IDEAS HOME OFFICE

HOME OFFICE

Rethink your Home Office

Washing

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Drying

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Ironing

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  • Create a laundry room space that will work with ease and efficiency by incorporating the elements of function, organization, design and flow.
  • Assess the space by taking into consideration the natural traffic patterns, who uses the space and what tasks are being done in each zone. 
  • Divide the space up into smaller zones ( sorting, washing, drying , folding  and storage) and store items you need for the task done in each zone together. 
  • Check out some of my favourite problem solver product links in SHOP BY ROOM and discover the ease of creating a more functional space. Always make sure you check the product dimensions before purchasing to ensure a proper fit for your space.
  • If you are creating a custom space with custom built products and inserts, we can help with that process too. CONTACT US for more information on how we can help you design your custom space.

  

Rethink the Sorting Zone

  • Do your laundry baskets work for you? Are they too small? too big? too heavy? Do they fit in your space? Are you tripping over them? Do you need to carry them to and from the laundry room? 
  •  Pre-sorting by whites, darks/colours, and delicates  saves time and makes laundry doing so much easier, and less room for laundry mistakes. If you have the space for a Triple Sorter I would highly recommend it. 
  • If you need to transport the hamper to and from your laundry space  a Large Capacity Laundry Basket is amazing.  It should be lightweight with comfortable carrying handles.  I'm in a condo with limited laundry space,  I use Lightweight Mesh Pop Up Baskets, that fold flat and open so easily.  I keep 3 of these folded flat in my laundry closet so I have them nearby when unloading  clothing from the dryer which I then take to where I can fold them. I have a decorative laundry basket in my washroom that's too heavy to bring to and from (but I love the look of it) so I also use the pop up mesh baskets to get my laundry to the washing zone. They are super convenient for my purposes. Note: The mesh baskets are not all made the same, some are sturdier and better quality than others. I've tested a few and the one I linked in  SHOP BY ROOM has held up so well over the years.
  • Standard Laundry Baskets are a good option if you have a laundry room and a place to stack a couple near the dryer and folding zone so it's convenient to load up the folded clothing and return them to their original closets and drawers. 
  • If you are planning to build a space with  custom cabinetry work you can choose from a variety of custom tilt-out options, or  pull-out units . CONTACT US! We can help with that as well.

Rethink the Washing Zone

  • Everything you need in this zone should be near your washing machine so you aren't walking from one side of the room to the other to get laundry detergent or other needed products for the wash. 
  • A sink near the washing machine is ideal but not always available in a small space like a condo.  If you have a sink with storage below, some under sink storage organizers can easily help you organize handy items in this area. Depending on the available space under your sink, there are many pre-made pull-out products available in order to make the space more functional. Pull out drawers and units make reaching items towards the back much easier. It's an easy problem solver for a large deep open cabinet.
  • A storage space to hold all your laundry essentials near your laundry machine and near your sink (if you have one) is essential. Either a Wall Mounted Cabinet  ( pre-packed to build yourself) or a Shelf above the sink or close to your washing machine.  I love a stainless steel shelf above the sink so that it  can be easily wiped down.
  • Regarding storage bins, some of my favourite cabinet and shelf organizers for the laundry room are clear strong plastic ones. I love and have been using the idesign/Interdesign ones for over 20 years personally and professionally. I like that they're transparent, so that you can easily identify what's inside and they're made from durable plastic so that you can easily clean them. I try my best to consider the environment when purchasing products especially when it comes to using plastics...I feel that for this particular purpose, plastic is best. Once you make the initial purchase, you will have them for many years,  moving them from home to home, reusing and re-purposing them. Mine have  held up really well and they keep my home so organized. Choose the one that fits your shelves best and remember not to have too much space in front of the bin (1-2" max), this way you will maximize the space on the shelf and also refrain from putting items in front of the bin which creates an organizing "technical error or faux pas".  Remember to group like with like and label the bin according to its content. For example, all STAIN REMOVAL products in the same bin. I also love using sturdy turntables. Depending on your shelf size choose one that is 1/2-1" smaller so that it doesn't touch the back of the shelf or the front of the cabinet. Not only does this product allow easy access to the products, it keeps the shelf clean, and organized and looking great!
  • Some other items that are in my opinion essential in the washing zone are Mesh Wash Laundry Bags for Delicates   I can't do laundry without these. My daughters can confirm this as I've used them for years to protect delicate wash items looking new, without snags or stretching , wash after wash. Store these all  in one of my favourite bins, on a shelf or inside a cabinet with your other laundry product essentials so when you need one it's close by.

