Decorating the Laundry Room

There are a few rooms in our home that we don’t really think about decorating. Hallways and powder rooms are two of them, but perhaps the most neglected room in our homes is the laundry room.  Despite spending hours every week in the laundry room, we rarely think to decorate this room. Maybe if we added some design style to the laundry room it might make doing laundry a little bit more enjoyable! Maybe? Probably not, but having a pretty laundry room might help us dread the task a little less.

If you have a laundry room on the second floor or main floor of your home, you probably already have finished flooring in the room. Basement laundry rooms tend to have cement floors. Adding laminate or tile to a basement laundry room floor would make the space feel more like a finished room.

Painting the walls of the laundry room a happy color you love could improve your mood when you are in the room.  This is especially true for basement laundry rooms. Cabinets can be painted or replaced with more stylish cabinet doors.  Open shelves can be put up to store laundry supplies in pretty glass jars.  A folding drawer or cabinet makes drying sweaters neater and keeps the room less cluttered.

Adding a chandelier or other fun hanging light can give an extra bit of style to the utilitarian room. If your laundry room has a window, put up decorative window treatments like cafe curtains or roman shades.

The Essentials: Laundry Room Edition

Whether you are moving into a new place or starting the organization process from scratch, it is a good idea to organize your laundry room. In order to begin the organization process, you will need to make a list of everything you should have inside your laundry room. To help you get started, we made a general list of essential items. Let’s take a look. 

What You Should Have in Your Laundry Room:

1. The Basics. 

Your laundry room should have basic items like detergent, fabric softener, stain removers, bleach, dryer sheets, and other necessary things for loads of laundry. 

2. The Supplies. 

  • Extra Baskets and Bins. For optimal laundry room organization, you will need baskets for sorting and bins for storing. You may find it helpful to have a few extra baskets and containers on hand for busy days. 
  • Ironing Board + Iron. Every laundry room should contain an iron and iron board to help spruce up clothing. Whether it is a travel-sized ironing board or a full-size, be sure to incorporate one somewhere in your room to help tidy up your look. 
  • Sewing Kit. Accidents happen, and sometimes, they happen to our clothes. Be prepared with a fully stocked sewing kit to replace any missing buttons and fix any small tears. 
  • Trash Bin. You may find it helpful to store a trash bin inside your laundry room. It will make throwing away lint from the dryer easier as well as any packaging from the laundry supplies. 
  • Cleaning Supplies. If you are not storing your cleaning supplies anywhere else in the house, your laundry room can be a great area to do so. Using the laundry room can be a great, safe place to store chemicals and other cleaning aids. Just be sure to place toxic items high, away from small children and pets. 

3. If You Have Extra Room. . . 

If you are left with some extra space and money, we have listed a few additional items that you may find helpful: 

  • Clothing Bar 
  • Folding Area/Countertop
  • Mesh Bags for Delicates
  • Steamer  

What could you not live without in your laundry room? We would love to know in the comment section! 

Laundry Room Organization

Laundry rooms are often forgotten when it comes to organizing your home. Homeowners typically focus on the main areas of their house like the kitchen, bathrooms, and bedrooms. But, what if we told you that simple updates in your laundry room can change the way you feel about doing laundry. Doing laundry is a dreaded process, let us be honest. It is not fun to take time out of your busy schedule to sort, wash, dry, iron, hang and put away all your clothing. We want to help you put the pep back into your laundry-doing step with these simple laundry room organization ideas: 

 

Tip #1: Designate a Folding Area. 

Folding can be such a chore if you are constantly looking for a place to fold. Designate a specific counter space for folding all your clean clothes to reduce wasted time. 

Tip #2: Add a Hanging Rod. 

By your ironing board, install a hanging rod to place your recently ironed clothing. This will help deter wrinkles from reforming and incorporates useful storage opportunities. 

Tip #3: Incorporate Slat Wall Storage. 

Utilize the wall space available in your laundry room by using a slat wall to incorporate more storage. Slat walls are typically found in garages, but this organizer can be brought indoors for some stellar updates. Try painting the slat wall your favorite color to add design and function to your space. You can even add some stenciled artwork to make it more pleasing to the eyes. 

Tip #4: Get a Hanger Organizer. 

The time we spend detangling hangers . . . Invest in a hanger organizer and your life will be forever changed. This system is perfect for busy homeowners!

Tip #5: Encourage The Family to Sort. 

Sorting can be done quickly if everyone participates in the job. Encourage members of your family to place the whites, blacks, and colors each in their particular basket in the laundry room. This will help save time with washing everyone’s clothing later. 

Tip #6: Jar your Detergent. 

Detergent can be a bit of an eyesore in laundry rooms. Place your detergent and fabric softener in cute jars. Try using a glass drink decanter for liquid detergent and you will never go back to boring bottles. Plus, if you want to save money and the environment, you can make your own detergent and you will not have to waste detergent bottles anymore. 

 

We hope you enjoyed these laundry room organization hacks!

