Laundry organisation Q+A with IKEA Australia

Laundry organisation Q+A with IKEA Australia

0 Shares
0
0
0

From humble beginnings almost 80 years ago in a small village in Sweden to now being a global brand that furnishes an array of houses from small apartments through to rural mansions, IKEA is a renowned home fit-out brand. We asked the talented interior design team from IKEA Australia for their best laundry organisation tips and tricks.

Laundry day can often feel like a sixth day of work. How can good laundry organisation change a chore into something, dare we say, enjoyable?

I: The secret is creating a seamless design that effortlessly helps keep everything organised and easy in your laundry space. The best question to ask yourself is: is it practical? Assess how you will be using your space and all the tasks involved, then arrange your space to allow enough room to complete all your tasks in a flowing nature — ensure dirty laundry can go straight from the basket to the washing machine, then through to drying and onto the countertop for folding.

 

The laundry can easily become the dumping ground for all the miscellaneous items that don’t quite have a place anywhere. What are some of the best ways to keep a laundry full of diverse items organised?

I: An organised space will always keep you feeling calm and on top of your daily tasks. Although the laundry may not always be top of mind when it comes to the home, it is still important to create clutter-free areas that work to your needs. A trick is to make the most of unused space. Think vertically and use walls and nooks if possible to find space where you didn’t even know you had it. Use combinations of shelves, closed storage, rails or baskets to store things that are used often. By using the height of the wall, you are maximising your storage potential and reducing clutter from surfaces, making room for other tasks such as sorting and folding. Empty wall space behind doors is often overlooked, but makes for great storage of extra supplies or miscellaneous items. Store your ironing board behind the door or install hooks to hang clean clothes.

Ikea Pe299478

What are some situations that encourage inefficient storage and how can these be avoided?

I: It’s important to always keep surface areas clean and clutter free. The best way to do this is to create clever storage solutions to organise your items. Clever storage is about finding what suits your needs — this may mean using hidden storage to ensure everything is tucked away or labelling your storage to ensure everything is always put back in its place. Even if your laundry is quite small, it doesn’t have to be bigger to work better — strive for an uncluttered practical layout. When it comes to dirty clothes, often they don’t make it to the laundry and wind up piled around the house, from the bathroom to the bedroom and beyond. Look to using laundry baskets on castors that can easily move between spaces and always remember that less is more. Strive for an uncluttered layout to make your laundry feel more spacious. An easy way to start is to separate and label your laundry baskets to suit the way you wash. Label tubs to separate work clothes, school uniforms or delicates, or to split up your dark and white colours. Alternatively, you can organise your laundry baskets so that everyone in the family has their own.

 

Are there any products that you would recommend?

I: The GRUNDTAL laundry series (from $39.99) is great to kick-start your organisation haul. There are a lot of smart ideas, like a wall-mounted drying rack that folds when you’re not using it, a laundry bag with castors and a movable rack stand that can be placed in any room of the home.
The MULIG laundry series (from $7.99) offers the basics you need for sorting, storing and drying your garments and suits even the smallest of spaces.

Ikea Pe638589

For more information

IKEA Australia

Originally in Kitchens & Bathrooms Quarterly, Volume 25 Issue 3