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

More in Life

Collius_boys.jpg: Carolea’s father Collius (Jay Jenkins, center) has selected Ambrosius (Ian Wight, right) as his choice for his daughter, but she is in love with Nectarean (Josias Allestad) in Red Curtain’s production of “A MidWinter Night’s Dream,” Dec. 1-23.
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

”A Midwinter Night’s Dream” opens Friday at Red Curtain Arts Center in Marysville.

Siblings Qingyun, left, and Ruoyun Li, 12 and 13, respectively, are together on campus at Everett Community College on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023, in Everett, Washington. The two are taking a full course load at the community college this semester. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Siblings, age 12 and 13, are youngest students at EvCC campus

Qingyun Li was 11 when he scored a perfect 36 on the ACT test. His sister, Ruoyun, was one point away.

A family walks through the Wintertide lights Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022, at Legion Park in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Wintertide Lights returns for the month of December in Everett

The free family event is open nightly at Evergreen Arboretum and Gardens in Legion Park.

Leslie Davis, left, and Lyndsay Lamb, stars of "Unsellable Houses." (Rachael Jones / HGTV)
‘Unsellable Houses’ seeks flippable Snohomish County homes for Season 5

Leslie Davis and Lyndsay Lamb are searching for homeowners for next season’s one-hour episodes, where houses go from stagnant to sold.

2024 Hyundai Kona Limited FWD (Hyundai)
2024 Hyundai Kona Limited FWD

The Hyundai Kona Limited has been updated for the 2024 model year, but thankfully, retains its quirkiness.

Early 20th century Puffy lamps don’t need to be on to brighten up a room

With three-dimensional designs painted on the shade, lamps like this don’t need darkness to provide decorative value.

Great Plant Pick: Heritage birch

also called white bark river birch, or betula… Continue reading

The 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness comes with raised ladder-type roof rails and Yokohama Geolandar all-terrain tires. (Subaru)
2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness gives the compact more capability

Upgraded suspension, 9.3 inches of ground clearance and a reengineered drivetrain are among the changes.

The Vienna State Opera hosts performances in the evening and tours during the day. (Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli)
Rick Steves’ Europe: Exploring the musical soul of Austria

In Vienna, there are always plenty of ways to enjoy great music … on any budget.

Della Terra, a Snohomish farm-to-table catering business, is offering a full Thanksgiving meal with hearty Pacific Northwest entrees, seasonal sides and a farmers market salad. (Joanna Monger Photography)
The comforting and important rituals of giving thanks

I hope you took some time this Thanksgiving, between helpings of turkey and mashed potatoes, to consider what you appreciate and value in your life.

He had to clean his Airbnb. Can he get the cleaning fee back?

Tyson Love’s Airbnb is a mess. Worse, the company will only refund $14 of his rental fee, even though he bought cleaning supplies and cleaned the rental himself. Is that fair?

Sisters Greta, Willow and Solana Gothard have been playing music together since childhood, expanding from early violin lessons to playing guitar, mandolin, djembe, bodhran and more alongside vocal harmonies. 

The new album “A Celtic Christmas” is the sisters’ 10th, featuring a selection of traditional carols rendered in the band’s signature, ethereal style.  (Knecht Creative)
Home for the holidays with the Gothard Sisters

The Edmonds trio brings tidings of Celtic comfort and joy with a new Christmas album and concert

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.