Should I turn the now unused nursery into an upstairs laundry room?

[wonderwoman2012]

Have a small unused room upstairs and was wondering weather to turn it into a laundry room. Saw on some american house makeover show that they often have the laundry room upstairs.

The nursery was once a small bathroom so the pipes are still running behind the walls. I seem to be up and down the stair case with clothes 2/3 times a day. Older two kids are teenagers so washing is endless. Think it does make some sense to just keep the clothes upstairs.

Do you think it would be worth it or put people off if we wanted to sell?

Upsides/downsides

Maybe the extra bedroom would be a better seller however saying that we are doing a loft conversion and once finished and we have moved bedrooms about I plan to use the small box room to air all my laundry. I can't wait to not have to see it. DH thinks I need to get a life!

No. You don't want a laundry room upstairs. If you're planning on plumbing it in for washing machine and drier it'll be noisy. If you're not plumbing it in it will essentially be a clothes dumping ground.

Use it for an office/library/craft room whatever instead. That way it'll quickly convert back to a bedroom if necessary.

I am planning an upstairs laundry room. We had a holiday cottage once that had the washing machine in the upstairs bathroom and it was fab.

I'd make the upstairs room into a sanctuary for myself - it sounds like you need it after all this running around after the teenagers! Alternatively teach the teenagers about the washing machine, which will cut down on all the running around and make the room into a gym! (We use our attic rooms as a gym - they have a cross trainer and exercise bike in them!).

A prospective buyer would love an extra bathroom but not a laundry room

Upstairs laundry rooms are bloody brilliant - but an extra bedroom, even a small one, makes your house worth more and easier to sell.

So only do it if you're staying put for a long time, so it's worth having then can be changed back to sell.

And get the teenagers to do their own washing!

I would love a laundry room upstairs (or even downstairs) and plan to have one in my dream house.

Noise could be dealt with by adding insulation or foam sheets and extra flooring.

It would be bliss to have a room for the washer, dryer, ironing board and airers, where everything could be left out rather than constantly being moved.

Either that or a craft/sewing room or a home office for me.

It sounds like a great idea. The only question I would have is whether you use your washing machine at night? Because it could be noisy.

I've started using our spare bedroom as the laundry drying room - washing machine downstairs, airer upstairs and am going to bring the ironing board and iron upstairs too. Would that be a good compromise for you? I can turn the room back into a bedroom easily. Saves having the airer cluttering up the futility room or the conservatory here!

Thank you for your input.

Still a bit 50/50 on the idea. The room is barely big enough for a single bed, so only really use able for small nursery, office or shower room. Noise is a worry as do tend to do washing strange times of the day because of work and kids.

You have all given me plenty to think about, thanks.

As for teenager doing there own washing. Every school holidays I think, right time to teach them to look after themselves. Never get around to it. Family all think I do to much for the kids. And they are right. One day will cut those umbilical cords.

On reflection, if it were mine, I think I would soundproof it, and make it into a really functional laundry room with a stacked machine and dryer and plenty of shelving/folding space.

As its so small I would convert it to a laundry room, insulate it and have the airer/s and ironing board in there too.
The rest of your house will look much tidier and managing the laundry will be much simpler.
While you are at it, perhaps devise a system with your teenagers so they are in charge of their own washing/drying/folding etc.
Loads of nice laundry rooms on pinterest if you need some inpsiration.

Maybe you could tile/plumb it in such a way that it could be very easily reconverted back to a bath or shower room? That would make it more saleable (if that is a concern).

We have exactly that - a laundry room upstairs, with ironing board, laundry basket etc. It is fantastic! And it DOES make sense to do the washing upstairs. And you can close the door on it all

I had one once but it flooded, which is something to factor in when you are planning, otherwise you might end up with a ruined ceiling.

Yes I would do it.
At least put the drier up there and ironing stuff.
Then when it's dry you don't have to faff about with piles of washing in your dining room or whatever, waiting to go back upstairs.
It's all there upstairs next to the bedrooms and makes you much more inclined to put it away.
It's made a big change to me.
After 5 kids I should have done it years ago! Didn't have the luxury of a spare bedroom in those days though.

I have changed a nursery into an ironing room, and I love it! (well as much as I can love ironing) Easy for everyone to collect their clothes, washing machine downstairs though.

I keep my vented dryer and airer in the spare room. The dryer's hose vents out of one of the windows when it's on. Works well for me :).