Where should be put our washer and dryer?

[Laurabearz]

We are adding a second story to our ranch... as it stands now the W&D is in the basement...

We have the option of putting in a new one on the second story, where the bedrooms will be, or find a place on the reworked main level near the new family room (hopefully put in a laundry shute, depending on Code)

What are the pros and cons of both... Part of me likes the idea of keeping all the clothes upstairs, out of sight LOL, while part of me thinks having the laundry on the main living level would be more convienent....

Anyone have a 2nd story W&D... do you like it up there?? How about the set up right off the Family room, we would prolly be tucking the units under the new stairs going up, front loaders...

There are sooooo many decisions in doing such a large remodel, but this one has both DH and I in a tizzy

I know people LOVE to vote in polls... soooooooooooo what do you think???

 

[kasar]

The best thing we ever did was put all laundry upstairs near the bedrooms. All the mess is contained out of sight, there are no baskets of underwear sitting around for everyone to see and I can take off my clothes and put them right in (couldn't do that with laundry off the kitchen!!) I even wanted to put them in our own bedroom but my husband finally put his foot down and decided that was a little crazy LOL.

Laundry chutes are not allowed in new construction in MA so that wasn't an option for us. Even if it's easy to come down, you still have to lug it back up, though.

Good luck with your renovations.

 

[RUDisney]

Mine are in the basement of a 2 story. I hate having it there and wish that it could be on the 2nd floor. We haven't come up with a good way to accomplish this yet. We were going to put it in our master closet (walk in) but we decided to go with a refrigerator in there so we can always have a cold drink when we are upstairs. That evidently is more important than my back.

 

[KarenC]

I have a two-story house and the laundry is in the basement. We moved into this house from a condo where the washer/dryer were in a closet just outside the bedrooms. DH hates hauling the laundry up and down the stairs (yes, DH does the laundry in our house). We definitely prefer the laundry close to the bedrooms.

A word of caution. My good friend had a beautiful wedding at her parents' home. They had their laundry upstairs. The morning of the wedding, the washer sprang a leak and dripped through the ceiling into the kitchen/great room below. So if you put the laundry upstairs, you want to have a way for leaks to be diverted away from the drywall below!

 

[cinmell]

Ours are in the basement but I wish they were on the second floor near the bedrooms. I hate lugging laundry up and down the stairs.

 

[Pembo]

We just moved ours from the main floor to the basement. We are in a 2 story house. I loved having it on the main floor but the laundry room wasn't big enough and you had to go thru it to get to the bathroom.

As for the 2nd floor--I too knew a couple that had it on the second floor and had a problem and ruined the kitchen and entry hall below.

 

[cgcw]

We are in a ranch also so I don't have an opinion as to where they should be -- no basement either. Just wanted to wish you luck with the addition. We are in the serious thinking stage of putting an upstairs on our home. Our washer/dryer will be moved upstairs when/if that happens.

I'd love to be kept up to date on your progress.

Good luck.

 

[Octoberbride03]

I voted that i have mine on the main level. I have to qualify this, however, because Dh and I only have the 1 level. We live in 1 half of a Ranch style duplex.
Now, my parents are renting a 2 floor condo till their new house is built. Their washer and dryer are on the second floor with all the bedrooms. They love it. Having them so close is perfect whenver laundry needs to be done, they just walk 10 steps to the machines. No need for heavy baskets anymore, or piling up clothes into 2 or 3 washes at a time because the washer is in the basement like at our old house.
I too love having them so close by, and I've already told DH that when we buy a house, the washer and dryer will go on the bedroom level. No more chugging down 3 flights of stairs for laundry anymore.


Maureen

 

[Sonya]

Hated it in the basement, hated taking the baskets up and down the stairs. Now it's near the family room and bedroom, we are a split level, and it's very nice to have it near the bedrooms! But not very nice to have it by the living room, it's too loud!

 

[lil mermaid]

We have a 2-story house and have our laundry room on the second floor. It is right outside our bedroom - and I LOVE it. It really is great not having to bring the laundry up and down stairs. Like some others have said, it really keeps the laundry mess out of sight. I wouldn't have it any other way, unless I had to!

 

[minniecarousel]

I have mine on the main floor - but would love it upstairs near the bedrooms. One nice thing though - my Mom's bedroom is right across the hall from the laundry room and she is still able to do all her own laundry. It's not an option to change it anyway - but the convenience to having it near all the clothes, sheets, towels, etc., sure makes sense!