Organization Tips for the Unorganized

With today’s demanding schedule, finding time to clean and keep your home clutter-free is a monumental task! Some of us enjoy cleaning and see it as therapeutic. Some of us despise cleaning and procrastinate at every turn, while others hire a service to clean. No matter which category you are in, everyone can benefit from the following clutter free tips:

 

  • Commit to a Schedule – When you stop and look around the house, you’re mortified by the mess! Where to start can be an overwhelming feeling. The key is to commit to a day, or a time slot and enter on your calendar. Start with one room, and don’t get sidetracked by finding yourself in another room (Guilty)!
  • Clear Countertops – Grab a basket or container and start clearing off dresser tops, nightstands, bathroom counters, kitchen counters, etc. Bathroom countertops are notorious for being a catch-all for those drug store purchases. Whether you use an item or not, just walking into a bathroom that is filled with products can cause confusion, and is a definite eyesore. Put hairdryers, flat irons, rollers, hair product, etc. in a container (label it), and store it under the counter, or an assigned place for easy access.
  • Declutter the “Catch All” Drawer – Most of us are guilty of having the infamous drawer that everyone in the house uses for “stuff”! The infamous drawer gives everyone a free pass to dump whatever will fit in the drawer. Eliminating the “catch all” drawer forces everyone in the house to put those items back in their intended location.
  • Recycle Items – Every home has left over boxes, containers, and zippered plastic bags, laying around. Kids love helping with this task. Let their creativity run wild while decorating and coloring these items for artsy storage containers. Remember, you are pitching in and recycling unwanted items while creating a home for stuff (ink pens, office supplies, nails and screws, loose change, etc.)!

 You will be surprised how much time you save when cleaning your decluttered house. Now that the house is clutter free, don’t procrastinate!

Light and Bright Laundry Room

light-and-bright-laundry-room-webWhen you’re choosing your cabinetry, remember that your choice will also be part of your laundry room. Selecting a light painted cabinet like this soft cream creates a light and bright laundry room that is a pleasure to work in.

Whether you are sorting and folding clothes or using the space for other activities, the bright feeling of painted cabinets makes the mood inviting. With this light neutral you can choose almost any color for your laundry room, from a soft blue or mint green to darker tones such as navy blue or even metallic gold or copper.

Consider adding a washer and dryer in rich red and adding red accessories to allow that color to pop throughout the room. You could also go with black, letting that contrast make the room’s décor more dramatic and exciting. The color choices are almost endless.

This laundry room provides plenty of built-in storage. What would you use these cabinets for in your home? If you sew, the shelves could hold your fabric stash and equipment. Crafters would benefit from places to fit tools and supplies. This space could also be gift-wrap central or an easy place to put any gifts you buy on sale until you need them.

For a closer look at this laundry room and others, why not visit the Peninsula models at the Oasis at Queen Creek community? We look forward to seeing you there.

Make the Most of your Laundry Room Storage

From the Rancho Mirage model in Oasis at Queen Creek.

From the Rancho Mirage model in Oasis at Queen Creek.

It’s easy to let your laundry room become a catch-all for those things you can’t figure out where to put. Holiday decorations, extra hangers, cleaning supplies and other odds and ends find their way into your laundry room cupboards and before you know it they’re full. Instead of this kind of unintentional use, how about turning your laundry room into a resource for specific types of storage? Here are a few suggestions.

Entertainment Central: Vases and other elements for table centerpieces and buffet decorations could find a convenient place in one or more laundry room cabinets. Add a frog, some pebbles or marbles for helping to stabilize flower arrangements and you’re ready for flower arranging or creating an interesting base for a buffet arrangement. You might add some of your favorite serving pieces and table linens for one-stop-shopping before a party.

Clothes Management: Pins, scissors and your sewing kit can be kept in the laundry room when you need to sew a button on tighter or stitch up a hem that’s coming loose. Stain removers, wrinkle release spray and even fusible sewing tape for any quick fixes can really come in handy when that jacket and skirt that you really wanted to wear needs mending.

Roadtrip Supplies: Cool bags, paper plates, disposable silverware, condiments in little packets, favorite road games and activities can be organized in one place ready to grab when you decide to take a weekend trip. Don’t forget a map or two for the kids to use to follow along where you’re going – reducing although not eliminating the cries of “are we there yet!”

Gift Wrap Center: Wrapping paper, ribbon, tape, scissors and a nice collection of gift cards help you be ready for those last-minute gift needs. Instead of searching through the house for everything you need, keep a special set of supplies in one cabinet just for gifts.

These are four quick ideas for ways to make the most of the storage in your laundry room. What other ideas can you come up with to make your laundry room useful for more than laundry?

The Value of Built-in Cabinets

Models 082People recognize the value of built-in cabinets in a kitchen, but there are so many other places in your home where built-in cabinetry can make your life easier and your home more beautiful too. Consider these possibilities.

Dining or breakfast room: What better place to store serving pieces and entertainment items than right where you need them. Rather than taking up space in your kitchen, let another room in your home be of help. And a well-designed choice of cabinets including features such as glass-fronted doors and special lighting can make a bare wall into a design feature while providing extra storage. Take a look at how the space above has been transformed by adding the right type of built-in.

