Where to Put Laundry Room in a Small House? An Expert Opinion!

To get the most out of your laundry room ensure you pay attention to the mechanical aspects alongside the location and the final look of your laundry room. Or else you might end up with a laundry room that requires hefty modifications.

So, you might be wondering, where to put a laundry room in a small house?

A laundry room in a small house should not take up a lot of space. Still, it should have appropriate electric wiring, gas and water pipe system, drains, and vents for proper air ventilation. Moreover, your laundry room should also provide sufficient storage space for keeping dirty/clean clothes.

So, dive into this in-depth analysis to uncover the perfect location for a laundry room in a small house, ensuring it’s not only stylish but highly functional as well. Equip yourself with the knowledge to make informed decisions and transform your home with the ultimate laundry space!

Ideal Laundry Room Locations for Small Houses and Apartments

In the Mudroom

If you are living in a small house/apartment, you can easily convert your mudroom into a laundry room. Having a room that serves as both; the mudroom and the laundry room is extremely beneficial for people who want to experience the luxury of a laundry room while running short on space.

A laundry room in a mudroom enables you to discard dirty clothes and gear as soon as you enter the house. This way you won’t create a huge mess even after walking in with dirty shoes, clothes, gear, etc.

Pros:

• Closer to the entrance
• Easily accessible by all family
• Distant from the bedrooms

Cons:

• Not suitable if the entrance to the house is through the mudroom
• You will need to install water/gas pipelines and other necessities

In/Near the Kitchen

If you are responsible for carrying out most of the chores in your house including cooking and laundry, a laundry room closer to the kitchen might be your best bet. A laundry room situated close to the kitchen enables you to cook and do the laundry simultaneously, saving you some time as well as effort.

This setting also makes the laundry room easily accessible since you don’t have to constantly move laundry bins. Moreover, since the kitchen is already equipped with electricity ports and gas/water pipes, you won’t have to spend a lot of money on the laundry equipment installment.

Pros:

• Enables you to multitask
• Low installment cost

Cons:

• Raised temperature due to washer and dryer
• A lot noise in the kitchen
• Exposed to guests/visitors

In the Bathroom

A bathroom is one of the most preferred places for installing a laundry room because of obvious reasons. If you are trying to save some space but also want a laundry system at home, a dryer, and washer in the bathroom is a great option.

For people who are worried about having very little bathroom space due to the laundry equipment can buy a stackable washer and dryer and save even more space.

Most importantly, the bathroom already contains appropriate electricity and water connections and if you are getting an electric dryer you won’t have to spend money on installing the laundry appliances.

Pros:

• Saves space
• Less Expensive
• Easier to install

Cons:

• Increased humidity
• Compromised privacy

In the Master Closet

Lately, the trend of the laundry room in a closet has been flourishing more than ever before. The master closet is a perfect out-of-sight location for the laundry room. The laundry room in a master closet lets you wash, dry, and press the clothes right away which will keep the clothes from piling up.

While a laundry room in a master closet, might seem like a genius idea, it might not work for everyone. You might want to stay away from this idea if you have older kids who are responsible for doing their own laundry as they will trespass your room often. You will also need to spend a handsome amount of money on installing a laundry room in a master closet.

Pros:

• Out-of-the-way location
• You can throw the dirty clothes into the washer right away

Cons:

• Lack of bedroom privacy
• If you do laundry at night the noise might make it harder to fall asleep

In the Garage

If you have extra space in the garage, you can utilize it and put your laundry room there. Garages make an excellent place for laundry rooms because they are easy to work with and are out of view. A laundry room in a garage is a classic location and most old homes still have the same setting.

Can I Build a Laundry Room in My Garage? – And How to Do it?

The installation is also less expensive if compared to setting up the laundry room in some other part of the house. If you put a laundry room in a garage you don’t have to pay a lot on getting electrical wiring and ducting done. However, if you have an old dryer you might need to spend some money on getting gas connections.

Apart from a few drawbacks, a garage is one of the best places for a washing machine in the house.

 Pros:

• Low noise in the house
• Cost-effective

Cons:

• Not the cleanest space
• It can be tiresome to carry laundry all over the house into the garage

In the Basement

The laundry room in the basement is one of the cult-favorite locations to put the laundry room in a small house. Basements are mostly the hub of all connections whether electrical, gas, or water. So, installing a washer and dryer in a basement might be the most inexpensive option, unless doing major repairs.

