Customizing Laundry Room Solutions for Student Housing, Senior Living, and Workforce Apartments

When it comes to shared laundry rooms in multi-housing properties, a one-size-fits-all approach simply doesn’t work. What works in a dorm isn’t going to cut it in a senior living community or a workforce apartment building. 

Each type of property, and the people living there, has different needs. Coin-O-Matic gets that. We customize laundry solutions based on who your residents are, how your property is set up, and what your goals are as an owner or manager. 

By customizing equipment, payment systems, and services, the team at Coin-O-Matic is here to be your consultative partner, not just another commercial laundry equipment vendor. We’ve had decades of experience helping property managers across various housing types maximize both tenant satisfaction and laundry room profitability. 

Let’s explore the different laundry challenges and priorities in student housing, senior living, and workforce apartments, and how customized solutions can turn a basic laundry room into a standout amenity for each.

Student Housing: High Usage Meets High Tech

Student housing laundry rooms are high-traffic, high-demand environments. With so many students sharing the facilities, your laundry equipment is being used almost constantly. This means it’s crucial that you’re outfitting your laundry room with equipment that has sufficient capacity and modern amenities, so that wait times aren’t through the roof (along with resident frustrations). Universities that upgraded their laundry facilities found that high-capacity, fast-cycle commercial-grade laundry equipment helped reduce wait times and improve the student living experience.

In student housing, convenience matters. App-based laundry systems let residents check if machines are available, get a heads-up when a cycle finishes, and pay with their phones. It’s a simple upgrade that meets the expectations of a generation used to managing everything from their devices. Coin-O-Matic stays at the forefront of these trends; we can equip laundry rooms with flexible payment tech that meets student expectations, from traditional coin and card readers to fully mobile payment solutions. 

Key Student Housing Laundry Solutions:

• Ample, High-Capacity Machines: Use large, commercial washers/dryers and provide roughly one set per 15–20 students to accommodate peak demand. This prevents backups and ensures durable equipment can handle continuous use.
  
  

• App-Based Payment & Monitoring: Implement coinless payment options like a smartphone app or smart card system so students can easily pay and check machine status remotely.
  
  

• Fast, Efficient Cycles: Select high-spin washers and fast-drying dryers to speed up laundry turnover. Shorter cycle times mean less waiting, a major plus for busy students balancing classes and campus life.
  
  

By customizing student housing laundry rooms with robust equipment and modern tech, Coin-O-Matic helps campus property managers not only keep up with usage demands but also impress students with a cutting-edge amenity. As a result, residents enjoy a smoother laundry experience and property owners benefit from fewer complaints (and even increased retention) thanks to these thoughtful upgrades.

Senior Living: Prioritizing Accessibility and Ease of Use

Laundry facilities in senior living communities, whether independent living apartments or assisted living centers, must be designed with accessibility, safety, and simplicity at the forefront. 

Unlike the tech-focused student demographic, senior residents typically value equipment that is easy to operate above all. In fact, for many senior housing properties, ease of use is the most important factor to consider when selecting equipment. This often means opting for user-friendly controls (large buttons or dials, clear labeling) and simpler cycle options to avoid confusion. 

Physical accessibility is another top concern. Laundry rooms serving seniors should accommodate walkers or wheelchairs and minimize physical strain. This can influence equipment choices, for example, front-loading washers and dryers are often preferable since they allow wheelchair access and require less heavy lifting than top-load models. 

All machines should be installed at accessible heights, with controls reachable from a seated position. Our team can help ensure that any laundry equipment you install in a senior community is ADA-compliant where needed. That might include installing front-control machines, raising front-loaders on platforms, or providing sturdy tables and seating for folding clothes. Good lighting, slip-resistant flooring, and ample space to maneuver are also key features in an accessible senior laundry room (ensuring safety as residents carry baskets or move about).

Just as crucial is reliability and gentle performance. Seniors often live alone or as couples, generating smaller laundry loads. Thus, medium-capacity machines might suffice (for example, you may need multiple 20–30 lb washers instead of a single 50 lb machine) and can even be easier for an elderly person to load/unload. 

The focus should be on providing enough machines so that doing laundry is convenient, but not necessarily over-sizing them. A few smaller machines can be better than one huge machine that’s hard to fill or reach into. And while energy efficiency is always a plus for cost savings, equally crucial in senior housing is gentle wash action and customizable cycles (for delicates or small loads) to care for residents’ clothing. 

Key Senior Living Laundry Solutions:

• User-Friendly Controls: Choose machines with simple, uncomplicated controls,  clearly marked cycles, tactile buttons/knobs, and maybe even bilingual or large-print instructions. Simplicity reduces errors and makes laundry less intimidating for elderly residents.
  
