laundry room

Doing the laundry can be a tedious household task, especially when there is a lot of it. It can be even more difficult if your laundry room is a mess. Laundry rooms are often tight on space, leaving little room for storage. And yet there is so much to be stored. Laundry room cabinets can provide a homeowner with many storage options and keep the room neat and orderly. Whether the laundry room is a designated space in the basement or an actual room off the kitchen or bedroom, laundry room cabinets are a necessary addition. 

What Customers Expect in a Laundry Room

According to a consumer preference survey conducted by the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB), 95 percent of new homeowners wanted a separate laundry room. 61 percent of laundry rooms in new homes are being built on upper levels as opposed to the main level or basement. These statistics indicate that homeowners want an expanded work area in the laundry room, most likely for more storage.

An increasing number of homeowners want more storage for all of their ‘stuff’. New buyers are consistently asking about the storage a house has. Another study by HSM.com asked 1,001 Americans about what annoys them most in their homes. The top home-related annoyance was lack of storage, at 67%. This includes the laundry room, which sometimes does double-duty as a mudroom or extra pantry storage.  

The laundry room should be one of the must functional rooms in a home, however, most laundry areas are tight on space. If there is a designated room, it is already taken up by the washer and dryer and sometimes a utility sink. There are a few other must-haves that many homeowners would like to have in their designated laundry space besides a washer and dryer:

  • Countertop for folding and sorting clothes
  • Cabinets to store laundry room essentials
  • Open Shelving for most often used products
  • Drying rack
  • Iron or steamer

The area should have plenty of lighting to sort and fold clothes, as well as add to the aesthetic of the room. If there is not a window in the room, then the appropriate lighting should be added.  

As for the appliances themselves, most homeowners The room should not be customized around the size of the appliances, because when they change, the entire room has to change then. Instead, leave room above and on the size of the machines. For small areas, consider stacking the washer and dryer.

Overall, the room should function efficiently and be able to handle the storage needs for the size of the homeowner’s family. In redoing the laundry room, creating a space that is functional and attractive can make that chore much more efficient and pleasant. If the current space is plain or utilitarian, the addition of cabinets will enhance the space and add much-needed storage.  

Why Laundry Rooms Need Cabinets

laundry room
photo: DecorDev

Think of all of the items that are stored in the laundry room—different brands of detergent, bleach, stain spray, fabric softener, dryer sheets, ironing supplies, and the list goes on. Many laundry rooms have only one open shelf for all of these items and it is on display for everyone to see. It usually ends up looking messy because it does not provide enough storage for all of the laundry room essentials.  

Laundry room cabinets give homeowners more storage and style in their laundry area. Laundry room cabinets can take care of most of the storage needs in the room, while making use of the unused wall space. Shaker wall cabinets are durable and will last a long time in the area. For ultimate laundry room organization ideas, one cabinet above the washer and dryer can provide separate spots for the items needed for each of the appliances. If there is enough room, base cabinets that rest on the floor are solid additions to the space. They provide easy access to supplies without having to reach up.  

The addition of cabinets to a laundry room makes the task of doing laundry much simpler. All of the detergents and laundry essentials are easily accessible. 

Being able to customize the space with cabinets also adds to the value of the home.

Depending on how much other storage options are in your house, the laundry room sometimes becomes the catch-all for items that don’t have another place to go. If your laundry room is large, but you don’t have a utility or linen closet, then the laundry room might have multiple storage uses besides just for the laundry. 

Take advantage of the space and install cabinets that can storage all of your extras such as towels, sheets, cleaning supplies, or suitcases. But, don’t let the laundry room become the junk room of the house—non-essential items that don’t have a home anywhere else and are never used should be donated.

Shaker Cabinets  

laundry room
photo: Made By Mood

One of the considerations for laundry room storage is shaker cabinets. A little historical background: the cabinets are named for the Shakers, a religious community that was founded in England. They settled in North America in the 18th century, and became known by their saltbox houses with clean lines and tidy corners. The Shaker philosophy focused on the beauty of efficiency which has stood the test of time. This style has endured for hundreds of years because of the focus on simplicity and excellent craftmanship. Even today, shaker cabinets are popular because of their clean lines and classic style. 

