6 ways to make your laundry room more functional

It may be called the laundry room, but that doesn’t mean that laundry is the only thing that can be done in the space. By completing a few renovations and moving some things around, you can transform your laundry room into the ultimate functional location:

1. Add a farmhouse sink
Installing a farmhouse sink is a great idea for your laundry room. It offers you a spacious soaking tub for removing stubborn stains or hand-washing delicates. This sink can also be used for gardening – wash off your hands after working in the yard or use the sink to fill up watering cans. Keep bleach and other stain-removers in cabinets above your farmhouse sink for easy access when you need them.

2. Include a sewing station
If you find that a certain garment has a tear in it as you’re doing laundry, simply take the item over to a sewing station in a corner of your laundry room. Stock this area with thread, pins, thimbles, and even a sewing machine. This will allow you to easily repair clothing without having to gather the materials each time you need to fix something. Include task lighting in your sewing space to make it easy to repair even minute tears or rips.

3. Stack appliances
Running short on space in your laundry room? Consider stacking the washer and dryer on top of each other to instantly create much-needed floor space. You can use that area for storage to keep clutter at bay.

4. Create zones
Your kitchen design isn’t the only room in the house that can benefit from zones. By separating your laundry room into different functional areas, laundry day will become much more efficient. Have one zone be a work space where you can iron clothes or sew garments, and designate another area of the laundry room for sorting and folding.

5. Make room for Fido
If space allows in your laundry room, try adding a dog washing tub in the corner. This is a great area for sudsing up Fido for a bath or simply washing off dirty paws and fur if he got messy in the backyard.

6. Install a TV
Make room for entertainment in your laundry room by adding a small TV. This can help turn folding, washing, drying and ironing into activities that are far from boring. You’ll be able to catch up on your favorite TV programs while getting the laundry done at the same time.