 

[Robinrs]

My first house had the W/D in the lowest level of a tri level home...NEVER AGAIN!!!!!

I now will never consider a layout that doesn't have the laundry room near the bedroom. I will never understand the reasoning of havng it so far away from where they are collected and put away.

Youth doesn't mind the running up and down stairs, my age doesn't like it at all!

 

[Laurabearz]

Thanks for the great responces...

Couple of questions...

for those with the laundry on the second floor... do you find yourself running up and down all day throwing the wash in...

I really like the idea of the second story.... but most of my time is spent on the main level with the kids....

I suppose second story is the way to go... anything to keep piles of clean clothes (love washing, hate putting away... lol) out of sight...

And I wonder if they could install a large tray, in case of spillage... hmmmmmm

This is going to be one wild adventure!

 

[mus muris asinus]

Main level -- we looked at a model home with the W/D on the second floor, but thought about where we do all our folding, etc. and that was in the family room on the first level, so we'd defeat the purpose of putting it upstairs.

Ours is right by the back door, so whomever leaves last in the morning starts a load and whomever gets home first throws the laundry in the dryer.

 

[padams]

Ours is on the 2nd floor. I love it. This house is our second house with a 2nd floor laundry room, and it was definitely something I looked for when we were looking at houses.

It's convenient to where we dress and undress. Even DSs 6 and 8 are trained to take their clothes and towels to the laundry room. Our washer is on a pan in case of a leak. We haven't had a leak in 12 years (3 different houses and washing machines).

I don't mind going upstairs to do the laundry. It might be the only exercise I get in a day. I usually put in a load in the morning before I go downstairs, and I fold and put away at night while DSs are getting ready for bed. I have them help me because I also hate putting the laundry away.

Good luck!

 

[FreshTressa]

I think it depends on your priorities.

My good friend prefers the main level, because then she is able to stay close to the 'action'. She has small children and watches a lot of television, so she likes to fold in the living room.

I like upstairs, because, my kids are a little older and are usually off doing their own thing anyway and I don't watch tv. I like being able to keep the mess all in one place. I also like not having to lug it all up and downstairs all the time, and if I don't get everything put away right away, you can run and grab your item close to where you need to use it.

So, I guess it depends on which would be more convenient for you!

 

[Laurabearz]

I wanted to add....

the location of the laundy on the main level would be under the stairs, right across from the new family room, in the hallway leading to the main floor bath...

I guess, in this situation, upstairs is the way to go... out of sight, out of traffic and I can use the space under the new stairs for storage... games... videos.... which I am seriously lacking at the moment.


You all have given me lots to think about. Thanks soooo much!

 

[myjulybabes]

I live in a 2 story, with the laundry in the basement. I hate it. The only good thing is that the mess is out of sight, since we only use our basement for laundry and storage.

However, I still wouldn't want it on the 2nd floor. Then I'd have to run UPSTAIRS instead of downstairs to sort, switch loads around, and fold. We don't spend a lot of time there, so that would be just as big of a pain as going to the basement. Only the putting away would be easier. I'd like a main floor laundry, since that's where we spend most of our time, and I'd only have to go up 1 set of steps to put things away, as opposed to 2 sets now.

 

[Lewski709]

Where do your dirty clothes get taken off? I have to say main level would be great for us.....that is where we shed them.

However, ours are in the basement and throwing the dirty clothes down the stairs is nice...no hampers. It is an unfinished basement and everything is out of sight. Lugging stuff down and up and up again...STINKS, even when it's a good stink (clean). We have a 2 story.

If you take your clothes off upstairs in a second story house, that would be where I would put it. I know of people who have 2 stories with the laundry "up there" and they LOVE it. Think about it.....no lugging baskets up or down. Usually.....bedrooms on the second floor of the house so the transition to putting them away is easier (that's the worst part for us, taking the folded basket up the stairs to put them away) plus it is out of sight.

 

[Tinks]

The house we bought has the laundry upstairs with the bedrooms....BEST idea ever!!! If you think about it, most of your laundry, with the exception of kitchen towels, is upstairs with the bedrooms!!!! That being said...I would put the laundry machines on the same level as your bedroom, meaning if I had a main floor master bedroom, I would put the laundry on the main level. Hope that helps!