Rethink the Drying Zone

  • The drying zone should have a variety of clothes drying options other than your dryer. These options should be relatively close in proximity to your washing machine. If they aren’t, you’ll need a basket nearby to get them over to the other drying options. 
  • Hang to dry options for fine washables and clothing that don’t go in the dryer. Space saving when not in use, wall mounted retractible options work really well 
  • If you don't have the wall space to install the retractible option but you have the space for a clothes drying rack that folds flat for storage and is lightweight, sturdy and holds a nice amount of clothing will do the trick.
  • Lay flat to dry stackable sweater dryer (for items you don’t want to stretch out from hanging), make sure you have a countertop that can accommodate the dimensions of this item or some floor space. Otherwise, this 3-tier hanging sweater dryer will do the trick but you need a hanger rod or a ceiling hook to hang it from.
  • Other portable options. I have been using  clip and drip hangers for years, in my laundry zone, in my bathroom, and I take one with me when I travel for hand washed items. They are super handy and sturdy.  They are available in heavy duty plastic or stainless steel options and have 10 clips for  for drying socks, bras, underwear, baby clothes, hats, scarfs and gloves... Another super functional hanging option for lightweight fine washables is the hang anywhere individual hooks in white or in black. I love these because they don’t take up a lot of space. I use them in the laundry zone as well as in the kitchen under my sink and in my bathroom. They hang easily on any bar or most hooks. I love multi-functional organizational products!

Rethink the Ironing Zone

  • Aside from an ironing board , a solid hook to store the board, an iron, and whatever products you use when ironing…This zone can be anywhere you have the space to comfortably accomplish the task. A heavy-duty ironing board that's stable and extra wide, is essential. See SHOP BY ROOM for the brand I have been recommending for years.  Any open wall space will do as long as it can accommodate the width of the product so check the link above before purchasing. The hook to hang the board also by the same manufacturer is important because depending on the shape of the boards hook mechanism, it can sometimes be tricky. A wall mounted ironing board holder holds the board neatly against the wall and up off the floor. It also has a storage place for the iron which is another handy option if you don’t have the space to store your iron, or if the storage space isn't near the ironing board itself.  
  •  Having your laundry board close by where you iron and then hanging the freshly ironed items works well for the flow functionality of your space. That way when you finish ironing an item you can hang it up on the wall hook or on a nearby clothing rod. Over the door hanging rods are available and very functional  if you have limited space and prefer not to install a product.

Rethink the Folding Zone

  • In this zone you need a surface to fold on. It doesn't have to be large, but just enough space to comfortably fold your laundry and then place it in a laundry basket to return to your items to their proper closets or drawers. A countertop, is very convenient, if available. If not, you can install  a drop leaf table/shelf.  

 Rethink the Storage Zone 

  • Additional storage is essential if you intend to stock laundry products. As well, laundry rooms often  store cleaning products and essential hardware . 
  • Free Standing Storage Cabinet will hold a decent amount of stock for your laundry and cleaning products .  I always recommend to anchor secure to the wall with an L bracket for stability and safety reasons. 
  • I have been a fan of  Chrome Wire Shelving for years. I find it very versatile and the fact that it's adjustable has allowed me to move it from home to home over the years and reuse it in various different locations. I generally build the shelving unit in to a reach in closet or if I use it in an open laundry room I use clear storage drawers or clear closed bins to keep the items from getting too dusty. . If you require more storage space, get 2 instead of 1 larger one, that way the units can be more versatile and used elsewhere broken up in the future. 

 Other 

  • As mentioned above, the laundry zone is often the storage area for cleaning products as well as handy hardware. If you have room available in the laundry zone for the above items see some  organizational tools to store these essentials.
  • Magic Holder 3-Position Mop and Broom Holder or 5-Position Mop and Broom Holder. I have owned this item for years . It's moved 3 times with me and been reinstalled and still works perfectly. I love that it adjusts to various size pole handles. 
  • Command Mop & Broom Holder, Wall Mount, no Installation. This brand of hooks are a staple in my home. I use them everywhere and recently added another mop to my mix that I didn't have room for on my 5 hook Magic Holder above, too this was an easy fix to add 1 more. In order for this item to stay up on your surface, you need to follow the package directions. If you do, this item should stay up without any issues.

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