Kids and laundry go together like a washer and dryer. (Jennifer Bardsley)

Kids and laundry go together like a washer and dryer. (Jennifer Bardsley)

Some practical tips — not pipe dreams — for a laundry room makeover

If you get frustrated about home design, just remind yourself that old-but-clean is better than new-and-unkempt.

I will never take owning a washing machine and dryer for granted. But even with my very own laundry room, my family’s laundry situation had become annoying.

I could write a doctoral thesis on our complicated fabric care rules due to allergies, gym clothes and the need for high-powered stain fighters. Gone are the days when I could scoop up whatever item I found on the floor and toss it into the barrel, which is why there were often piles of dirty clothes on our laundry room floor.

Since we have a high-efficiency front loader, it takes an hour to wash each load. The washing machine runs from the moment I wake up, until well after dinner. For the most part, my kids do their own laundry; but instead of making things simpler, this adds another level of complexity. Sometimes my husband and I will be tucked in bed at 10 p.m., and hear the washing machine turn on, right next to our bedroom. Teenage working hours don’t necessarily sync up with ours.

In April, I decided to stop being annoyed and figure out a way to solve our laundry problems once and for all. I looked at home decor magazines for inspiration, but they all showed the front loader washer with the door closed, which frankly, ticked me off. Anyone with a front loader knows you need to leave the door ajar when not in use or it will grow mildew. Don’t sell me a laundry room fantasy! Give me actual tips that will help.

Whenever I become frustrated about home design, I remind myself that old-but-clean is better than new-and-unkempt. So I tossed the home decor magazines and went to work deep cleaning my laundry room. I found old sponges, extra light bulbs, Halloween decorations, surge protectors and a whole shelf devoted to making slime.

My daughter hasn’t made slime in two years. There were many things to purge. Once all the junk was gone, I had room to store my detergents in the cabinets. Once the detergents were in the cabinets, the top of the washer and dryer were clear. It had only been an hour, but I was already making visible progress.

My next step was to purchase small laundry hampers that fit on top of the washing machine for really gross clothes that can’t touch each other, like rags and workout clothes. I bought new hampers for the kids, too, and gave them a stern lecture about not leaving their clothes on the ground.

The before and after transformation was satisfying. The final touch was artwork for the wall that made me smile. My laundry room didn’t look like a home decor magazine, but it was functional and clean. Two months later, it still looks that way. It’s a bad place to search for slime ingredients, but a great place to wash clothes.

Jennifer Bardsley publishes books under her own name and the pseudonym Louise Cypress. Find her online on Instagram @jenniferbardsleyauthor, on Twitter @jennbardsley or on Facebook as Jennifer Bardsley Author. Email her at teachingmybabytoread@gmail.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Photo courtesy of Kristi Nebel
Folk duo Steve and Kristi Nebel will be among the musical acts performing at the Edmonds Arts Festival, which takes place Friday through Sunday.
Photo courtesy of Kristi Nebel
Folk duo Steve and Kristi Nebel will be among the musical acts performing at the Edmonds Arts Festival, which takes place Friday through Sunday.
Coming events in Snohomish County

Send calendar submissions for print and online to features@heraldnet.com. To ensure your… Continue reading

Cascadia College Earth and Environmental Sciences Professor Midori Sakura looks in the surrounding trees for wildlife at the North Creek Wetlands on Wednesday, June 4, 2025 in Bothell, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Cascadia College ecology students teach about the importance of wetlands

To wrap up the term, students took family and friends on a guided tour of the North Creek wetlands.

Kim Crane talks about a handful of origami items on display inside her showroom on Monday, Feb. 17, 2025, in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Crease is the word: Origami fans flock to online paper store

Kim’s Crane in Snohomish has been supplying paper crafters with paper, books and kits since 1995.

A woman flips through a book at the Good Cheer Thrift Store in Langley. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Pop some tags at Good Cheer Thrift Store in Langley

$20 buys an outfit, a unicycle — or a little Macklemore magic. Sales support the food bank.

Audi SQ8 Wows In Motion Or At Rest. Photo provided by Audi America MediaCenter.
2025 Audi SQ8 Is A Luxury, Hot Rod, SUV

500 Horsepower and 4.0-Second, 0-To-60 MPH Speed

The Mukilteo Boulevard Homer on Monday, May 12, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘Homer Hedge’: A Simpsons meme takes root in Everett — D’oh!

Homer has been lurking in the bushes on West Mukilteo Boulevard since 2023. Stop by for a selfie.

Sarah and Cole Rinehardt, owners of In The Shadow Brewing, on Wednesday, March 12, 2025 in Arlington, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In The Shadow Brewing: From backyard brews to downtown cheers

Everything seems to have fallen into place at the new taproom location in downtown Arlington

Bar manager Faith Britton pours a beer for a customer at the Madison Avenue Pub in Everett. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Burgers, brews and blues: Madison Avenue Pub has it all

Enjoy half-price burgers on Tuesday, prime rib specials and live music at the Everett mainstay.

Ellis Johnson, 16, left, and brother Garrett Johnson, 13, take a breather after trying to find enough water to skim board on without sinking into the sand during opening day of Jetty Island on Friday, July 5, 2019 in Everett, Wash. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Epic ways to spice up your summer

Your ultimate guide to adventure, fun and reader-approved favorites!

PUD Manager of Generation Operation and Engineering Scott Spahr talks about the different gages and monitoring on the control panel at the Henry M. Jackson Hydroelectric Project on Wednesday, June 18, 2025 in Sultan, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Snohomish County PUD to change its contract with Bonneville this fall

The contract change will enable PUD to supply more reliable and affordable energy, Senior Power Supply Manager Garrison Marr said.

Glamor shot provided by Mercedes-Benz USA Newsroom
2025 Mercedes-Benz AMG G63 G Wagon Is Dream Worthy

A Quarter-Million Dollars Buys A Lot Of Vehicle

William Luckett, right, and JJ perform a spoken word piece during Juneteenth at the Beach’s Festival of Freedom on Thursday, June 19, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Communities in Lynnwood, Edmonds celebrate Juneteenth

Across the county, people ate food and sang songs to celebrate the holiday that commemerates the end of slavery.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.