Hunter Macfarlane, project expert at Lowe’s states: “Shaker cabinets are simple, clean, and timeless. They are characterized primarily by their doors, which consist of two flat-side rails, two flat-top rails, and a flat-inset panel.” He states that they are known for both their durability and function. Shaker style doors are usually symmetrical, adding to the clean, attractive look and always look fresh and updated.  

The most basic shaker cabinet is a five-piece door with a recessed center panel and no additional detailing. However, shaker cabinets have evolved to add more detailing to be able to be used in a variety of home designs. This type of cabinet can be adapted to a number of color schemes to work well in any laundry room. They come in a variety of colors from ice white, to honey, to dark gray so the customer has endless choices for how the laundry room will look.

Cabinet doors in a laundry room will no doubt get a lot of use. Shaker cabinets that are built to high-quality standards with A-grade plywood, solid wood, or high-quality and high-density fiber materials will be more durable.

Laundry Room Organization Ideas

laundry room
photo: Decorpad

The layout and planning of the laundry room should be well-thought out to make the most of the space. In small spaces especially, cabinets need to maximize long-term storage, as well as those that are used daily. Cabinets with many details in a small area can be distracting, making the simplicity of the shaker cabinet a perfect choice for this area in the home. Cabinets should be functional in the space to give the homeowner access to all of the items they will need.

No matter how small the space, it is important to set up the essentials in a way that is convenient. What is used most often, such as detergent, should be front and center. Items that are not used as often or are dangerous to small children can be put in the back. For the washing-related items, arrange products from left to right in the order that you use them—for example, stain removers, detergent, then fabric softener.

The cabinets should be organized with clear plastic boxes or decorative baskets with labels so items are easy to find and access. Small, similar items should be stored together in drawers if the room has them. 

If the room has an open shelf, boxes or baskets make grouped items accessible and less likely to become messy.

Utilize the walls for accessories other than cabinets. 

For example, a drying rack can be hung on the wall rather than take up space on the floor. A hanging rod can be installed underneath the cabinets to save space.

In larger laundry rooms, tall cabinets can hold items such as ironing boards, vacuum cleaners, and floor mops and brooms. 

The homeowner can utilize the space they have for the items that they need to store with a fold-out option as well.

Tip: Install a plug socket in this cabinet to be able to re-charge vacuums here.  

Hampers for dirty laundry and a place to hang laundry to dry are also so helpful. You can even designate a shaker cabinet to hide the hampers. Most laundry rooms do not have the space for all of this, however, so homeowners need to be creative with how to make the most of the space that is available. The rest of the house will benefit as well, as all of the essentials for cleaning clothes are in one place.

Why Remodeling the Laundry Room With the Kitchen is Beneficial to the Customer

Homeowners who are remodeling the kitchen might also consider changing the laundry room at the same time. Kitchen cabinets are not just for kitchens. In fact, there are a variety of uses for them other than the kitchen. They offer a put together look and provide more sturdy storage as compared to some other options.  

While it is a larger project to do both rooms, the benefit to doing it simultaneously is being able to take advantage of matching (and ordering) the cabinets. It is also cost-effective to order cabinets for both spaces. And, if the laundry area is part of the kitchen, or just off of the kitchen, from a design perspective, it is important to keep the same feeling, style, and flow. Using the same cabinets is one way to keep them home cohesive.  

 Creating a cabinet plan for both areas will ensure that the customer gets the most function out of the space with the cabinets that they want and need. Both time and money is saved because the details are planned out before the work begins so the cabinets fit perfectly and function the way that they are supposed to. 

The cabinet plan is created with the most efficient layout for both the kitchen and laundry room.  

And, by planning for both at the same time, customers are better able to stay within their budget. They might also be able to get free shipping with the order since they are spending more.  

Laundry rooms are becoming a stylish asset to any home. 

While they used to be relegated to the basement, now designated areas or rooms make them more functional, convenient, and efficient. A utility room is usually one of the most working spaces in the home so make sure it is appealing. Shaker cabinets can be used in the room to help disguise the washer and dryer, which are bulky appliances.

At Best Online Cabinets, we offer low-cost sample doors to get a feel for this style of cabinet in the home and decide if it is the best option for your laundry room today. We also offer free professional design assistance with the use of 3D images to see how cabinets can best maximize your laundry room storage. 

Contact us today to find out how we can help transform your laundry room.

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