Buying a Home in Auburn: Where Should the Laundry Room Be?
Buying a home in Auburn means thinking about much more than bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage and countertops. Sometimes a seemingly small floor-plan detail can make a noticeable difference in everyday life.
Here’s one buyers don’t always think about until they’re touring a house:
Where should the laundry room be?
Would you rather have it close to the bedrooms, where most dirty clothes, towels and bedding originate?
Or would you rather have it near the kitchen and main living areas, where you can switch loads while you’re doing other things around the house?
Both locations have advantages.
Both have drawbacks.
And if the laundry room is upstairs, there’s another practical consideration: What happens if the washing machine or a water connection leaks?
There isn’t one universally perfect location.
The better question is:
Where will the laundry room work best for the way you actually live?
Table of Contents
- Why laundry room location matters
- Laundry room near the bedrooms
- Advantages of an upstairs laundry room
- What to consider about leaks
- Laundry room near the kitchen
- Noise and clutter
- Stairs and carrying laundry
- Features to look for in a laundry room
- Comparing the two locations
- A practical Auburn buyer example
- Quick Q&A
- Finding the right Auburn or Opelika home
Buying a Home in Auburn? Pay Attention to the Laundry Room
Laundry isn’t exactly the glamorous part of house hunting.
Nobody walks through the front door saying:
“Forget the kitchen. Show me the washing machine.”
But after you buy the house, laundry becomes part of ordinary life.
Week after week.
Year after year.
That’s why the location can matter more than you initially expect.
When I’m looking at homes with buyers, I like to think beyond how a house photographs and consider how the floor plan will actually function.
A beautiful house still needs to work on an ordinary Tuesday.
And laundry is definitely an ordinary-Tuesday activity.
Laundry Room Near the Bedrooms: The Big Advantage
Think about where most laundry begins.
Bedrooms.
Bathrooms.
Closets.
That’s where you’ll usually find clothing, sheets, towels and other things headed toward the washing machine.
If the laundry room is close to the bedrooms, you’re not carrying baskets from one end of the house to another.
In a two-story home, an upstairs laundry room near the bedrooms can be particularly convenient.
Dirty clothes don’t have to travel downstairs.
Clean clothes don’t have to travel back upstairs.
Bedding has a much shorter trip.
The laundry stays close to where much of it originates.
For some buyers, that’s a huge advantage.
An Upstairs Laundry Room Can Save a Lot of Trips
Imagine a two-story home where all or most of the bedrooms are upstairs.
Now imagine the laundry room downstairs.
Every load may involve carrying laundry down the stairs and bringing clean laundry back up.
That’s manageable.
People have been doing it forever.
But if you’re comparing two homes and one eliminates all those trips, you may decide the convenience matters.
Especially when you’re carrying:
- Full laundry baskets
- Sheets
- Blankets
- Towels
- Bulky bedding
A floor plan feature that seems minor during a 30-minute showing can feel very different after you’ve lived with it for several years.
But What Happens If the Washer Leaks Upstairs?
This is the obvious concern with an upstairs laundry room.
Washing machines use water.
Connections can fail.
Hoses and other components can develop problems.
A leak on the ground floor is one thing.
Water leaking from an upper level can potentially affect areas below it.
That doesn’t mean you should automatically reject every home with an upstairs laundry room.
It means you should notice the setup and investigate it appropriately.
Depending on the home, buyers may want to look at features such as the washer connection, shutoff accessibility, drain or pan arrangements where applicable, and the surrounding area.
A qualified home inspector can evaluate visible components within the scope of the inspection and recommend further evaluation when appropriate.
Convenience doesn’t eliminate the need to think about risk and maintenance.
Laundry Room Near the Kitchen: Why Buyers Like It
Now let’s move the laundry room downstairs.
A laundry area near the kitchen or primary living areas can be extremely convenient in a different way.
Maybe you’re cooking dinner.
You put a load in the washer.
You empty the dishwasher.
You switch the laundry to the dryer.
You finish cleaning the kitchen.
You’re handling several household tasks without repeatedly traveling to another floor.
For buyers who spend much of the day on the main level, that can be very practical.
Main-Level Laundry Can Be Convenient for Daily Chores
Some people prefer to group household tasks together.
Kitchen.
Laundry.
Cleaning.
General household organization.
If that’s how you operate, having the laundry room near the kitchen may make sense.
You can hear when a cycle ends.
You can move clothes while you’re already working nearby.
And if the primary bedroom is also on the main level, the location may provide many of the advantages of bedroom-adjacent laundry without requiring an upstairs laundry room at all.
The entire floor plan matters—not just the location of one room.
But Do You Want Laundry Noise Near Your Living Space?
This is where personal preference comes in.
Washers and dryers make noise.
Newer appliances may be quieter than older ones, but laundry isn’t silent.
