Homebuyer's Guide

POSTED: Sunday, Jul. 13, 2008

How to ... organize your laundry

Organized laundry rooms simplify household

As a personal organizer, Bellingham resident Julie Clarke encounters a lot of laundry. "One of the biggest problems I see is that people don't tend to their laundry. They let things pile up for too long, so a relatively simple task becomes a monumental one."

Part of the problem, she believes, is that people today have too much of everything, making it ever easier for items to accumulate. "Limit the number of items you own to simplify your laundry," she suggests.

A place for everything: Laundry areas need a sorting system. For Clarke, three-section laundry sorter bins are essential. "You can use simple plastic contraptions or canvas sorters on wheels, but you need something for your clean and dirty laundry that you can move around easily," she says.

Laundry rooms should have a hanging rod, Clarke insists, preferably one located directly above the washing machine and dryer. That way, as soon as items like delicate clothing are cleaned, they can be hung, reducing the need to iron.

Buy in Bulk: Laundry soap purchased in bulk is usually much less expensive than soap bought in smaller containers. Buy in quantity and decant into smaller containers for easy use.

Make it Pretty: As an organization instructor, Clarke tells her students that the laundry should be a room they want to enter. "I have a lamp and a beautiful piece of art in my laundry room," she says. She also puts decorative wicker baskets on a shelf to contain odds and ends such as extra supplies of paper towels and ribbons for decorating gifts.

Hook It Up: "Hooks make it easy to hang a coat quickly to dry, and ensure you have a place for shoes to gather - either a nice big basket or a simple shoe shelf on the floor," says Clarke. "Often people purchase the wrong things that don't function well," she explains. "Investing in the right products is more than half the battle."