Where to put the laundry room?

11 years ago

1967 ranch house:

Sorry for the fuzziness, it's a scan of a copy of a copy of a copy of the original builders' brochure.

Currently the laundry is in the basement by the steps. The bedrooms are aaaalllllll the way at the other end of the house so it's a long trek back and forth with laundry. I have thought is 3 options so far and would like throw them out there for some feedback or other ideas.

1) build a laundry chute by the bedrooms. Gets the dirty laundry downstairs quickly but it would drop at the far end of the basement and we would still have to haul clean laundry back up the steps and schlep it thru the kitchen, dining room and hall back to the bedrooms.

2) move the laundry to the 1st floor near the bedrooms. This would be my first choice if we were building but I cannot figure out how to squeeze it in that part of the house.

3) move the laundry to part of the planned wet room which will be off the family room in space stolen from the garage. Still have to schlep laundry from one end of the house to the other but it eliminates dragging up and down steps.

We are 40ish with 3 kids (6, 7 and 15) and plan to live here for a long, long time. Our oldest has special needs and the wet room is primarily for him.

Thoughts?

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Comments (11)

User
11 years ago
Laundry first floor near the bedrooms, even if it infringes on bedroom/closet/hall space.
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melaska
11 years ago
What is the room to the right of the kitchen?

I'm a big fan of laundry being near the bedrooms. Ours is in the bathroom now & we plan to do the same in the new build along with a closet for our day-to-day stuff.
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My two cents: Its not insane, its working out really well for us! When we bought our house we had a basement laundry - which I did not care for (master of understatement!) It flooded, was cold, and the basement stairs are too steep to be safe (esp while pregnant as I was at the time!) So when we did our addition/remodel, we moved the main laundry to the old kitchen space - turning it into a lovely laundry and mudroom. This is by the back door so is fantastic when you come in from gardening or riding and want to chuck your dirty clothes in the wash and jump in the shower (we have a full bath just off the back door too) We also added an upstairs stacked washer dryer unit in the new addition. It is in a big cupboard/closet in the landing/hallway beside the kids bath, right between the kids bedrooms and not far from our master. (We have a big wide landing that leads to the bedrooms and bath so there is plenty of room.) This set up works fantastically well for us - all my moms club friends are green with envy! I actually use both laundries equally - and if I want to do all my laundry at once I have both units going. The upstairs unit is smaller so I use it more for our clothes etc and tend to do bigger things, like comforters etc in the downstairs laundry. It is great for running loads of kids clothes: I can pull them out of the dryer, dump them on her bed and fold and put them away all at once. It is really convenient having the set up right by the bedrooms. We had thought about putting the upstairs washer dryer in my dressing room, but I am glad we didnt as having it in between all the bedrooms makes it really accessible. I do have a narrow linen closet right next to the upstairs stacked unit so I keep a bottle of laundry detergent and a spray stain remover in there. Along with linens for the upstairs. Thats really all I need. We could put some narrow shelves in the cupboard with the washer dryer unit but havent got around to it. We did add an overflow pan which is highly recommend in the event something leaks. Since this is in our new construction addition we have not had any problem with vibration. We also have a roof vent and fan. The stacked unit has double opening doors so there is good access and its right beside the new kids bath so running the pumbing was not at all expensive. Our realtor has said this set up will appeal to a wide range of buyers, since we're hitting the people who like the big main floor laundry and those who like the second floor laundry. But, even if we never sell our house, this is one of my favorite things about our new home set up. I am a busy mum, with a full time job, and we live in the country with lots of mud, so anything that makes laundry easier gets my vote! (That and my bain ultra tub - which I found out about from this forum and LOVE!) So two laundries gets two thumbs up from me! Hope that helps!
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Even if you don't install grab bars now, if you want to later, you want to plan the major plumbing so that you can. Swapping the toilet and sink will give you the wall space to be able to install grab bars. I usually am not interested in 2 doors to a single bath, but in your case, I'd prefer to have easy access to the powder from the main family entrance. But, it is good to know what you want/don't want. I can see not wanting the only entrance to be through the mudroom. (But, one possibility I would consider is swapping location of the closets in that block with the powder room, and then making the only access to the powder through that "mudroom". When you do that, you get closet nearer the front entrance, as well as the ability to close off the mudroom and still have guest access to the powder. And, you hide the powder a bit more from your front entrance.) Just an option. I really like the elevation.
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auroraborelis
11 years ago
I know a LOT of people on GW agree with putting the laundry room near the bedrooms, but I tend to put laundry in to run in the evening and at night and both my DH and I are light sleepers so we didn't want it too close to our room!
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Annie Deighnaugh
11 years ago
I'd not put it near the bedrooms but on the other side.

