For various work-related reasons, my husband and I don't actually live together at the moment- I'm in DC and he is currently in Iowa. When he was stationed in Florida, I traveled down frequently because I had more vacation time and our house down there was much bigger. Now that he is retired, he is spending more time in DC, which has led to some interesting mishaps as he tries to adjust to small space living.
One such episode of culture shock came when he discovered (just a couple of moments too late) exactly where I store my laundry…
He of course is used to having his own laundry room where dirty clothes can live until he decides to run a load. He does small loads of laundry regularly so there is rarely a full hamper. I have shared laundry facilities in the basement with industrial machines that use the same amount of water no matter the size of the load, so I tend to wait until I can fill the machine to do my laundry in order to reduce my water waste. Since the machines are pretty big, this means I generally have a huge pile of laundry in my basket when it gets close to laundry day.
Because I hate looking at that pile, I store my laundry basket and dirty clothes in my bathtub- out of sight and out of mind, except of course when I have to move it before my morning shower. Apparently I never bothered to share this laundry plan with my husband who called me at work the first morning of his visit to ask what he should do with the huge basket of wet clothes in the bathtub. It seems he is a person who reaches in to turn on the water before he pulls back the shower curtain in order to let the temperature get just right before he steps in the shower- thus explaining why the basket of clothes was soaking wet.
We both laughed, and he got to experience the joys of communal laundry by himself that morning, but he still thinks my habit of hiding the laundry in the bathtub is bizarre. So I ask you, readers who live in small spaces- without a dedicated laundry room of your own, where do you store your laundry until laundry day? Am I the only person hiding laundry in the bathtub? Inquiring minds want to know...
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Haha. Our week's worth of laundry overflows from a hamper in the bedroom.
My laundry basket resides on the floor of the closet, under the rack where the hanging clothes almost reach the floor. I realize this means that the bottoms of my shirts are mingling with my dirty unmentionables on a regular basis, but I have an underwear-eating dog, so it absolutely must go behind closed doors.
We only do laundy once a month (yes, I own A LOT of underwear). We decided to store our coats elsewhere and so our front hall closet gets bag after bag piled up till it's laundry day...and then we send it all out at once.
My dirty laundry goes into a nice hamper in the bathroom, but it takes the room...and my cats like to lounge on it.
It seems like a pain to have to move the laundry basket in and out of the shower each day.
I put mine in the bottom of my closet.
=) you are not the only one who hides laundry in bathtub. I've seen people done it before.
I also have a nice hamper which I got from Ross for like $20 in the bathroom. It's got a nice cover, and tastful enough to leave it there til laundry day.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60045656
I use this bin from Ikea. The 11 gallon is big enough to hold my laundry and my boyfriend's for up to about a month. It lives in the corner of my closet and since it has a lid, it never looks messy or junky.
Our bathroom has cabinets built all the way around the bathtub, and we actually use one of them as a hamper. I know that may sound silly, but there's more cabinet space than storage space, so use what you've got, right?
I have a cute laundry basket in the bathroom. I has a mesh net inside, so whenever I want to do a wash I just close the mesh and I'm ready to go ;)
HOW do you go for a month without doing laundry?! I certainly don't have *near* enough clothing for that. Impressive!
Our new apartment has a laundry closet. On top of the washer, you'll find a basket that is supposed to hold dirty clothes, and on top of the dryer, you'll find our microwave.
Our last apartment was a small bilevel one bedroom... couldn't have been more than 500-600 square feet, but for some mysterious reason it had two full bathrooms (one on each floor). We needed a storage closet way more than we needed a guest bathtub, so... opaque shower curtain, and presto: instant storage closet. I did occasionally have pangs of worry about someone turning on the water...
I keep my laundry basket on the floor of my closet…I also have underwear-eating dog!
My laundry hamper lives in the bottom of the linen closet.
Two hampers, side by side, different shades of the same color, same style: one for dry-cleaning, one for laundry, both get used as emergency overflow bed-side tables for design magazines, laptop, water glass, etc... when my ACTUAL bedside table is overflowing with jewelry boxes, water glasses, more design magazines...
Christina: Come, let's go shopping... LOL
One hamper in the bathroom, one in the bedroom closet, dirty clothes piled on a chair in the foyer. I change at the gym and don't change back before coming home so when I'm frantically packing for the day ahead each morning, I yank everything out and dump it on the chair. I fail utterly at neatness, I know.
I can put up with occasionally moving things around because of living in a small apartment, but a daily nuisance? I'd look for a better solution. In our 450 sq ft, 2 bedroom (small rooms!) we had a medium sized hamper in the bedroom that was just about popping by the end of the week - and that's not including the sheets still on the bed and towels in the bathroom. Also had a set of hooks just above the hamper where semi-dirty things could hang and possibly be re-worn.
Haha, i have never heard of this in my life..I would be so pi$$ed to have to move the laundry hamper out of the bathtub every morn, but I dont have a lot of patience in the am.
