When buying an ironing board, think of the amount of storage space available. A shoebox apartment isn’t necessarily conducive to an average ironing board. If an ironing board cabinet is too large, a wall-mounted board, fold-up ironing board, or over-the-door ironing board might be the ideal type of board to suit one's available ironing board storage.
One type of ironing board storage is an over-the-door system. The disadvantage of the over-the-door ironing board is that it’s always on display. Whether it hangs on a bathroom or closet door, the board itself should face the inside of the room least visible to the public eye. There should also be a wide crevice between the top of the door and the door frame. This crevice allows the hooks to easily slide between the door and the frame.
The ironing board cabinet is another type of ironing board storage. Though it may look like an ordinary kitchen, bathroom, or laundry room cabinet, this cabinet conceals an ironing board. When opened, one can gently lift or unlatch the board, which should come to about hip-level. Some veneer cabinets may be painted to match the surrounding décor. Other cabinets may come in solid wood.
Like an ironing board cabinet, a wall-mounted ironing board is also attached to the wall. In this case, however, the actual ironing board is attached to the wall without a cabinet frame. The board is secured to the wall with a couple of hooks and screws. As with the cabinet, the board can be unlatched for each usage. Though it could potentially be moved from home to home, this type of ironing board storage is best for long-term circumstances.
A fold-up ironing board, on the other hand, may not be attached to any walls or doors. It is a space-saving solution for those who don’t wish to keep their ironing boards on display. An average ironing board is typically 4 feet (1.2 m) long. A-fold up ironing board will fold in halves or thirds, expanding to its original size when unfolded.
When folded, the ironing board may fit inside a drawer or be tucked away in a pantry or under the bed. A mini ironing board may also be stored in this manner. Sliding it between a cabinet and the wall or underneath a cabinet also makes for ideal ironing board storage.
A travel ironing board is essentially a mini ironing board. For those who don’t want to take an ironing board while traveling, a portable board is so small it could fit into a suitcase. The smaller an ironing board, however, the less efficient it is. Long, wide ironing boards are best for quickly and efficiently eliminating wrinkles.