How to Make the Most of Your Laundry Room

For most people, a laundry room is viewed simply as a place to throw clothes into the washer and then transfer them to the dryer. No matter where it is located, more and more people nowadays are reclaiming that boring, unused space, and transforming their laundry area into a utilitarian room that improves the quality of their home life. When designing your new home in you should consider whether it is best for the laundry room to be placed upstairs or downstairs, depending on your lifestyle preferences.

The best way to go about this is to start from scratch, as it offers you more leeway and leaves room for creativity. While it may seem like an easy decision, there are a few distinct benefits you’ll get by choosing a first or second-floor option.

Laundry on the First Floor 

Choosing to put your laundry room on the 1^st-floor comes with several benefits. Options are available at all of Hallmark Homes Group’s communities, including the Monroe Floor plan at Oak Ridge. Here are a few things to consider when picking the first floor for the laundry room for your new home in Montgomery County:

Create a Multi-purpose Room 

How often do you do laundry? If only once every few days, the rest of the time your laundry room is being underutilized. You can take advantage of the extra floor space by creating a multi-purpose room.

A mudroom is an optional way to expand the function of your laundry room. As an alternate entrance to the home, it provides a place to store shoes and coats before transitioning into the main living area. You could also add a secondary function, such as a pantry to the laundry room for the baker/chef in your life or arts and crafts storage for the creative members in the family.

Peace and Quiet 

No matter how state-of-the-art your washing machine and dryer are, they still tend to make a vibrating noise when running. If your bedrooms are located on the second floor, it can be a distraction to when you’re sleeping, studying, or otherwise trying to relax. A first floor laundry room enables you to wash as many loads as you like without disturbing the rest of the occupants, relatives, or guests.

Accessibility 

Walking up a set of stairs to do a load of laundry can prove challenging to those with busy lifestyles and needed to do laundry often, or for older adults. A first floor laundry room offers residents and guests of the home easy access to the washer and dryer.

Many families will do their laundry on the weekends—when all family members are usually home. The time-consuming chores of rounding up dirty clothes, loading/unloading the washing machine, putting everything into the dryer, and then folding and ironing on the first floor enables you to keep an eye on the kitchen stove or chat with everyone when they’re in the living space.

Laundry on the Second Floor 

Many people are opting for a second-floor laundry, available in the Jackson floor plan, when buying a new home in Montgomery County. Locating your laundry room on the second floor may seem counterintuitive, but there are several good reasons why people prefer just that.

Increased 1st Floor Square Footage 

A 1^st-floor laundry room takes up extra square footage that could be better allocated to the living room, kitchen, or even a half bath. Considering how most people tend to put the bedrooms on the second floor, maximizing the amount of living and entertaining space available downstairs makes sense.

Convenience 

If all of your bedrooms are located on the second floor, it’s much easier to round up the towels, clothes, and bedding and then walk a few short feet to the laundry room. Otherwise, you’ll have to make repeat trips down the stairs with cumbersome baskets of laundry. Having your laundry room on the second floor also eliminates the need for hampers. Nobody wants their dirty clothes and towels to reside in their bedroom.

Make the Most of Your Laundry Room

No matter where it is located, a laundry room in your new home in Montgomery County does not have to be limited to just a laundry room. Here are a few other ideas that you can do to make the most of it.

Create a Pet Area

If your pet loves to track mud into the house or enjoys wallowing in the dirt, you can create a designated area in your laundry room to wash, clean, and even bathe Fido. A floor drain, basin, and some easy waterproofing will allow you to create a custom dog or cat bath!

Add a Platform

Raise up your washer and dryer by adding a 6-inch to the one-foot platform underneath. It’s much easier to load and unload a front-loading washer and dryer that’s been raised off the ground. It can also help reduce vibrations when your laundry room is located on the second floor. As an added bonus, it will create some extra storage space underneath the platform for your new home in Montgomery County.

Add Racks and Hooks

A sturdy set of racks and hooks can help with the overall laundry process. You can store an iron or an ironing board safely and securely on the wall. Hooks also allow you to hang coats, towels, and other heavy linens for easy spot-cleaning. You can even use the racks to hold some common household tools such as a broom/dustpan, electric drill, or a mop and bucket.

A cupboard is another excellent idea for your laundry room. You can place it directly above your washer and dryer. If you have young children in the house or curious pets, it will safely store your cleaners, detergents, and other dangerous chemicals.

Where to Place the Laundry Room?

No matter if you place it on the first or second floor, your laundry room should reflect the type of lifestyle that you live. At Hallmark Homes Group, we provide our buyers with ample choices to completely customize their new homes—including placement and design of the laundry room. If you’d like to learn more or are ready to start designing your perfect dream home, reach out to us online!