7 Tips to Transform Your Laundry without Renovating
Life can be hard and then there’s laundry. What is it about doing laundry that is so mentally and emotionally draining? It’s not like we have to haul water up from the well, beat towels against a rock or run the clothes through a mangle. We don’t even have to heat the iron up over a fire before using it. Our poor grandmothers! These days we have 15 different wash settings and an air-drying rack for woollens in our dryers. So, what gives?
Well, our laundries, despite being one of the hardest working rooms in our homes, are generally not designed effectively for the sheer workout they will get over their lifetime. The basics are catered for – a laundry sink and room for a washing machine with a dryer over – but this isn’t sufficient to be fully functional and it certainly doesn’t make the chores any more enticing.
At a minimum, having space to sort laundry and a bench to fold clothes are required. Add to this the multitude of other things we ask of our laundry rooms – room to air dry clothing, storage for sports equipment and cleaning equipment, room for hot water heaters, an area to feed, bathe and house pets and so much more – and it’s clear these rooms are falling short. All of which makes doing laundry an even less appealing task.
So, short of a full-scale renovation, what can you do to make your laundry room not only more functional but more enjoyable? Here are 7 tips to help ease the load (yep, I know, it’s a bad pun but I decided to leave it in anyway):
1.
Laundry rooms are often at the mercy of bad lighting. Invariably, you will be stuck with either a bare bulb or a harsh fluorescent, both of which make you want to get out of this room as fast as possible. If you have decent ceiling height, I recommend installing a beautiful pendant fixture to add personality to the space. If you don’t have high ceilings, or if the ceiling is a concrete slab, opt for a nice close-to-ceiling fixture. These can be hard to track down, but they are out there. I’ve shared a couple of examples below. And, always opt for warm LED light globes.
2.
Often tucked into small areas, laundries can be tight on space which makes vital tasks like sorting and folding clothes hard. In these instances, your walls can be your best friend. There are a number of clever products available that can help with sorting. For sorting clothes, Elfa have a slim, wall-mounted utility track with mesh storage bags that is great for laundry rooms and wardrobes alike. If you lack bench space for folding clothes, a clever trick is to have a cover, or insert, made to fit over your sink to add that extra bit of functionality.
3.
While we all love the freshness of laundry dried in the sun, this is not always possible, so it makes sense to have somewhere to hand laundry to air dry inside. This can be as simple as installing a hanging rail within the laundry (shower curtain rods, available at Bunnings, are perfect for this) but there are some other clever options available that are a step up in the style stakes. HG Designs have a beautiful Tasmanian oak rail on leather straps while New Zealand company, George & Willy, have a gorgeous timber and metal hanging rack that works on a pully system so that it can be tucked up against the ceiling and out of the way when not in use. Another alternative is a simple luggage rack. The Society Inc, by Sibella Court, carries the lovely, vintage-style Steadfast Luggage Rack.
Steadfast Storage Rack
Hanging Drying Rack
Leather Hanging Rail
4.
Refresh and revitalise your laundry with a fresh coat of paint. This could be for your walls, your cabinetry or both. While the world is your oyster when it comes to colour, many people opt for white. While white can be the colour of freshness and cleanliness, if your laundry is short of natural light, whites and light colours will just end up looking dull and dreary. It’s much better to opt for a mid-tone colour that gives the room personality. And, remember to choose a paint that has a built-in mould inhibitor like Dulux Wash & Wear +Plus for Kitchens and Bathrooms.
5.
If your floor tiles are looking tired, you don’t have to wait for a major renovation to improve the look. There is a stunning range of vinyl and hybrid flooring now available that can be easily and affordably installed over existing tiles. These are available in sheet, tile and plank versions.
6.
Update your fixtures. This includes cabinet knobs and/or handles, your door and window hardware and your tap. Changing out your cabinet hardware is an easy, DIY task and can easily lift the overall appearance of cabinetry. Door and window hardware may not need to be fully replaced but take some time to make sure they are properly affixed and move smoothly and noiselessly. This can be as easy as a quick clean and spray of WD40. Finally, a brand new tap can feel like a brand new day. Ikea has a stylish range of kitchen mixer taps at a very affordable price while Abi Interiors has option in a range of beautiful finishes.
7.
Finally, and in many ways most importantly, decorate your laundry like you would any other room. Add artwork, plants and a rug. Decant your detergents into beautiful containers and add something that you love and makes you smile.
The less utilitarian and the more inviting your laundry room is the more likely you are to be comfortable in the space. Will it make you love doing laundry? Probably not. Will it help ease the dread of tackling this chore? Absolutely!
