A guide shaped by raising three kids across three very imperfect laundries.
When you’ve lived in multiple homes — with small children, mountains of washing, and laundries that were anything but ideal — you gain strong opinions. I’ve had a basement laundry with its own “mysterious” outside entrance (say no more), a laundry inside a family bathroom surprisingly brilliant with small children, straight off the child at bathtime and straight in the washing machine, and a hallway‑cupboard laundry in a big villa that looked great on paper to the previous owner but struggles to keep up with real family life, it’s the worst by far.
If you’re lucky enough to be building or renovating, learn from my chaos. Think about your lifestyle now, your lifestyle five years from now, and even the family who may buy your home next. A well-designed laundry is future-proofed — because life only gets busier.
Below are eight big laundry‑design questions answered, blending practical advice with lots of hard‑earned experience.
1. Staying Organised in Cupboard & Kitchen Laundries
Cupboard laundries and kitchen laundries can be tough — staying organised is absolutely key.
A few systems that saved my sanity:
Give each child a small basket. Once washing is folded, pop it straight into their basket so they can take it to their room and put it away.
Fold washing straight off the line into baskets to avoid mountains on the couch or floor.
If you have space, use separate hampers for lights and darks.
2. My laundry is spacious but a bit drab. How can I fancy it up?
If you’re lucky enough to have space but only a washing machine and no proper cabinetry, that should be your number‑one focus. A cabinet‑maker or kitchen specialist can create a sleek system — stacked or under‑bench — with a built-in sink and storage above. This investment will pay for itself many times over in both sanity and resale value. You will not only gain a beautiful laundry you will gain storage.
3. Should I stack the washing machine and dryer or place them side by side?
It really depends on space.
If you’re tight on bench space, stack the units.
If you have the luxury of room, side‑by‑side gives you more usable surface area.
Also think about ergonomics:
Do you mind bending down? Prefer the dryer higher up? You can even elevate both machines off the floor and add a pull‑out shelf underneath to rest a basket on while loading or unloading.
4. My laundry doubles as a mudroom and/or second toilet. How do I make it work?
Laundries can work brilliantly in multifunctional rooms — the key is that it’s a room, not just a cupboard. It could be:
a large scullery off the kitchen,
a mudroom entry, or
a second bathroom with a shower and toilet.
Creating a proper room rather than squeezing the laundry into a cupboard will always work in your favour. Carefully plan the room for flow, add as much storage as possible and some bench space, as well as a laundry sink.
5. I’ve got $1000 to update my laundry. Where should I start?
If you don’t already have shelves or overhead cabinets, start there — they give the highest daily impact. Otherwise, spend the money on wallpaper. It’s a maximum‑impact upgrade that brings instant “wow” for surprisingly little cost.
6. I want a rail for hanging shirts but don’t have the space. Any hacks?
Hanging rails are becoming a huge trend in laundries for drying or holding clothes before and after drying. A few options:
Install a short rail at the right height above cabinetry. It doesn’t need to be long — even a 30–40cm section works well.
Leave a small open space at the end of wall cabinets to fit a narrow rail.
Or use an over‑the‑door towel hook from IKEA for a budget‑friendly solution.
7. What are some of the coolest features you’ve seen in laundries?
The laundry of everyone’s dreams?
Double washer and dryer — perfect for big families with constant washing cycles. Imagine cutting washing time in half!
Integrated laundry hamper drawers to separate darks, lights, sports gear, and more.
Kickboard removed to create spaces for pet bowls or to dry muddy sports boots.
Beautiful tiles, wallpaper, and high‑end finishes for genuine “wow” factor.
8. Stuck with a laundry in a cupboard like me? Here are a few things that can genuinely improve a tough layout
Stack the washing machine and dryer to free up enough space for a small sink or extra storage.
Add built‑in joinery so everything has a place — this alone can transform a chaotic cupboard into a functional mini‑laundry.
Use a bamboo or plastic sink cover so your sink doubles as bench space when you’re not using it.
Consider integrated hamper drawers if there’s even a sliver of space. Sorting becomes so much easier.
If your linen cupboard shares the space, keep it ruthlessly organised. Only store what you genuinely need — clutter will make a tiny laundry feel even smaller.
Leave the laundry light on while a cycle is running. With the doors closed it’s easy to forget about the washing; the light acts as your “don’t forget me” reminder when you walk past.
All Images from Pinterest
