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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think the laundry room can be away from the kitchen!??

112 replies

Wishwashing · 17/02/2019 20:33

As it says really we are building a house, currently in the design stage. And I am adamant that I want the laundry room next to the main bathroom ( on the bedroom side of the house) BUT everyone keeps making faces like I’m insane and saying it needs to be up near the kitchen!! WHY would I carry my laundry to the kitchen side of the house to just bring it back again!! Tell me I’m not crazy!! It makes complete sense to me to keep it separate! There would be a door on the laundry with access to the garden too!

OP posts:
LellyMcKelly · 18/02/2019 08:18

I have always thought this. In my dream home it would be upstairs next to the bedrooms with plenty of space for an ironing board, and a big window with a washing line on a pulley attached to a big pole in the garden. Then you could peg out the clothes on a sunny day easily from your laundry room.

Stifledlife · 18/02/2019 08:23

The UK is the only country I have lived where the washing machine is in the kitchen.
Everywhere else they have a laundry so that dirty washing doesn't have to be on show/ done immediately/in the way.

It's a no brainer!
I also have a "storage room" which is a sectioned off piece of the garage with lots of shelves and drawers, where I keep all the kid's sports equipment, spare bulbs, sleeping bags, spare toilet rolls etc. It was one of the best things I ever did.

Ignore everyone and design what works for you.

SlinkyDinkyDoo · 18/02/2019 08:30

You are right.

Celticrose · 18/02/2019 08:34

I have seen this in North America. When visiting relatives we have gone house viewing (they hold these open days when all and sundry can come in and view the house!!! ) Though these were new builds and empty and the laundry room was on the first floor with the bedrooms

BaruFisher · 18/02/2019 08:52

Standard here in Oz to either have a separate laundry or in the bathroom.

We have ours on a covered deck/balcony outside so washing can still dry outside when it’s raining (which it does quite a lot in the wet season!)

Notso · 18/02/2019 11:16

I know Damntheman however I should clarify its timed to finish just after I get up not everyone in the house.
DH and older DC are up before or shortly after it starts and I'm downstairs for the last 10-20 mins, so it's only the younger DC are actually sleeping through the whole cycle. It's a quick cycle of 40-60 mins, we have smoke and heat detectors.
I don't feel we're any more at risk than on a weekend when I'm usually up first and put a wash on while everyone else is still in bed.

AdoraBell · 18/02/2019 11:19

Ours is at the other end of the house.

woollyheart · 18/02/2019 11:22

I agree - washing rooms are only in the kitchen because of lack of space or convenience of the installer.

If you can have it somewhere more convenient for YOU, you will benefit from that many times. Whereas the inconvenience to the installer is only once.

anniehm · 18/02/2019 11:33

I would have it upstairs with the bedrooms if I was designing a house eg like an airing cupboard. Not sure why I britain the kitchen is the default space - I suppose it was where the water supply was

Raisinbrain · 18/02/2019 11:46

In Australia that's totally normal. In houses that are two small to have a laundry room, washing machines are located in the bathroom. Never the kitchen.

tenbob · 18/02/2019 11:48

Damntheman

It isn’t a massive fire hazard to run a washing machine! Think of all the public information campaigns there have been over the years on things which are (small) fire hazards - chip pans, kids with matches, not wearing shell suits near bonfires

If there was even a small risk from a washing machine, every one sold would have warnings plastered all over it. We would be warned by the fire service and government. We would see stories in the press, there would be campaigns by safety organisations

They wouldn’t be leaving it to one woman on Mumsnet to get the message out about this terrible danger lurking in our homes...

Aebj · 18/02/2019 11:51

Our laundry is by our main bathroom and bedrooms, also it has a door to the outside. We live in single story house

To think the laundry room can be away from the kitchen!??
Iswallowtoothpaste · 18/02/2019 11:52

Our laundry room is next to the main bedroom, at a completely opposite end of the house from the kitchen. Works perfectly fine for us 😊

woollyheart · 18/02/2019 11:55

In Italy, washing machines are usually in bathrooms too.

Damntheman · 18/02/2019 13:09

In that case notso ignore me and carry on!

Tenbob it is an established fire hazard to run washing machines while you are not awake and in the house to act if they catch fire. The fire department have made MANY campaigns along these lines. Always run them while you're awake and at home!

TheyBuiltThePyramids · 18/02/2019 13:18

In our last house we had an upstairs laundry room with space to leave the ironing board up. It was marvellous. Now everything in the basement garage so everything has to go up and down 2 flights of stairs. Its a PITA.

Dontsweatthelittlestuff · 18/02/2019 13:24

I would have a laundry room by the bedrooms only if it was sound proofed and the house was all one level. If the laundry was done upstairs then I would then need to bring it downstairs wet to hang out.
You could just use a dryer but that is expensive and not ecologically the best. Plus there is nothing better than getting into a freshly made bed with sun dried sheets.

PostNotInHaste · 18/02/2019 13:24

In theory I would prefer to be downstairs to make hanging it outside easier which it be for the OP. However a post above has just reminded me of my Grandparent’s house. It was split into flats and they had the middle floor. My Grandfather rigged up washing line on a pulley so my Grandmother could hang things outside from the kitchen window on the first floor.

We’re having utility done this week and slightly regretting not having remembered this earlier, though there is the perfect place for it downstairs (just not next to kitchen exactly )

GrouchyKiwi · 18/02/2019 13:38

Your house sounds like my dream house. We're thinking of designing our own in a few years, it would likely be a bungalow to future proof, and having a laundry next to the bathroom sounds ideal!

Chocolate1984 · 18/02/2019 13:41

My sister in law has her laundry room upstairs and we think she is a total genius.

TeaMeBasil · 18/02/2019 13:43

Our laundry room is off our main bathroom - works perfectly well for us, never felt the need for any of it in the kitchen so far!

RB68 · 18/02/2019 13:45

I think makes far more sense to be near bedrooms and bathrooms but what abut drying washing outside?? So I say maybe install a laundry chute for dirty and one of those lovely basket shelves a basket for each person - they want their stuff they fetch it. But don't have it in the kitchen - separate

RB68 · 18/02/2019 13:47

My MIL still has pully from her flat and she uses it all the time - really high (third floor) so it catches the breeze. super long pole at bottom of the yard

PhannyMcNee · 18/02/2019 13:48

We’ve just had our bathroom redone and included a purpose built cupboard for the washing machine and tumble drier. It feels very decadent bizarrely!

DontCallMeCharlotte · 18/02/2019 13:51

have a sliding wash basket that goes through the wall(so put clothes in it before shower/bath and when I do the washing I pull it through and empty it from the laundry room side!!

Go as high tec as you like, your DH will still drop his clothes next to it and not in it Grin

(and won't people be able to see straight through the wall into the bathroom?)