Tell me about your perfect Utility Room!

[kali43]

Remodelling and on first draft ours will be approx 2 x 3m. What should we have in it to get the best out of it - especially given we live in a wet and windy Wales!

[DearTeddyRobinson]

Ooh now this is one of my favourite lotto win daydreams! Washing machine & separate tumble dryer, boiler & radiator to keep it nice & warm, ceiling airer to save floor space.
Sink & worktop, for soaking things & putting wash basket on, respectively.
Extra fridge freezer.
Shoe cupboard/rack & somewhere to sit to put them on, clean mud off etc.

[Titsywoo]

I'm hoping to do mine in 2 years. I want washing machine and tumble drier next to each other with a worktop over them for folding etc. Above that I want a hanging airer (one on a pulley system). Then I want a huge butler type sink so I can soak things in buckets, wash the dog etc. Then a cupboard in the corner for laundry stuff (powder etc). And ideally if room a flip down ironing board. My room is about 2m x 2m so unlikely to get it all in but I will try!

[Ruhrpott]

We have a washer and dryer with a worktop above for folding and storing washing baskets. Above that we have kitchen cupboards for shoe polish, storing the iron, sorting stuff like Hoover bags and spare light bulbs. On the other wall we have shelving where I put tins and bottles of pop. We also deliberately left a gap at the side of the work surface so there is a slot to store the ironing board.

My dream one would be much bigger with a sink in it too and room to put up an airer to dry off DH and the kids sailing gear. Maybe one of those ceiling airer thingies might be good in ours...

[Ruhrpott]

And the boiler is in ours as well

[yomellamoHelly]

Ours is 1.8 x 2.7. Machines next to each other. Worktop over and cupboards over that (2 bookend type and a bridging unit). Space next to machines to slot empty baskets into (on rare occassion they're empty). Have bought a rail to hang between the cupboards for shirts etc. Access to the garden (and in the summer I'll get a clothes line put up). Radiator for stray things that need extra drying time and am toying with putting a fold-down rack over it for same reason. Set of cupboards with all cleaning stuff in and room for all batteries, torches, lightbulbs, candles, extension leads, plastic cups and paper plates .... Room for hoover, VAX and steam mop in the corner and the ironing board against another wall (mean to get a hook). Is an absolutely fab space to have and clears so much clutter from the rest of the house.

[mrsmortis]

Is it also your access to the outdoors? If so I'd want space for a proper boot room. I.e. coat hooks, space for wellies and a bench seat.

On top of a washer and dryer with bench space for folding, a full height cupboard to hide mops, brooms and ironing boards in, a sink and draining board. If there was room then I'd also have my 'outside' freezer in there too.

[wickedwaterwitch]

Ours - which is off our kitchen) has

Washing machine
Tumble drier
Sheila maid for more clothes drying space
A sink
Microwave
Fridge
Cupboards for light bulbs, washing powder, tools, cleaning stuff, medicines
An understands cupboard with a vacuum cleaner, mop, boiler is in here too
Ironing board - I keep meaning to put a hook on the wall for it

[wickedwaterwitch]

(Ours isn't by the front door - separate downstairs loo / boot room for shoes)

[wickedwaterwitch]

Also bread maker, ice cream maker etc is in there

[wickedwaterwitch]

There's an oak work surface too for folding clothes and dumping crap on

[wickedwaterwitch]

Under stairs cupboard not understands!

[kali43]

wow - didn't expect all those posts already - amazing how something so mundane is so important to us all! All the above on the list, and hoping can some how squeeze all in. There all be a door to outside so -i can hide dh smelly cycling shoes-- all our lovely shoes can be stored too along with our 50 millions coats for every type of welsh rain/sleet and snow throughout the year!

Have also read about a humidity control vent - anyone got any experience of these? Maybe Piglet John has??

[wickedwaterwitch]

It's this one

www.gardentrading.co.uk/household/laundry/ceiling-clothes-dryer.html#.VqduIXrfWrU

[wickedwaterwitch]

It's not this exact one but in the loo we have a storage bench for shoes, similar to this

www.gardentrading.co.uk/storage/storage-benches/emsworth-storage-bench-with-three-chalk-crates.html#.VqduVnrfWrU

[wickedwaterwitch]

Just looked, ours is 2.36 X 3.07 (10ft X 7.9ft)

[wickedwaterwitch]

I'll post a photo if it's tidy enough!

[AandAmom]

Mine has the washing machine & dishwasher in (utility just off kitchen) also sink and lots of cupboards over sink with work surface over washing machine & diswasher, great having the dishwasher in there as all the dirty plates go in the utility prior to stacking so kitchen always looks tidy, only rub to this is tumble dryer has to go in garage. If I had the space I would have a separate small shower tray with a low shower for the dog but as I haven't he just gets a sponge bath from the sink

[Sallyhasleftthebuilding]

I'd put up a clothes hanging rail so stuff is dried on coat hangers -

Individual baskets for socks and undies.

Basket of clean clothes for each member!! ( because they will brightly fetch empty and return Doris Day styliee)

[kali43]

www, loving your utility room enthusiasm, a photo would be grand as i am possibly over egging the space i'm going to have in my little mind! Thanks for the maid link too - already have a scarf/gloves/hat bench - hoping the hoes will have some clever little space too! Sally you must have met my family, straight out of a DD film, never a jot of laundry to put away here, already done by happy people accompanied by chirpy forest animals!

[ftm123]

I'm also planning my utility. Smaller than yours, but not by much. Sink, washer, drier, boiler. Cupboard for ironing board, mop and cleaning stuff. Worktops for folding/kitchen over flow. Also thinking, some kind of heating, some kind of ventilation, fold down drying racks over the worktops ( www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/10177178/). Tall cupboard for storing linen/spare towels. space to store vacuum cleaner, Then either a kitchen overflow cupboard or spare freezer, and hooks for coats. Sadly not able to have external door or natural light. Like the idea of a flip down ironing board, for when I only have 5 min in the morning to get something ironed, if I don't have space considering a table top one from ikea for just doing the odd thing.

[wickedwaterwitch]

Here's one

[wickedwaterwitch]

The Sheila maid and cupboards

[MaryPoppinsPenguins]

Ours has a hanging rail, lots of shelving and our extra fridge freezer. We have no bin in the kitchen and keep the bin and recycling stuff in there... I love it. A lot of people ask how we can not have a bin in the kitchen but it's changed my life! Lol...

[Onynx]

All of the above plus a wall mounted TV as I'd love to be able to do all of the ironing in there too .....

[MuddyWellyNelly]

This is what pinterest was made for! I have so many laundry rooms pinned on there it's ridiculous.

However in my actual dreams, the utility room is the back door, muddy boots, wet coats, soggy dog room. The laundry room, where clothes get clean, is NOT the same room.... In current reality of course, our tiny utility room is mud room, laundry, main storage area, recycling centre, cat bedroom, and dishwasher location. No wonder it's always such a tip!