Get Spaced Out!

There are endless reasons why we all want extra storage space in our house - but where to find it? You may not realize that you have one room which you can make into a super storage spot: your laundry room. Instead of having it cluttered with a line of damp washing, linen baskets of clothes and rows of washing goop - you can streamline it and create loads of storage space.

It is easy to just push things in there for a while, but I am talking about totally re-designing it for storage space instead of designing it for laundry! Say, what?! Having said that, in order to design an efficient space, the first thing to consider is what is important in a laundry room. Well, let's skip the washer and dryer and let's presume that you have a sink/plumbing etc in place. You will need hanging space and a flat surface for folding. Some of you may wish to have an ironing board.

Each of us know what our laundry room needs are, for instance you may be the very efficient type who would like storage baskets or shelving that is labeled 'whites', 'coloreds', permanent press' etc. You may even like to store a fold away bed in your laundry room, but whatever it is you want, try to fit it in to maximize space.

Often a laundry room is located in a part of the house with no window. If your laundry does have a window, think of locating the washer and dryer in front of the window. This is because, from a storage point of view, the window is wasted storage space.

It is wasted because you can't put a cupboard in front of it, you must simply let it 'be'. Maximize the sunshine by painting the window surrounds a pale color and enjoy your natural light. To save space you can use the top of your washer and dryer for your folding area.

If you do not have a window, consider planning for a stackable washer and dryer, which will give you more floor space. If that is not an option, you can also house your regular washer and dryer in a large closet, (use folding closet-type doors) which leaves all the space above the machines for tidy storage.

A clothes horse is often handy in a laundry room, but instead consider a clothes line that hoists up to the ceiling (like your Grandma had in her old-tyme kitchen!) New models can be found on the Internet and there are also choices of retractable clothes lines that will not take up your floor space.

Many of us move our discarded kitchen cabinets into the laundry room when we remodel our kitchen. This does provide storage; however, one of the most advantageous aspects of laundry room storage is that it can be big! The cupboards can extend from floor to ceiling and be as deep as your washer (sometimes as deep as twenty four inches).

Think of building a large closet, which can also house your hot water tank if needs be, and which extends to the ceiling. The corner behind the door is a good place to put it. If you can make it as large as a double closet you will maximize its storage use. Ready made large units can be found on the Internet; 'storeyourmedia' is one site that ships utility closets.

If you are building your own, inside the large closet run two strips of the metallic shelf holders so that you can adjust your shelves up and down. You can add one or two more permanent large shelves if you know where you want them.

Once you have designated your flat folding space and decided on your clothes hanging space, ALL the rest of the room could be storage from floor to ceiling. Remember, the laundry room does not have to be a showpiece; the storage it can offer allows the rest of your home to become the showpiece!

Sounds drastic as nowadays we are always planning rooms with clear floor space, but this solution requires thinking outside the box!

Joe Pinto is one of the top-producing agents in the Chicago real estate industry. With over 10 years of experience, Joe brings professionalism and hard work to help you in the sale or purchase of Hyde Park Chicago real estate.