Include a new and improved laundry in your renovation plans

The laundry is often the worst planned room of the house. You'll find some in an large yet under-utilised space, while others are hidden away in a dark corner of the garage. Look through Pinterest for loads of design options that will leave you feeling inspired.

Size

Location

2. Compact laundry options

If you don’t have a lot of room, you could opt for a cupboard with a stacked washer and dryer hidden behind bi-fold doors or a sliding door.

Make sure to avoid high traffic areas though; stepping over piles of clothes or around baskets is not only inconvenient, but a safety hazard.

1. Location, location, location

Ideally your laundry should be located on the ground floor with easy access to the washing line outside.

Having it near a bathroom or kitchen will give you plumbing points close by, which can reduce your plumbing costs. Be aware that vented dryers need to be near an external wall so air can escape out the duct. Alternatively you could choose condenser or heat pump dryers which don’t need external vents.

Storage

Planning

3. Use clever solutions 

At the planning stage, think about how you’ll use the space.

You might want an airing rail for delicate items that can’t go in the dryer, and a slide-out or fold-down ironing board. Include a bench or sliding shelf for folding laundry. If you have bedrooms on an upper floor, install a laundry chute to save time collecting dirty clothes from upstairs.

4. Think about storage

The laundry is the ideal place to store cleaning equipment and chemicals, linen, pet supplies, sports equipment, barbeque accessories and outdoor items.

Include lots of storage options including a tall cupboard for brooms, mops and the vacuum cleaner. Make sure to put locks on cupboards or drawers that contain bleaches and toxic products.