I dont have floor space for a standing hamper in my bathroom and i dont want the stuff in my bedroom, so i have one of these - http://www.indiarose.com/shop/detail_all.php?prod=DWbg attached to a hook on the back of the bathroom door ..i just bought one of those hooks u can attach over the top of the door and voila. For extras, I have a small hamper in the corner of my work studio which is in the apt. between the two it helps prevent overflowing nightmares of a laundry basket.
saer
http://cravenmaven.wordpress.com
i gave up on hiding it. we have 3 baskets (his, mine, shared) and they are just piled high in a corner. such an eyesore, but there's nowhere else!
I love how you claim to put off doing laundry "to reduce water waste." I put off doing laundry because I'm a giant lazeball. Clothes go into my hamper, and then usually start overflowing onto a laundry basket on the floor.
Oh, and my parents have a separate shower and tub, and keep all their laundry in the tub. You're not alone!
laundry basket under my bed! that way no one has to see it :)
(In my defense, I too share an industrial W/D with other tenants, and it's located in the dark, dusty basement. It's creepy down there, so I try to avoid it as long I can!)
more underwear eating dogs here!
we have a big basket in the closet- although I'm NOTORIOUS for leaving dirty clothes on the floor of the bathroom- which makes me wonder if I can find a hamper to fit our tiny storage nook in the bathroom...
Although I don't keep my dirty laundry in my bathtub. I DO keep a litter box in there for my cats. I have to take it out every morning and wash any escaped litter down the drain before I shower. On the laundry front, I have a small folding hamper from container store in the corner of my bedroom with three hooks mounted above it on the wall. I use the hooks for my towel, pjs and not-quite-dirty clothes because otherwise they end up on the floor. So far my system is working out pretty well.
One of my goals for the Cure is to get a new hamper that does not take up as much space in my closet and holds more clothes, and hides them better. Right now I have a (too small, apparently) basket shoved in the back corner of my closet. I do laundry probably once a month now, and the clothes pile and then overflow. I can't count how many camis and socks I lose behind that basket. It's awkward to get at and looks terrible, adding to my stress in my closet. I think I'll be joining the proper hamper in the bedroom crowd, asap. Writing this comment makes me want to run to Bed Bath & Beyond right now.
While I think separate showers and tubs are silly, I can't see putting laundry in the tub. That sounds like it looks messy.
Ha!
I have been spoiled by my current place where I have my own laundry facilities (albeit in the kitchen), so I tend to wash more frequently. But, I have a lot of closet space, so I store a hamper (one of those x-frames w/a canvas bag on it) in the bottom of my linen closet. I used to have that sitting in the bedroom, but it drove me crazy. What about a bigger storage ottoman as a hamper?
I had a big hamper in my closet when I lived in a space that didn't have a laundry room. I did the laundry every two weeks or so and never had an "overflow" issue.
My husband and I each have a wicker hamper/basket in our closets. We do laundry about every week or two.
But, I identify with bathtub storage! We have a second bathroom that we don't use the shower/tub in...so I put up a nice curtain and our recycling bins go in there. It's close to the kitchen so it works well.
I have a trick that no one has mentioned, and it's a little odd..... We now have plenty of space, but this small-space habit is something I started years ago and it's just part of my routine.
We have two baskets at the bottom of the closet for socks and underwear and t-shirts like the rest of you. As for the pants, sweaters, shirts, etc, I hang them back up until laundry time. My clean clothes hang on the top bar, and the clothes that are "dirty" go back on a hanger on the lower bar. Mind you, a blouse worn to the office needs to be washed, but it's not "dirty" like a pair of muddy jeans or clothes worn camping for three days straight, so I don't feel like hanging my dirties back up is unclean, especially when they live on a another bar.
Ugh.. unfortunately, I have to get up at 4:30 in the morning and of course, by nightfall I'm too tired to bother with planning ahead...
The dirty laundry hamper remains in the bedroom where my s.o. will surround with his clothes (instead of putting them inside; he's rather non-committal about the cleanliness status of his clothing).
Because I have to change in the bathroom to avoid waking him, my dirty clothes tend to hang around in there for days, or I toss them against the bedroom door.
The clean clothes stay folded in a laundry basket in the hallway so I can access it.
The hallway is not large, nor is it hidden, so this not awesome.
I'm hiding my laundry in plain sight in the hallway near my bathroom, because there is no place for it elsewhere.
I use this Ikea system that's actually designed for children's toys:
frame:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30091452
white laundry:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20089242
colored laundry:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40056537
One full box equals one full load for my washing machine, so this worked out great for me.
I love, love, love!!! my $.90/lb. laundry express pick up and delivery service.
I also love my $2.79 hamper from Ikea.
The two go together nicely, with my hamper tucked into a corner to one side of a bedroom bookcase, and the laundry guy picks up and delivers in 24 hours.
Thus is life in NYC, where I'm not even allowed to own my own washing machine. (And no, there isn't a communal one in the basement either.)
