7 space-saving products to up your apartment's laundry game
Even if you outsource your laundry, there's no getting around the necessity of having a certain amount of wash-and-dry gear around the apartment. But with space at a premium, most New Yorkers don't have the luxury of a dedicated laundry nook or room so common in the burbs. So how to keep your clothes in check while wasting as little of your apartment's precious space as possible?
We've rounded up 7 convenient, compact products that fit the bill:
IRONING ORGANIZER, $14.99, THE CONTAINER STORE
What, you don't want an entire corner of your apartment permanently dedicated to the rare moments that you actually iron? Set up this organizer on a spare stretch of wall (or the back of a closet door), and keep your board and iron tidily out of sight until duty calls. Bonus: The plastic holder is heat-resistant, so you don't need to worry about letting the iron cool before you put everything back in its place.
PRESSA Hanging Dryer with 16 clothes clips, $4.99, IKEA
If you're tired of sloppily tossing your delicates over the shower curtain rod to dry, snag one of these hanging dryers, which hold 16 items, can hook right on when you need them, and can go right back in the closet when you don't. (The octopus design's kind of cute, too.)
3-IN-1 LAUNDRY DETERGENT PODS, $8.00, GRABGREEN
Has there been a better invention for city-dwelling laundry-doers than the detergent pod? Gone are the days of toting two or three bottles along with you to the laundromat, and inevitably dripping some of the excess on your bag, no matter how carefully you pour it into the detergent bottle cap. In the wide world of pods, we like these all-natural ones from GrabGreen, which come in lavender with vanilla, vetiver, gardenia, and fragrance-free options.
CLOTHESLINE LAUNDRY BOX, $29.99, THE CONTAINER STORE
Another key item for those of us lugging our laundry down the block: a sturdy hamper that neatly ties up into a portable bag, and has a distinct enough design that no one will mistake it for their own and make off with your freshly-washed load of sheets.
PEGASUS 120 BATHTUB DRYING RACK, $49.49, ORGANIZE.COM
In lieu of a clunky drying rack that'll sit empty half the time (or become a de facto depository for coats, purses, and junk mail), opt for this foldable, easy-to-store version that you can set up in your bathtub—and hide behind the curtain if you've got guests.
MINI COUNTERTOP SPIN DRYER, $69.95, LAUNDRY-ALTERNATIVE.COM
As we've written previously, Laundry-Alternative is an unbeatable resource for those of us who'd like to do some in-house laundry but don't have a traditional washer/dryer set-up. This countertop spin dryer, which weighs just 11 pounds, is ideal for when you've just hand-washed your delicates and can't wait hours for them to fully dry.
ON THE SPOT KIT, $44, THE LAUNDRESS
The Laundress, run by two former fashion editors, is chock full of expert advice on keeping your clothes in tip-top condition, and sells an irresistible line of all-natural, beautifully packaged products to keep your things looking, feeling, and smelling their best. If we had to choose just one item, we'd go for this "On the Spot Kit," which includes stain solution packets; a wash and stain bar; crease release, fabric fresh, and static solution sprays; and a packet full of tips.
Related:
Laundry made easy: washing pods, iPhone apps, and more
Wash and learn: our testers take NYC laundry services out for a spin
