When you’re considering an upgrade to your laundry space, there are many questions to ask yourself during the planning stage. This guideline is designed to help you think through the process and achieve the outcome you’re looking for.
Determine Your Priorities
The first step in any remodeling project is to identify the primary goals you want to reach. Are you remodeling to enlarge storage, increase functionality, or make the room more attractive? 
You also need to decide the scale of your project. Are you looking to make a few minor upgrades to the existing laundry room? A small-scale renovation might include painting the walls, refacing the cabinets, or putting new tile on the floor. These are the types of upgrades you may choose to do yourself.
Relocating the laundry room to another part of your home would be a major undertaking. Such a project usually involves rerouting plumbing, running additional electrical, building new walls, or removing old walls. A major remodel is not a do-it-yourself project for the typical homeowner.
Pro Tip: Whenever possible, use existing plumbing. Rerouting pipes can be complicated and expensive.
Decide How You Want the Space to Function
Homeowners typically utilize their laundry rooms as a multifunctional space. Consider the functions you want the space to handle that aren’t related to laundry. For example, will your laundry room also serve as a storage area? If so, what do you plan on keeping there? Think about how you’re going to store those items. Will you need custom cabinetry, or will ready-made storage be sufficient?
Of course, you’ll also want to give some thought to how you prefer to do laundry. Homeowners who fold in the laundry room will need counter space, a table, or an island. Someone who has lots of delicate garments that can’t go in the dryer may need one or two drying racks.
Pro Tip: A large family can replace multiple hampers with a system of individual baskets for each family member to keep everyone’s laundry organized.
Select Your Appliances
Although the most budget-friendly option is to keep your existing appliances, homeowners often prefer purchasing new ones. Redefine your laundry area by choosing appliances before designing your space. The dimensions of your washer and dryer are going to have a big impact on the room’s layout. Stackable washers and dryers are a good choice for small spaces. In contrast, it’s easy to build a countertop over side by side units.
You’ll also need to determine if you want a gas dryer or an electric one. Keep in mind electric dryers need to run on a dedicated circuit. Gas dryers require a gas hook-up and must be installed by a licensed gas plumber.
Design the Room’s Layout
At this stage, you may choose to work with a professional interior designer. Many homeowners find designers bring a combination of fresh ideas and experience that makes investing in their services worthwhile. However, homeowners who want to design their own space may want to take advantage of online room design tools like SmartDraw.
The easiest way to create a layout is to start with determining where to put the washer and dryer. If you’re adding a utility sink, homeowners usually want it next to the washing machine so the washer can drain into the sink. Next, you’ll decide where to place cabinets or shelves for storage.
Pro Tip: It’s easy to transform unused wall space into a little extra storage. Hanging a row of hooks is a simple DIY task that anyone could incorporate into their laundry room.
The final design considerations are lighting and finishes. Do you usually do laundry during the day? You may want to have a window to bring in natural light. If you’re typically in the laundry room at night, you may want to increase ambient light and add task lighting under cabinets. Finishes like paint colors, backsplash tiles, or wallpaper are matters of personal choice. For flooring, it’s important to pick a moisture-resistant option like ceramic or luxury vinyl tile because a laundry room floor is going to get wet from time to time.
Now that you have your laundry room remodeling plans in place, it’s time to hire your contractors or get started on your DIY renovation.
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