Does your laundry pile up during the week? Is your laundry area unappealing? Make a few minor changes in the appearance of your laundry room to create a welcoming atmosphere and your attitude toward laundry will change.
Appearance
Clutter, color, and scents cause us to react in different ways. Dark, bold colors can make us feel tense. Pastels are best in small rooms and have a gentle, welcoming effect. Clutter and unpleasant odor are not inviting. Take a look around your laundry area; are you happy with the wall color? The layout? Could you use more shelves? Less shelves? Are there items you could do without?
While moving the washer and dryer may not be an option, change the things you can. Consider peg boards, shelves, hooks, cabinets, and baskets for storing necessary items. Toss a fresh coat of paint on the walls; add border or wall paper. Is there a window in your laundry room? Give it a special touch with inviting curtains and place a small plant or a framed black and white photo of your smiling family in the window sill.
Basics
Keep laundry items simple: stain remover, laundry detergent, bleach, and fabric softener - these can be stored on a small shelf above, or near the washer - everything else should probably go. A small peg board or basket can be added for the occasional use of pliers and screwdrivers; flashlights and shopping bags can be dangled from hooks. Do you hang your clothes on a line? Clothespin bags can hang from hooks, or behind the door.
The Hamper
If having a laundry basket in each bedroom is adding to the clutter, consider reducing the baskets to one, and keep it in the laundry room for everyone to carry their clothes to. Having a raised laundry basket is appealing to the eye and creates a clean, open feeling in the room. There are many available carriers to choose from. If you have the space, a Laundry Center could be ideal. Just for hanging clean laundry, a spring action curtain rod can squeeze horizontally between two thick shelves, or two cabinets, if they are spaced relatively close together.
Daily Laundry
If you have enough laundry to wash daily, and you work outside the home, start putting a load of laundry in the washing machine and let it soak in the machine while you're at work. Start the wash and add to it if needed when you come home. Have it dried and put away before bed. Repeat the next morning. If you are home during the day, start a load first thing in the morning, and continue until you're caught up.
The best way to stay on top of the laundry is to wash daily - or every other day. Creating an inviting work area will make the chore more pleasant.
Loretta McLean - Loretta is a home keeper with strong interests in photography, gardening, crafting, and writing.