Most basements have a hard, robust floor which makes it more immune to leakages and overflows. Moreover, basement-laundry rooms do not let a lot of noise escape into other rooms making them perfect if you can’t stand the whooshing noises from the washer and dryer.

Pros:

• Inexpensive
• Low noise impact in other rooms
• Minimal damage to the floor in case of leakage/flooding

Cons:

• Poor ventilation
• Hard to access

Inside Hallway Closet

If you have a hallway closet in your house, it might be worth considering putting your laundry room in a hallway closet. Putting your laundry appliances in a hallway closet will save you a lot of space and add to the accessibility of the laundry room.

A laundry room in a hallway closet might not be as inexpensive as you might want it to be, but it surely saves you a ton of space. If you buy a dryer on top of a washer instead of a side-by-side one you can save even more space. Moreover, placing the laundry room in a hallway closet also makes it accessible to the whole family without compromising any privacy.

Pros:

• Accessible to everyone
• Saves you a lot of space

Cons:

• Pricey installment
• Might increase the overall temperature of the main floor

Things to Consider When Choosing a Laundry Room in a Small House?

While choosing a laundry room for small houses and apartments, you need to be extra careful and choose a room that doesn’t take up additional space yet fulfils all your laundry needs.

Size of the laundry room

It is not possible to spare a lot of space for your laundry room, especially if you are living in a small house/apartment. However, you should know that despite this dilemma your laundry room should still be at least 9-by-11 feet. Or else, you might feel uncomfortable standing in a laundry room that is overly congested.

Also, the width of the doorway to your laundry room should also be thirty-two feet, so that carrying the laundry bins in and out is easy.

Traffic flow in the laundry room

When selecting a laundry room, you need to be mindful of who will be using the laundry room and how will it affect your privacy. For example, if a lot of people will be using the laundry room, it is not recommended to put the laundry room in your master closet or bathroom. Similarly, if you are running low on budget, you should opt for a location that does not need a lot of money for installments.

Electrical Supply and Wiring

Most washers and dryers run on high voltage. If you plug in your appliances into outputs designed for low-voltage devices, you might end up with a short circuit. Sometimes this short-circuit might even destroy the internal wiring of your appliance/home.

Sometimes, the risk is even greater as the short circuit might even cause a fire. So as to avoid such mishaps it is crucial to install your laundry appliances in a room with outputs with at least 120-240V voltage to ensure your appliance’s and your home’s safety.

Can You Add a Toilet to a Laundry Room – 3 Reasons To Do So!

Gas supply

Gas connections are as important to dryers as electricity connections are to dryers. Unless you have an electrical dryer, it is crucial to have a gas line connection for your dryer. So, it is important to have a secure gas connection to your dryer.

Water Supply

It is not a surprise that washing machines need constant water supply while running to function properly. So, it is important to make sure your laundry room has proper hot as well as cold-water pipe connections.

Moreover, you also need sturdy, corrosion-safe water pipes as dealing with leaks and dirty water is not a pleasant experience.

Drain System

Having a connection to a drain is crucial for washing machines. These machines need to be attached directly to the drain to effectively pass out the dirty water. It is recommended you attach your washing machine to a floor drain as it also lowers the destruction caused by floods and leakage.

Also, when getting a floor drain in your laundry room ensure there’s a slight slope towards the drain so that when you are washing/cleaning the laundry room the water does not accumulate and easily makes it way out of the room through the drain.

Proper Ventilation

Dryers require proper ducts for ventilation. If the ventilation system for the dryer in your home is poor, you might experience an increased room temperature, humidity, and even suffocation. The humidity from the dryer might also lead to a short circuit in the electrical wiring.

To avoid anything of this sort, it is suggested to locate your laundry room close to the outside wall or roof of the house to ensure excellent air circulation.

Final Verdict – Where to Put Laundry Room in a Small House?

When selecting a laundry room location for a small house, a lot of people might think they have a few options only. However, this is not true, and if you plan carefully, you can choose a laundry room that is trendy and practical. But for this to happen make sure you take things such as the laundry room’s size, traffic flow in the house, gas supply, drainage system, and ventilation into mind.

To learn more about where to put laundry in a small house, check out the 7 ideal locations that I have shared in the above article.