What is a Good Size Laundry Room?


If you are planning to have a laundry room, one of the first things that you need to consider is the size. Having a nice-sized laundry room can make doing the laundry easy and convenient. A lot of people are considering having a laundry room and as a matter of fact, it is one of the requirements that home buyers have on their list. If you are wondering what a good size for a laundry room is, we have shared tips and information below to help you get started.

What is a good size laundry room? A laundry room that measures eight to ten feet in width, eight to ten feet in length, and 64 to 200 square feet is considered a good size. This is the usual size seen in many homes today. The size of the laundry area provides enough room for appliances like the washer & dryer, counter, wash sink, and cabinets.

Laundry rooms have different sizes depending on the preferences of the homeowner and the amount of space available for their home. In this article, we will discuss the different sizes and dimensions of a laundry room. We will also share tips on how you can make the most out of your laundry area.

What is a good size laundry room
Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay

Laundry Room Dimensions

There are different factors that you need to consider when deciding on the dimensions of your laundry room. These factors include washers and dryers, workspace, folding and hanging space, laundry closet, and shelving. These factors will affect the dimensions and design of your laundry room.

Washers and Dryers

If you have washers and dryers that are placed side by side, they should be placed in a horizontal space of about five feet. You need to measure the depth of the washer and dryer then add six inches for the hose and vent. Also, make sure that there is an extra 1 inch on each side and between the appliances to lessen vibration noise. For top-loading washers, 16 to 18 inches of clearance above the washer is required to easily open the door. We have also written this article that discusses if the washing machine can drain into a sump pump. Check out the article for an in-depth discussion about the topic.

Work Space

Another factor that you need to consider is the workspace area. If you are planning to install front-loading machines, there should a clearance of about 48-inches in front of each appliance so that you will have enough room to walk around. Use storage pedestals to lift the machines so that they are waist level. However, if you do this, there will be not enough workspace at the top of the machines. If you do not want to use a pedestal, you can install the machines under a counter. This will provide a lot of space for folding laundry.

Folding and Hanging Space

Choose the right size countertop for folding clothes. You can place the countertop above the dryer to save space. Another option would be to use a table or a cart that will serve as your folding area. You also need a hanging place for clothes or delicates that you would like to air-dry. Place hanging cloth rods from wire shelving or you can also have them installed between the upper cabinets. Place the rods far enough from the wall so that you will have enough space for the hangers.

Laundry Closet

You can consider having a laundry closet in your laundry room. It is a closet where you do laundry. The closet holds the washer, dryer, and some storage. You will need about five feet to accommodate a side-by-side washer and a dryer in a laundry closet. This allows enough room for the washer and dryer to fit easily and also makes it convenient to remove the machines out.

The laundry closet should measure three feet. This provides enough space for plugs and vents. Usually, laundry closets are designed to hold storage because there is an open vertical space above the units. This allows you hand cabinets or shelving to hold laundry essentials like detergents and soaps.

Shelving

Another factor to consider is the shelving. Installing shelves on the wall above the washer and dryer will make use of the space available. You can use the shelves to store laundry supplies and other laundry essentials that you need. You can also check out this article that we have shared titled, can you store food in a laundry room? We have shared the pros and cons of storing food in the laundry room.

✅ Video – DIY Small Laundry Room Makeover on a Budget

Lauren Romanick shared the video below on YouTube. In the video, Lauren provided tips and ideas on how to create a DIY small laundry room. This DIY laundry room makeover on a budget will give you tons of ideas and motivation in organizing and upgrading your laundry area. Check out the video below for more information.

What is the Standard Size for a Laundry Room?

There is no standard size for a laundry room. The size differs according to the preferences of the homeowner and the space available. Most laundry rooms are very small while others are only the size of a closet to make use of unusable space. Design your laundry room to whatever suits your needs and the available space in your house. The minimum size of the laundry room measures 9 feet wide by 11 feet long. Of course, the bigger the room, the better it will be to move around and do the laundry.

How Many Square Feet Do I Need for a Laundry Room?

In the U.S., the typical size for a laundry room measures around 35 square feet. This already includes cabinetry, washer and dryer, and countertop and sink. Of course, you can make do with how much space that you have in your home.

Washer and Dryer Space Requirements

The most important appliance in a laundry room is the washer and dryer. Hence when planning the dimension of your laundry area, you first need to consider the measurements of your washer and dryer. The good thing is that there are different types of washers and dryers so you can have several options. The standard setup of washers and dryers for most laundry rooms is side-by-side, but you can also choose stackable units.

The average size of the washing machine is about 27 inches wide by 31 inches deep by 39 inches tall. If there is not enough room in your laundry area to put two units side-by-side, you can choose stackable washers and dryers. On the other hand, take note that stacking the two units will double the height requirement. If this is also a problem, then you can choose a combo laundry unit which is both a washer and dryer in one. Combo washers and dryers are ideal for small living spaces such as studio apartments and you can even install them in RVs. Moreover, combo units can be the same size as the average washer or dryer. However, there are smaller units to choose from which measures 24 inches wide by 25 inches deep and 33 inches tall.

How Wide Does a Laundry Need to Be?

The width of a laundry room varies from simple laundry closets to wide spaces. You can have a laundry area that measures from 3 by 3 feet to 8 by 10 feet or even larger. Generally, the designs and layouts of laundry rooms vary according to the available space, homeowner’s preferences, and budget. You can also check out this article titled, how can I make my utility room look nice? We have shared tips and ideas on how to upgrade the look of your utility/laundry room.

How Big Should A Mid-Sized Laundry Room Be?

Mid-sized laundry rooms are slightly bigger as compared to the basic laundry room. This provides more space to transform the basic laundry room by adding a work zone. The work zone is typically situated across the washer and dryer. For mid-sized laundry areas, the width remains the same, but the length can increase to about 8 feet. Hence, you can install a 2-foot counter in your laundry room aside from your appliances and open space. The counter provides an extra work surface or it can also be a folding station.

Large Laundry Room Measurement

If space is not an issue, your laundry room can be as big as your kitchen. Nowadays, you can find many houses that have large laundry rooms. These laundry rooms can be as big as 60 or 80 square feet of space or more. Aside from doing the laundry, the laundry room also provides additional space that can be used for storage, crafting, or whatever you want the area to be.

However, the basic dimensions are still the same. There should be at least three feet of depth for the washer and dryer. If you have a side-by-side washer and dryer, there should be at least 60 inches of space. A large laundry room that measures 6 x 10 feet provides a lot of room for the layout and design. Because you have a large room, you can add extra cabinets, a work surface, and even a laundry tub. You can also check out this article that we have written that discusses what a laundry tub is. We have shared information about the benefits that you can get from installing a laundry tub in your laundry room.

Conclusion

You have reached the end of this article that discusses what a good size of a laundry room is. Nowadays, you can find different sizes of laundry rooms. The size of the room will have to depend on the amount of space that you have in your house, your preferences, and your budget. If you have a large area, you can create a laundry room with shelving that you can use for storage. On the other hand, you can use a closet in an existing room to install the washer and dryer for a small laundry cabinet. Thank you for reading!

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