DSC_0049 (1)Laundry room: A well-designed laundry room can provide more than clean clothes. Use laundry built-in cabinets to hold cleaning supplies, craft tools, table linens or holiday decorations. The bins shown in the photo to the right could serve as a family “lost and found” with every family member assigned their own place to put anything left around the house.

DSC_0185 (1)Hallway: If you have halls that are wide enough or that have a natural niche, consider adding built-in cabinets. You will have extra storage, something we all can use, and create a space with personality rather than an empty area.

With built-in cabinets, you can customize their size and design to capitalize on all of the space and make maximum use of it. Take a walk through your home. You may be surprised at all the places that could benefit from built-ins.

 

Laundry Room Luxuries

DSC_0050What does your dream laundry room contain? Let’s start with the newest front-loading washer and dryer. Would you prefer traditional white or do you have the design courage to choose this fire-engine red? Everyone knows that the police notice a red car so that the color sticks out if you’re speeding, but in your laundry room safe in your own home, you can enjoy this daring color with no fear of a ticket.

Next, how about a laundry room sink? Large and deep, this works well for hand laundry, washing small pets, and rinsing out stains.

Some people like to make these sinks home central for mopping floors, with plenty of space to fit a bucket and let a mop drain.

By the way, notice the nice location right above the sink with a rod to hang clothes that need to drip dry. This well-designed laundry room is ready to handle all of your clothes washing needs, and wants!

 DSC_0051Next, how about cabinet and counter space? In this room, open built-in bins can be assigned to each family member to handle homework, mail and other personal items that get misplaced throughout the house. This space makes a great family-central for books, backpacks, keys and mobile devices. There are plenty of outlets to charge anything, and keeping it all in one location makes it easier for you.

DSC_0049Want more? How about yet another area of cabinets and counters? Tucked in the back of the generously-sized room, this unit could be used to hold craft or sewing supplies, pet items or for storing any items of interest to the family. Maybe this could become board-game storage or a good location to handle wrapping paper, ribbon and decorations for birthday and other holiday events. Your choices are only limited by your imagination.

Is this the laundry room of your dreams? Not sure? Well, how about visiting the Fulton Homes Legacy community and taking a look? You’ll find this dream room in the Basha model home. It’s just one space designed with you in mind at Legacy.

 

A Fresh Start on Organizing your Home: The Laundry Room

From the Fulton Homes La Quinta model

From the Fulton Homes La Quinta model

We use the laundry room a lot, but it is often the most thrown together and ignored room in the house. How about taking an afternoon to really turn this space into a functional and valued place in your home?

Start by thinking about what you would like to use your laundry room for besides laundry. With this Fulton Homes laundry room, you have many more cupboards than you need to store laundry supplies. Here are a few suggestions.

Store household staples. Light bulbs, paper towels, tools, sewing essentials, and office supplies all fit well in a laundry room. Assign cabinets for each category. If you want to keep things in place, you may want to label the shelves.

Store extra supplies. If you are a warehouse shopper, you may be buying dishwasher detergent and toilet paper in bulk. The laundry room provides a handy go-to place for those extras.

Store your craft supplies. If you enjoy scrapbooking, beading or other craft activities, this is a great space to devote to your craft hobbies. It’s easy to reach and yet out-of-the way when other things beckon.

Store projects for your children. These cabinets can hold various games, coloring books or other supplies you can pull out when your children complain that they’re bored. Shop sales at hobby and discount stores for little surprises you can use to entertain little ones on road trips or for sick days.

Use for gifts. If you are a year-round shopper for the holidays, these cabinets can store presents until it’s time to wrap them. It’s even a fairly safe space to hide your children’s presents since they spend very little time in this room.

Of course, you will also want to store detergent and stain-fighting sprays and anything else you use to keep your clothes looking nice. But with a bit of imagination, your laundry room can hold so much more.

Consider Granite

3 cm chiseled countertopAlmost every new homeowner wants granite countertops in the kitchen. Recognizing that, Fulton Homes made granite kitchen counters standard in all of its kitchens.

Granite is an incredibly durable choice. The stone has the second highest hardness rating after diamonds, and it lasts a lifetime.

Fulton Homes Design Online provides an interesting introduction to granite. You may want to start by learning more about granite through the product tours: one provides insight on maintenance and the other gives general disclosure information. One good thing to know is that the newest granite sealers are almost maintenance-free.

Granite comes in about 100 different colors, and shopping your choices is an amazing experience. Remember, your decision doesn’t stop with the slab selection. Take a look at one of the more exotic choices of edge detail in the above photo– a chiseled edge. This option really shows off the stone. Take the time to investigate your edging choices.

granite bathroom upgradeUpgrade to granite for a luxurious look in the master bath. This photo shows the impact of adding granite – supporting the spa feel of the space with a splash of warm brown and gold. Want to enjoy a bath that feels decadent and inviting? How about this one?

Sorting, folding, cleaning and drying the family’s clothes require some serious time in the laundry room. How about granite countertops to spoil yourself a little?

As a natural stone, no two pieces of granite are alike. The individual markings and even variances in the stone itself add to the charm of each piece. Your counters have a unique personality. When you review your countertop options throughout your home – start with granite.