  

• ADA-Accessible Design: Ensure the laundry room layout and equipment comply with accessibility guidelines. This includes front-load machines at proper heights, space for mobility aids, and easy-access lint filters and detergent dispensers. Every Coin-O-Matic installation for senior communities emphasizes safety and comfort in use.
  
  

• Reliable, Right-Sized Equipment: For senior communities, it’s important to have machines that are easy to use. Washers and dryers that are smaller (think easy to load and unload) can help residents do laundry more comfortably and independently.
  
  

Customizing laundry solutions for senior living communities means creating spaces that are as practical as they are comfortable for residents. When equipment is easy to use and set up with your specific residents’ needs in mind, you’re supporting their independence. At the same time, property managers get a setup that’s reliable and easier to maintain.

Workforce Apartments: Durable and Cost-Effective Laundry Amenities

Workforce housing, sometimes called affordable or workforce apartments, presents another distinct set of laundry room priorities. These properties cater to working individuals and families who often live on tight budgets, and the buildings themselves operate under cost constraints. In this context, the ideal laundry solution emphasizes rugged durability and affordability for both residents and owners.

First and foremost, equipment in workforce apartment laundry rooms must be built to last and handle heavy use. Just like in student housing, usage can be frequent (multiple families doing laundry daily), but there may be less routine maintenance if budgets are limited, meaning the machines have to be tough. Look for heavy-duty machines that are designed with sturdy components (e.g., stainless steel drums, high-performance motors) to withstand the wear-and-tear of constant use. 

Affordability in workforce housing laundry rooms has two angles: cost-effective operation for the owner, and reasonable vend prices for the tenants. Efficient, energy-saving machines can significantly lower utility bills, a savings that matters if the property owner is footing those bills or splitting costs with a vendor. For example, modern commercial washers can use much less water and energy per load than old models, which directly cuts expenses. Fast spin cycles reduce drying time (hence gas or electric use), and advanced controls prevent overuse of water. 

Coin-O-Matic routinely installs Energy Star-rated washers and high-efficiency dryers to help keep utility consumption (and costs) down while maintaining excellent cleaning performance. Lower operational costs, in turn, allow owners to keep vend prices fair for residents. Many workforce housing residents appreciate a simple, vended laundry that doesn’t break the bank each wash. 

Key Workforce Housing Laundry Solutions:

• Heavy-Duty Equipment: In workforce housing, machines get a lot of use. Be on the lookout for durable, commercial-grade washers and dryers so you can cut down on breakdowns.
  
  

• Keep It Simple (and Secure): Favor easy-to-use payment systems that match your tenant base. Often, coin-operated machines are a perfect fit for affordable housing; they’re familiar and don’t require smartphones or credit cards. Plus, each load’s payment helps recoup utility costs, which is especially important in high-usage properties where the owner might otherwise be covering a lot of water and power with no return.
  
  

• Cost-Controlled Operations: Leverage energy-efficient equipment to control costs. Modern machines that use less water and energy reduce monthly expenses.

Workforce apartment communities thrive when amenities are reliable, affordable, and worry-free. A tailored laundry solution delivers on all three. Residents get access to machines that work whenever they need them, at a price they can manage, and owners get an income-generating facility that doesn’t drain resources. 

Partner with Coin-O-Matic for a Customized Multi-Housing Laundry Equipment Solution

Across student housing, senior living, and workforce apartments, one theme is clear: laundry is not a “plug and play” amenity. Success comes from understanding the end-users and tailoring the solution accordingly. 

Coin-O-Matic brings over a century of experience in the commercial laundry industry and has worked with countless apartments, campus residences, assisted living facilities, and other multi-housing properties throughout the Midwest. This deep expertise means Coin-O-Matic knows first-hand that there is no one-size-fits-all in laundry, and we never offer cookie-cutter setups. 

Instead, our team takes a consultative approach with each client. We’ll assess your property’s demographics, usage patterns, infrastructure limitations, and financial goals, then design a program that checks all those boxes. From equipment mix and layout to payment technology and ongoing support, we’re here for you every step of the way. 

By partnering with Coin-O-Matic, property owners aren’t just buying washers and dryers. They’re gaining a full-service laundry partnership. Coin-O-Matic’s specialists help optimize the laundry room layout, recommend the ideal equipment and features, and even handle installation as required. Once your custom program is up and running, they continue to provide unmatched service and support, including regular maintenance, fast repairs, and more.

Ready to Customize Your Laundry Room?

Whether you’re managing student housing, senior living, or workforce apartments, the right laundry setup can make a real difference. A customized approach helps you meet your residents’ needs and your property goals—without the guesswork that comes with off-the-shelf packages.

We’re ready to help you build a laundry program tailored to your residents’ needs and business goals. Contact Coin-O-Matic’s multi-housing laundry specialists today to discuss a custom laundry solution for your property!