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Lisa in NH
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| Posted: Nov 24 2009 at 8:05am | IP Logged
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We are building a new house and I have an idea for a laundry room that I would like to "run by" you ladies. I would like your thoughts on any drawbacks, especially those I might miss, before I set up my laundry area. Your encouragement would also be welcome  In our house, laundry is a nightmare. Not just the washing and drying and folding part, I have a system, and do fairly well keeping up, as long as the kids don't "stockpile" their laundry and then dump it all on me. That's usually when I get behind. The real problem is the laundry in the kids' rooms. I don't know how many times we've been tearing through the house looking for that one matching soccer sock, or "church" pants. Their dirty clothes get mixed up with their clean clothes (I dislike re-washing clean clothes!), and they are not consistent with bringing their laundry to the laundry room daily. I realize that more consistent habit training on my part is necessary, as they are not following the "laundry rules" of the house. But as we are in the process of building, I was trying to brainstorm a way to streamline laundry and make it simpler and easier for all of us. This is my idea. Let me know what you think.
My (new! Yay!) washer and dryer will be in the basement of this house. I would like a laundry room built around them that contains closets for hanging clothes and shelves for stacking clothes. I will put plastic bins and unused dressers in there also. My thought is that ALL clothes from everyone in the house will be stored in the laundry room. This means I wash, dry, fold and put away the laundry all in one room. Soccer socks will have their own bin. I will utilize Elizabeth Foss's idea about a laundry bag for each person's uniform, to keep all pieces together. Their rooms will be blissfully free of any laundry clutter--no socks stuffed behind dressers, or under beds, or messy drawers with that "special" shirt rolled up in the wrong drawer. I think this will streamline the seasonal clothing change and the hand-me-down process. Also, their closet space in their rooms will be freed up for other (never-ending) storage needs. The biggest drawback, which hubby has pointed out, is the inconvenience of having to go down to the basement for our clothes. There will be a private changing area in the laundry room also, so we can change there. What do you ladies think? Brilliant or ridiculous?
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Lisa
Happy wife to Scott(since 87)
Grateful mom to dd 89, ds 92, ds 99, ds 02, dd 05 and two in heaven
Sweet Family Times
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Paula in MN
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| Posted: Nov 24 2009 at 8:16am | IP Logged
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I really like the idea of one room for holding all the clothes of the entire family. I know a lot of families who do this. In my dream home, I would have a 3/4 bath next to the laundry room/family closet. That way, you can shower and dress in the same area.
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 Paula
A Catholic Harvest
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Lisa in NH
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| Posted: Nov 24 2009 at 8:22am | IP Logged
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Thanks Paula,
We have "roughed in" a bathroom right next to the laundry room! We may not be able to finish it off right now (building is expensive!  ) but eventually. You are right, it would be perfect for those dirty kids and husbands (excavating contractor) who could shower and dress in the same place. Since the basement is a walkout, there is a door leading directly to outside, which would eliminate the need to track mud throughout the house!!! Thanks for your input.
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Blessings,
Lisa
Happy wife to Scott(since 87)
Grateful mom to dd 89, ds 92, ds 99, ds 02, dd 05 and two in heaven
Sweet Family Times
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Lisbet
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We've been doing it this way for years - we have a laundry chute that goes from the upstairs bathroom to a bin just in front of my washer/dryers (yes, two of them...) and then just behind my laundry area is a finished room where we have hanging shelves lining the walls and each person has their spot. Each person also has a bin for socks and unders. This has worked very well for us over the past 8 years.
We are moving though - and the washer/dryer are in the upstairs bathroom... 
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Lisa, wife to Tony,
Mama to:
Nick, 17
Abby, 15
Gabe, 13
Isaac, 11
Mary, 10
Sam, 9
Henry, 7
Molly, 6
Mark, 5
Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
Josephine born 6.11.12
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juststartn
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I wish I could do the whole family closet thing. SIGH. There is literally no place to do it.
I like the way the Duggar's did it in their old house (and I think that they have done it the same way, just expanded) in the new one. We just really don't have a great place to do it. At least, not right now.
GL....I haven't gotten any other advice (other than get that bathroom done down there quickly, cause those 'mudroom decontamination chambers" come in very very handy (we've got a 3/4 bath, teeeeny closet, and laundry area, with separate entrance, on the back side of the house, which works well for us. Just wish we had more storage in that area for a family closet).
Rachel
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teachingmyown
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Instead of dressing downstairs, can you have the kids "check out" their clothes for the next day each evening?
We are planning on putting a wall up in our large bedroom for a family closet.
I am so glad to hear that others struggle with the clothing issue! At this point, my girls aren't allowed to keep their clothes in their room. The dresses stay in the laundry room, the underwear and leggings are in my room. I know it is a discipline issue underneath, but I have tried for years to get them to be responsible. My lack of follow-through doesn't help, I am sure.
Good luck! That is so exciting!
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Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
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anitamarie
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For getting dressed, what about those things that hang in the closet with the days of the week on each segment? Then they only have to bring up clothes once a week.
Anita
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Lisa in NH
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| Posted: Nov 25 2009 at 6:30am | IP Logged
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Thank you ladies. I appreciate your input. I didn't realize the "family closet" was a popular thing. So glad to hear that it is and that it works well. I think I will insert picking out tomorrow's clothes into our nighttime routine.
Thank you again.
Happy Thanksgiving
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Blessings,
Lisa
Happy wife to Scott(since 87)
Grateful mom to dd 89, ds 92, ds 99, ds 02, dd 05 and two in heaven
Sweet Family Times
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: Laundry Room Idea