There may be:
- Washer cycles
- Dryer noise
- Buzzers or alerts
- Zippers and buttons tumbling
- Doors opening and closing
If the laundry room is close to the kitchen, family room or other main living area, think about whether the noise will bother you.
A laundry room with a solid door and good separation may feel very different from an open laundry area immediately beside the kitchen.
Look at the actual layout, not simply the room’s location on the listing information.
And Then There’s the Laundry Clutter
Let’s acknowledge reality.
Sometimes the laundry room looks wonderful.
Everything is folded.
Baskets are empty.
Nothing is sitting on top of the dryer.
And sometimes…
It looks like laundry exploded.
If your laundry room is immediately visible from a heavily used part of the house, ask yourself whether that matters to you.
Can you close a door?
Is there enough room for baskets?
Is there shelving?
Are there cabinets?
Is there space for detergents and cleaning supplies?
A well-designed laundry room can make keeping things organized much easier.
Upstairs vs. Downstairs Laundry Room
Here’s a simple comparison:
| Near Bedrooms / Upstairs | Near Kitchen / Main Level |
|---|---|
| Shorter trip for clothing | Convenient during daytime chores |
| Easier for bedding and towels | Easy to monitor while on main level |
| Less carrying up and down stairs | May work well with main-level primary bedroom |
| Keeps laundry near bedrooms | Keeps household chores together |
| Upstairs leaks deserve consideration | Laundry may be closer to living areas |
| May be farther from daytime activity | Noise may be more noticeable |
| Convenient when bedrooms are upstairs | Laundry may need to travel between floors |
There is no automatic winner.
How Often Will You Carry Laundry Up and Down the Stairs?
This sounds obvious, but actually picture it.
Don’t just stand in the laundry room during a showing.
Start at the bedrooms.
Where are the hampers?
Where are the bathrooms?
Where are the linen closets?
Now imagine carrying a full basket to the washing machine.
Then imagine taking the clean laundry back.
If you’re looking at a two-story home, walk the route.
Would that bother you after doing it hundreds of times?
Maybe not.
But if you already dislike carrying things up and down stairs, don’t convince yourself that you’ll suddenly enjoy it because you love the kitchen.
Look at the Size of the Laundry Room Too
Location isn’t everything.
A small but well-designed laundry room may work better than a larger one with a poor layout.
When you’re buying a home in Auburn, consider:
- Is there room for the washer and dryer you plan to use?
- Is there shelving?
- Are there cabinets?
- Is there hanging space?
- Is there room for laundry baskets?
- Can the doors open comfortably?
- Is there space to fold clothes?
- Where are cleaning supplies stored?
- Does the room become a passageway to the garage?
- Can you close it off from the rest of the house?
Those practical details can make a big difference.
What About a Laundry Room Near the Garage?
Some homes place the laundry area near an entrance from the garage.
That can be convenient.
It may help keep some household mess away from the main living space.
Depending on the floor plan, it may also function almost like a combination laundry and drop zone.
But again, think about the route from the bedrooms.
If all bedrooms are upstairs at the opposite end of the house, you’ll be moving laundry quite a distance.
Whether that matters depends on you.
A Main-Level Primary Bedroom Changes the Equation
This is why I don’t like judging one feature in isolation.
Suppose you’re looking at a two-story Auburn home.
The secondary bedrooms are upstairs.
The primary bedroom is downstairs.
Where should the laundry room go?
Suddenly, putting it near the kitchen or primary suite on the main floor may be extremely convenient for the people doing most of the laundry.
There is no rule saying:
Bedrooms upstairs = laundry must be upstairs.
The best location depends on the entire floor plan and how the household uses it.
Think About Accessibility Over Time
If you’re planning to stay in the home for many years, think about whether repeatedly carrying laundry on stairs is something you want to do long term.
That doesn’t mean everyone needs a main-level laundry room.
It simply means your expected ownership period should be part of the decision.
A house isn’t just for the day you buy it.
Think about how it may work for you several years from now too.
Auburn Homes Have Many Different Floor Plans
Buyers looking around Auburn will encounter homes from different periods, architectural styles and types of development.
Some established homes may have laundry areas that reflect the way houses were commonly designed when they were built.
Newer homes may incorporate larger dedicated laundry rooms, drop zones or different bedroom arrangements.
Townhomes and condominiums present still other layouts.
You can explore Auburn subdivisions (https://auburnopelikaalrealestate.com/auburn-al-subdivisons/) while researching different areas and housing options.
The point isn’t that newer is automatically better or that one design is superior.
It’s about finding the floor plan that fits you.
Buying a Home Near Auburn University
If you’re relocating for a position at Auburn University (https://www.auburn.edu/), you may initially be focused heavily on location and commute.
That’s understandable.
But once you’ve narrowed down where you want to live, start paying attention to these everyday floor-plan details too.
