Should I move my laundry room into my living room?

11 years ago

We are a family of 5 with three young kids that generates a lot of laundry. My laundry room is currently located in the basement of a two story home. I am getting tired of hauling laundry up and down two flights of stairs. Since there is no place to add one to our second story, that leaves the main level. The only place we could add it to the main level is to our living room. The room is 14x24 so it is rather large and there are two walkways into it from other rooms. Would this look funny to a future buyer (we are not planning on moving for a long time)? We could put up a wall and enclose the laundry room leaving a decent sized living room remaining - or we could have the washer and dryer look built in with cabinets around it. This new space would back up to the powder room and be near the kitchen. The living room will be used for homework, play, games, etc. We have a separate family room. Thoughts? Would you just deal with it in the basement? Move it up?

Featured Answer

C B

11 years ago

Personally, I would not put a laundry room in the living room.
Have you thought about putting it off the powder room that backs up to the space you are looking at? Or even in a closet of the MBR?

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Comments (7)

sandz22
Original Author
11 years ago
The powder room is very small and is sandwiched between the kitchen and living room. We cannot put it in the dining room nor the family room and don't want it to go in the kitchen. We considered an addition over the garage and that was pricey and would raise property taxes. I would love to have it in a master closet, but we have two small ones in there that barely fit our clothes. I even considered ripping out our huge corner tub in the master bath and putting the washer and dryer in there. The contractor explained that would involve a total remodel of that room and would be very expensive. I knew when we bought this house that this would be my one issue. I may just have to live with it :)
Cavimum
11 years ago
Putting a laundry closet in your living room will seriously affect the resale value, not to mention resale-ability, of your house.
dave1812
11 years ago
I thought the OP was a joke, until I read the whole thing. :)

To the original poster: you need to just do what YOU want to do and not worry about others opinions. You don't even want to know what my opinion would be of putting the W&D in the living room.
chompskyd
11 years ago
As a mom with a young child, I can certainly see the benefits of moving your laundry area. My previous home had laundry in the basement and I hated it.

Of course, you wouldn't want the new laundry area to be an eyesore or focal point, but if you kept your hookups in the basement and made the main-floor laundry area something that could be removed or modified for another purpose, I wouldn't think it would hurt resale.
llaatt22
11 years ago
Washing machines belong in the basement when you stop to consider the costly damage they can do elsewhere. Kids grow up fast and need lots of exercise to keep them healthy, if you get my drift. Husbands too.
fahrenheit_451
11 years ago
Add a laundry chute and a dumbwaiter or just the dumbwaiter.