Laundry Hub

Inspiration

Living in dorms, we noticed how common it is to walk to the laundry room only to find every washer occupied. This leads to wasted time, repeated trips, and frustration during peak hours. We wanted to solve a simple but recurring problem using a software-based approach that improves visibility and coordination.

What it does

Laundry Hub provides a live dashboard showing real-time machine availability, estimated finish times, and machine status for each dorm block. Students can quickly check availability before heading down, reducing unnecessary trips and improving overall efficiency in the laundry rooms.

How we built it

We began by designing the interface in Figma to plan the layout and decide what information to display. Once the design was clear, we implemented the website in Flutter and coded the machine statuses, countdown timers, and switching between blocks to make the system functional.

Challenges we ran into

One challenge was getting familiar with Flutter after the workshop and understanding how to structure the app properly. It took some trial and error to figure out how different widgets worked together and how to organize the layout clearly.

We also had to work through implementing timers and updating machine states smoothly so the app could simulate real-time behaviour.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We’re proud of getting the notification system to work properly and ensuring machine states and timers update smoothly. A large part of our progress came from debugging layout and state issues, especially when things didn’t behave as expected in Flutter.

Through that process, we were able to refine the interface and make the overall experience more stable and reliable.

What we learned

We learned that frontend design is just as important as backend logic. Without a clear idea of how the interface should look and function, it’s difficult to structure and develop the application effectively. Having a defined layout gave us direction and made the development process more focused.

What's next for Laundry Hub

Next, we plan to add a wallet feature so students can top up their laundry credits directly in the app. We also want to explore adding a booking system so users can reserve a machine in advance.

Built With

• flutter