A five-minute difference in a commute may seem enormously important while you’re relocating.
After you’ve lived in the house for several years, the way you use the kitchen, bedrooms, laundry room and storage areas may have an even bigger effect on your daily routine.
Location relative to campus and Jordan-Hare Stadium (https://auburntigers.com/jordan-hare-stadium) may also affect traffic patterns during major university events.
Everyday destinations such as Auburn Mall (https://www.shopauburnalabama.com/) can be part of evaluating convenience as well.
For buyers researching public-school information, Auburn City Schools (https://www.auburnschools.org/) is the appropriate source for current district information.
Don’t Forget Opelika
If you’re buying in the Auburn–Opelika area, don’t assume your search has to stop at the Auburn city limits.
Depending on your needs, budget and preferred location, you may want to compare Opelika homes for sale too.
I’ve lived in the Auburn–Opelika area since 1988, and one thing I encourage relocating buyers to do is experience both communities rather than making assumptions from a map.
A house in Opelika may put you closer to your normal destinations than an Auburn house in another part of town.
Look at how the home fits your life, not just the city name in the address.
A General Auburn Buyer Example
Imagine a buyer looking at two Auburn homes.
Home A has a beautiful upstairs laundry room directly between the bedrooms.
Home B has the laundry room downstairs near the kitchen.
Initially, the buyer prefers Home A.
No carrying laundry down the stairs.
Perfect.
Then the buyer thinks about daily life.
The buyer works from home downstairs and spends most of the day near the kitchen.
Laundry gets done throughout the day between other tasks.
Suddenly, Home B’s laundry location starts looking much more convenient.
Another buyer with several upstairs bedrooms may reach exactly the opposite conclusion.
For that buyer, hauling clothing, towels and bedding downstairs several times a week sounds ridiculous when the washer could simply be upstairs.
Same two houses. Two completely reasonable answers.
That’s why I want buyers to think about how they’ll actually live in the home.
Don’t Let One Feature Decide the Whole House
Laundry-room location can matter.
But don’t make it more important than everything else unless it genuinely is one of your non-negotiables.
Consider the complete property:
- Price
- Location
- Condition
- Overall floor plan
- Bedroom arrangement
- Bathroom layout
- Storage
- Kitchen
- Parking
- Outdoor space
- Maintenance
- Commute
Maybe the house that fits you beautifully has the laundry room in your second-choice location.
That’s okay.
Buying a home usually involves deciding which features are essential and which are simply preferences.
Quick Q&A About Buying a Home in Auburn
Is an upstairs laundry room better?
Not necessarily. It can be extremely convenient when most bedrooms are upstairs because clothing, towels and bedding don’t need to travel between floors.
What should I consider with an upstairs washing machine?
Because washing machines use water, consider the potential effect of a leak and have the property’s relevant systems and visible components appropriately inspected.
Is a laundry room near the kitchen convenient?
It can be, particularly if you spend much of your day on the main level and like handling several household tasks at the same time.
What is the disadvantage of laundry near the kitchen?
Noise and visible laundry clutter may be more noticeable depending on the floor plan and whether the laundry room can be closed off.
Should I avoid a downstairs laundry room if my bedrooms are upstairs?
Not automatically. Think about how frequently you’ll carry laundry between floors and whether that matters to you.
What should I look for inside the laundry room?
Consider storage, shelving, room for baskets, appliance space, door clearance, folding or hanging space and how the room connects with the rest of the house.
Can you help me find Auburn homes with the floor plan I want?
Yes. Tell me which features matter most, and I can help you evaluate available Auburn and Opelika homes based on your priorities.
So Where Should the Laundry Room Be?
If you’re buying a home in Auburn, my answer is simple:
Put it where it makes sense for your life.
A laundry room near the bedrooms can make clothing, towels and bedding much easier to move back and forth.
A laundry room near the kitchen can make it convenient to handle laundry while you’re doing other household tasks.
An upstairs laundry room eliminates a lot of stair climbing—but water-related concerns deserve consideration.
A downstairs laundry room keeps the washer on the main level—but you may spend years carrying baskets up and down stairs.
Neither is automatically right.
Think about the ordinary Tuesday.
That’s the day you’ll appreciate choosing a floor plan that works for you.
About Laura Sellers
Laura Sellers is an Auburn University alumna who has lived in the Auburn–Opelika area since 1988 and has been a REALTOR® for over 20 years. She is an Associate Broker with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Preferred Real Estate, the Official Real Estate Partner of the Auburn Tigers.
If you’re buying a home in Auburn or considering Opelika, I’d be glad to help you compare properties, locations and floor plans so you can find a home that works for the way you actually live.
Call or text Laura Sellers at 334-332-7263
AuburnOpelikaALRealEstate.com
Homes, y’all!
