Utility. Anyone want a project?!

[littlem133]

I really need some help. We finished the whole house apart from the utility room over a year ago! It's an annoying lay out with radiator on the left wall, boiler and pipes opposite the door, a sticky out corner but, two windows and electric boxes!! I need room for so many things-coats, shoes, wager and dryer (not sure if they can be stacked?!), lots of bags, ironing board, football stuff, Hoover, mop etc etc!! Help. We're a family of two adults, 3 boys. I was looking at the algot system at Ikea but can't work it out. Any ideas?!

[littlem133]

Thinking about it, it's a boot room really isn't it

[JT05]

Put a work top over the washer and dryer, if you can't stack them. Then put narrow shelving along the whole length, under the Windows. Small things, bottles etc can be stored there. I stack my washer and dryer with no problem. You could then put in unit cupboards and drawers under the work top. The unit at the end doesn't look like it is efficiently storing anything, so replace it with something better.
Two rows of coat hooks would be less crowded, adults on top, children's lower down.

[johnd2]

Re attacking appliances, If you can afford miele appliances they do a bracket to attach them together. Failing that You can build a small work top over your washer and put your dryer on that.

[user1471549018]

I can't see a space where you can stack the washer and dryer (without blocking a window)? I'd keep them where the are and have a proper unit put in next to them (for all cleaning bits-serious declutter first) with a worktop running across. I'd then get narrow depth floor to ceiling storage built all across the back wall for coats, shoes and mop/hoover/boiler. ikea pax system may be an opion as they do a 38 cm depth- you'd have to measure up. also do sliding doors and you can get coat hooks and shoe storage for them. Before filling it up I'd get all non season coats out into vacuum bags into the loft or peoples own wardrobes (we have a 2 coat per person in hallway at any time rule) and same with shoes and boots. If the ironing board doesn't fit I'd hang it on the wall above the radiator. I'd fish off painting the walls and adding a couple of pot plants and then enjoy the feeling of clutter free calm i got when i went in there

[Somerville]

I'm all for great storage, but it is not possible to store more than there is actual physical space for, and from the photos I can't see that you have the space for everything you want to achieve.

Have you applied a bit of lateral thinking to whether you have any other space in your house for either the coats/shoes/bags (understair cupboards? Add a porch?) or somewhere else to move the laundry area too, and have this only a boot room? I'm a huge fan of an upstairs laundry area and sacrificed a bathroom to get one. It has cut down so much on time walking up and down stairs with dirty/clean laundry.

[YelloDraw]

I have bought a stacking kit for my washer and dryer and it works really well.

I also got a rubber anti-virbation mat for the washer to sit on to help reduce any movement.

[YelloDraw]

I can't see a space where you can stack the washer and dryer (without blocking a window)?

Lots of windows in the room tho, I would not worry about blocking one end with a stack of WD and TD.

[trinitybleu]

Could you twist the washing machine by 90 degrees and stack against that wall? Then have floor to ceiling cupboards on the back wall and a counter that comes part way along the windows wall.

[YelloDraw]

*Could you twist the washing machine by 90 degrees and stack against that wall?&

What would be the benefit? You're just using up valuable wall space with the door to open and close, and loosing the same amount ot light from the window?

[user1471549018]

Partially covering windows just looks wrong to me (appreciate that may be a bit pedantic for a utility room though). It's a shame as the room would work so much better if there was just one window centrally than 2 at either end of the wall. I'm assuming you won't be changing this though!

[littlem133]

There will be no structural changes! We had the house renovated last year and this room was originally a loo and separate hand wash room. We ran out of money so couldn't finish it.

[Ruhrpott]

We put a cheap kitchen work surface bought from b&q over our washer/dryer with supporting legs at the front also bought from b&q and a wooden batton support at the back. It works really well and looks good. We left a small gap at one side so I can slot the ironing board in between the work surface and the wall.

[liquidrevolution]

Some sort of rack would be be better for the coats. I use a couple of instahangers with hangers on. Falling that do some lower pegs so less bulky and untidy looking. Then some custom shelves over the washer dryer in the corner and custom storage unit for Hoover etc. Perhaps put coat on wall where ironing board is and storage for Hoover where coats are. The ironing board can be hung behind the door.

[userformallyknownasuser1475360]

Put in a worktop with a single drainer to the left. Build shelves (similar to hotpress) where you have the plastic thing. See drawing. A suspended dryer will save you money too.

[trinitybleu]

yello because it looks like the wall there is recessed a bit so you'd cover less windows. And being able to see a nice big square piece of floor when you enter makes the room feel bigger

[llangennith]

Smallish spaces aren't as easy to get it right first time. Don't spend much money but try different ideas. It's taken me some considerable time and a few changes to get my under the stairs sorted. (It was originally a larder but I needed storage. )

[littlem133]

Wow. Thank you so much for the advice and the drawing!! There's lots of goods tips there-square floor to walk in to, not rushing in etc. My husband wants floor and wall cabinets all the way round but that's no good for storing shoes and hanging coats. I've had a play around and designed some Ikea Algot storage to go in- one shoe rack and coat/hat rack next to the TD for the kids and one of each on the boiler wall for the adults. I'd need to get all the pipes boxes in though to make it look neater and the floor tiling doesn't quite reach the wall where we originally thought we were putting cupboards in. I like the idea of adding a work top in the WM and TD and then I'll need some horizontal boxes or storage for hats etc along there.

[littlem133]

Pics

[littlem133]

Pics

[littlem133]

And I've got all my drying in the airing cupboard so no laundry needs be in there!

[Ruhrpott]

Here's a couple of pics of the work surface. Sorry about all the washing but you can see how the legs are and what it looks like. B&Q will also cut the work surface to the size you want.

[SwedishEdith]

We left a gap exactly like that Ruhrpott for ironing board and long-handled stuff. We ended up stacking the washer and dryer for more floor space. And the boiler is enclosed in a larder cupboard (B&Q) to look neater and give storage for more crap