. for the times when someone is sick/napping/laundry being done late
. because during the day when I'm doing laundry, I want it near me to tend, to hear the cycle stop, the dryer stop, etc. and that's near the kitchen, not the bedrooms
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thirdkitchenremodel
Original Author
11 years ago
Melaska - that is the dining room.
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kirkhall
11 years ago
What is the little room that looks like maybe a coat closet next to the hall bath and the foyer?

I would might try to put it there. And, then move whatever function that space has to another part of the house.

Would a stacked laundry be acceptable to you?

And, how big are those bedrooms?
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okpokesfan
11 years ago
As another poster said, most people are fans of putting the laundry by the bedrooms. However, I want the laundry room by the room I'm usually in while doing laundry, which is the kitchen. I'd rather take it back and forth to the bedrooms than run back and forth to the laundry room each time I have to switch them out. Good luck!
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bevangel_i_h8_h0uzz
11 years ago
Other possible options.

1) Turn that closet that backs up to the front bathroom into a tiny laundry room with a stacking washer/dryer. Might be relatively easy to do b/c plumbing lines would already be in the wall. This spot would be close to the bedrooms for ease in putting stuff away but far enough away that you could probably run the washer/dryer without disturbing anyone who was sleeping.

2) Slice a slightly larger but still small laundry room out of your living room like this...

Without knowing any dimensions it's hard to say for sure, but your front bath has to be at least 5x7, so the red square is at least 5ft x 6.5ft That's large enough for a washer and dryer to sit side by side and have room for a small clothes folding shelf next to the door. Whoever sleeps in the bedroom next to the laundry would need to either be a sound sleeper or you don't do laundry when they're asleep.
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mjtx2
11 years ago
Putting it in that closet that backs up to the bathroom is a perfect spot, because it's still near the kitchen but obviously close to the bedrooms.

I've had stacked washers and dryers three times and wouldn't hesitate to use them again. Two moves ago we stole half of a bedroom closet to put a stacked unit in the upstairs hall near the bedrooms, and we loved it.

I actually think stacked are easier on my back with the dryer above. And they come with pretty good capacity nowadays.
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kirkhall
11 years ago
Depending on that closet's size, you may not even have to have a stacked set. It could potentially be expanded to the left, and taking out the opposite closet for your entry to dining/kitchen. And, then building a reach in closet on the backside of the laundry hall closet for jackets (on the dining room side).

Anyway, that is where I'd look to put a laundry closet.
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lavender_lass
11 years ago
I'd take out the pantry and the little closet next to it...and make that a laundry. Side by side washer and dryer, with cabinet/shelf space overhead for detergents, etc.

The pantry shelves can be moved more easily than the washer and dryer...so I'd have a nice pantry area (one wall if possible) in your wet room and maybe a small one off the dining room. Can you change that large hall closet, so the door faces the hall and the back would be shallow shelves (with doors) facing the dining room?

Also, you can have more pantry (less used items) and freezer space in the basement or garage. Depends on what works better for you and if you plan to park your vehicles in the garage. Hope that helps :)
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Where to put the laundry room?

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Where to put the laundry room?

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