With Sydney becoming such a busy, pricey city to live in, choosing to downsize to a smaller, more compact space is one way people are addressing the living situation. But with smaller spaces and increasingly more belongings, there are a few practical things to consider when downsizing including storage, minimalism and investing in quality items that are multipurpose such as with appliances or furniture.
A smaller space doesn’t have to require significant compromise, rather it requires adjustment and intentionality. Many apartments or smaller living quarters have small laundries such as European-style laundries that are as small as a closet. This article looks at smaller laundry spaces and how you can maximise the space effectively. From stacking your appliances to building cabinets on your available wall space, you can create the perfect laundry area to fulfil all your needs while accommodating a smaller area. We’ve come up with a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing. Pauls Plastering works with many Sydney renovations that are maximising the use of small spaces, these tips are just some suggestions to maximise your smaller laundry space.
Choose appliance placement carefully
Your appliances like a washing machine and sometimes a dryer are a modern-day necessity but, unfortunately, they generally take up a good bit of space. You’ll need to carefully consider their placement to help alleviate the space they take up in your small laundry.
One option is to place them side by side. This will keep your laundry cleaning activities in one area of the room, giving you space above the machines to install your drying rack or other shelving. Additionally, you can build a counter over the top of the appliances, allowing you to have more work or storage space that will enable you to capitalise on the space available fully.
Alternatively, you can consider stacking your machines. This will free up the space of one entire machine on the floor. You’ll need some help rearranging your space to get this set up, but it will be well worth the effort in the end once you have more room to maneuver.
Opt for smart machines
While you may not think much about your machines’ efficiency as long as they clean and dry your clothes, it’s something to consider. The less efficient they are, the more time you’ll likely be in the laundry. If you’re constantly checking to see if your clothes are dry, you spend too much time in the room. You can get the most out of your tiny laundry by choosing smart appliances that make your time in the space as limited as possible.
There are appliances that are multipurpose and can clean and dry your clothes, all in the one machine. Whilst these machines are more expensive, they will mean you have a whole lot more space to play around with. No need for stacking of machines because you just have the one multipurpose one that does it all.
Install a hanging rod
This suggestion applies mainly to apartments or townhouses, where there isn’t much outdoor or balcony space to hand clothes. With a small laundry, you may not have the space on the floor for a drying rack. Unfortunately, not all your clothes can be dried in a machine, or maybe you don’t even have space for a dryer. To help alleviate this problem, you can install a hanging rod to hang dry your clothes, off the floor, which is especially important if your laundry is in the hallway or multipurpose space in the kitchen or bathroom. By having a hanging rod off the ground, you can utilise the air space of the laundry, whether it be on top of the laundry machine or overhanging the sink.
This option clears the floor space, allowing you to move freely. You’ll also have ample room to hang what needs to be air dried, caring for your clothing the best way possible.
Choose neutral colours
Whilst this is a tip that doesn’t increase the space in a laundry, it creates the illusion of more space. Opting for light neutral colours can make small spaces seem larger. This is partially due to how they reflect the light back. The illusion allows you to feel less cramped when you enter the room, which is important if you have a tiny space to work with. For more tips on minimalist design, check out this article.
Consider pull-out shelves
You’ve likely heard of, seen, or even have pull-out shelves in your kitchen. These are great space savers that maximise all surface area available. You can install these to get the most out of your deepest cupboards. They can store all types of essential supplies, from stain removers to fabric softeners.
Take advantage of using and building storage
Clutter is one of the worst things that can make a space seem smaller. It’s even worse in an already small room. To avoid clutter overtaking your laundry, you’ll need to maximise the storage available.
Consider adding cabinets or open shelving to accommodate your supplies and keep your surfaces clean and organised. Another bonus of using open shelving is adding to the illusion of a larger space. Without the doors of a cabinet blocking the view, the open shelving gives the perception that the room continues on further, the caveat being that they need to be tidy to look good.
Enhance your small space today
The laundry is a very functional and important room in the house. Whether it’s spacious or tiny, you need to be able to use it appropriately, ensuring it is functional and ideally aesthetic too. If you have a small laundry, consider these options for maximising the space to make it work out the best way possible.
