Laundry area zones get a lot of usage. And it seems like at the end of summer this area gets more than normal use. Often this time of year is when you are coming back from vacation with all the dirty clothing from that outing. Children may be coming back from camps. School clothing has been bought and needs cleaning.
Take time now to declutter and reorganize your laundry zone as the summer ends and fall schedules take over.
Keeping up with your laundry becomes less of a chore with a well-organized space and a plan for keeping on top of the never-ending influx of dirty clothes.
Organize and deep clean your laundry zone
· If you have both a washer and dryer, take the time now to do a deep clean for both the washer and dryer. Pull both out away from the wall and clean behind and under where they normally sit.
· Wipe down and put back any other laundry zone items like trash cans, drying racks, a container for items that need ironing or mending, ironing boards and iron. If you have a small basket that holds such items as buttons that have come off in the laundry or loose change, empty this now and either put those items away or make repairs.
· Wipe down walls and ceilings to get rid of any cobwebs.
· Review all of your laundry products. Do you have two partial bottles of Woolite? Consolidate them and any other partial bottles. If you have bought products but then decided you did not like them, get rid of them now to make more space. If you have a large container of soap powder on the floor, transfer some into a smaller container that is easier to handle. Wipe down the shelf where these items are stored and have the ones you use every week placed at the front and center.
Develop a plan to keep your laundry zone clutter free
· Keep the laundry moving. Only bring into the laundry zone the items you intend to wash right away. Leave everything else in the designated dirty clothes hampers. As soon as the current tub is washed, put the laundry in the dryer or drying rack. And as soon as clothes are dry, take them back to their “home”.
Delegate putting items away to the family member who owns the items. Even young children can sort and put clothes away.
If an item needs repair or ironing, have a designated place to store those items and then schedule a time to do that task. You really don’t want your Thanksgiving holiday tablecloth in the ironing bin in August.
A stack of colored laundry baskets is a handy way to sort clean clothes for each member of the family and one for the bath/bed linens. When laundry is taken out of the dryer and folded, immediately put it in the correct basket. Each family member can pick up their baskets, put their clothes away, and return the empty basket.
· Once a week schedule a time to tidy up, sweep the floor, and wipe off the tops of the washer and dryer.
· Once a year schedule your annual deep clean and reorganization of the laundry zone.
While having a clean and organized laundry area may not make you want to spend a lot of time there, it will make the time spent less stressful. A lot of the tasks can be scheduled and done in short bursts of time so don’t look at the area and let yourself feel overwhelmed. Just break down the project and do a bit at a time. Schedule time on your calendar weekly and yearly to keep it in shape.
If you want help or just some accountability in organizing a space in your home or working any other organizational plan either outside or inside your home, join Diane Quintana and me on our Clear Space For You clutter support group.
Jonda S. Beattie, Professional Organizer owner of Time Space Organization, and co-owner of Release, Repurpose, Reorganize. She is based in the Metro-Atlanta area. As presenter, award-winning author, as well as a retired special education teacher she uses her listening skills, problem solving skills, knowledge of different learning techniques, ADHD specialty, and paper management skills to help clients tackle the toughest organizational issues. Jonda does hands on organizing and virtual organizing. For more of Jonda’s tips connect with her on Facebook.
For years, I used dorm and apartment laundry rooms (and occasionally laundromats); it's been 26 years having my own (stacked) washer/dryer and I never take the convenience (or not having to use quarters) for granted. The closet my stacked appliances are in is only slightly bigger than the appliances themselves. Unfortunately, I can't pull them out or get behind/around them with anything except the extended wand of my vacuum, but I appreciate all of your suggestions, and it's very much like my approach with client laundry rooms. Decanting the contents of large containers (which can be stored elsewhere or hidden) into smaller containers yields big wins!