Our laundry waits in the bathtub, behind the shower curtain in a basket until it gets washed. We don't have another option, too much laundry to fit in a small hamper.
I have the black and white Ikea Skubbs which I hang in my closet. One for darks and one for whites.
These!
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10116509
I have a white laundry basket beside my dresser. The second bedroom bath is used to store the mop, bucket and other cleaning materials.
I use this. I keep my laundry sorted in the separate cloth hanging bags in it, in the only big closet in the apartment, which is in the hall. It fits behind the coats on the front rack, and in front of some out of season clothes in the back. So I can close the door on it, and just wheel it out and on to the elevator when the time comes to brave the eerie laundry room in the depths. It wheels along quite smoothly.The cats do like to sneak in and sleep on the laundry, from time to time.
We are lucky enough to have a laundry chute on our first floor down to the laundry room; it is right outside the bathroom. Our bedroom is upstairs; there is a small landing and we have a two sided wicker hamper we bought...oh 20 some years ago. One side for lights, one for darks. I empty it every few days by taking the stuff down to the first floor and then down the chute!
I'm just relieved (on oh so many levels) that the author of this piece didn't keep her laundry in the oven. LOL. Sorry if some find that squirm-making, but almost anything goes when space is tight, so I still expect somebody on AT to say that the oven is their only spare space for laundry!
We've just got a utilitarian wicker hamper from IKEA that sits outside the bathroom door. It's a little squat and a bit of an obstacle in that spot, so I could identify that as a CURE project: find something that takes up less space or find another location for laundry!
I was wondering if I was going to hear the oven too! I recall an AT post about shoes in the oven, so why not dirty laundry...
We use the shower for a drying rack for items we have to hand wash to prevent staining, given our lack of laundry facilities. This is new since the birth of our baby... somehow Stain Stick does not do the trick for our little one's messiest activities and "gentle" detergents meant for infants are very weak.
dorm style - hanging laundry bag in my closet - my 325 sq ft studio has no where to hide a laundry basket.
i have a laundry hamper behind a cutsie diy wooden chair, just outside my bathroom door. the chair has a high enough back that the hamper doesn't show...until it starts overflowing. but it's working out so far. our closet is very narrow and deep, so we need all the hanging space (and space underneath) for clean clothes (and kitty nests!).
and i have heard of people storing their clothes in the tub.
one of my friends parents bought a house with a formal bath (guest) and their own personal bathroom off their bedroom. they turned the bathtub in the guest bathroom into a laundry room...basically by putting both their washer and dryer on top of a piece of plywood over their tub.
i thought this was odd, but it was done well so it just looks like they were built into the wall on a platform. whatever works!
I have a basket in my closet, and we have 2 ginormous baskets (3 for $12 at Ross) with lids that I shove as much laundry in as possible. They live in the corner of our bedroom to hide the idiotically placed outlet (and cords) and cable jack next to the dresser. I do big loads at our apartment laundromat (pain to go outside and walk a block), and schlep as much as I can to my parents on Sundays. The baskets are dark, but I'd rather have a more modern looking hamper.
I use the Fyllen from IKEA - three of them:one each for whites, brights and darks. http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80099224
My bedroom is upstairs and the laundry is downstairs. Because these are super light-weight and strong, I can easily carry two at a time down the stairs. They are collapsible so you can squash and store them - unfortunately for me the laundry is never done so they are always full!
My roommate/boyfriend and I both have personal hampers, so hiding both hampers in our tiny studio apartment is quite tricky...I have been reduced to hiding them both on my side of the bed that sits close to the wall, which in turn allows the hampers to not be seen, but also gives me the problem of having to literally crawl over the bed to access my 'sleeping side'. Compromise is necessary in small spaces. Period.
I made a small hamper out of three plastic crates and an old sheet. I cut out holes to stuff the clothes in, then stacked them on top of each other. I made a cover out of the sheet with a front panel that lifts up. Come laundry time, I can pull off the cover and break down the crates, or just pull the clothes out once I have enough for a load. It's small, but it works!
I use the bottom drawer in a dresser as my laundry hamper. Just to make sure no smells from the dirty laundry make it up to my clean clothes above, I lined the drawer with fragrant shelf liners and threw a few nice smelling satchels into the drawer.
I've come to the conclusion that it is nearly impossible to hide your dirty clothes! My husband and I both have closet space but we have things on the bottom of the floors-my closet space floor has two fold up chairs, a storage unit for under garments and a stackable unit for shoes--there is no room! So now they are in our room (which I really don't like). I think two solutions would be to get pretty hampers that match your decor and to do your laundry every 7-10 days. Overflowing laundry is a drag.Happy Laundering!
same here sagekitten85....but i'm now thinking I don't like it...hmm what to do what to do...I think I don't want it in MY bedroom now either...seeing a previous post..we want to keep our bedrooms ugh free of dust/dirt/etc...but again..the small apt thing...and hiding laundry in tub is NOTHING...i'd say pretty normal to small apt's with overflow...of anything! haha