If you could start your house again what would you buy/implement to make it run smoother?

[Summerishere123]

We are moving house soon and I intend to build in systems like places for bags, coats and shoes, 2 dishwashers so they never leave plates on the side, integrated appliances to leave worktops clearer, side table with a dish for keys and sunglasses etc by the front door.
What else would you implement to make your house run smooth or what would you buy?

A robot hoover!! We bought one a few months ago and it’s actually life changing

Recycling bin. I don’t have one as I don’t have space but I’m always going to the outside bins! However, if you’re getting 2 dishwashers! (which sounds like overkill tbh) then I assume you have plenty of space.
A place indoors to dry your washing (we have a cupboard under the stairs with a dehumidifier)
Plenty of electric sockets !
good luck with move!

Small shoe rack by door for regularly used shoes and a separate boot room / coat and shoe cupboard for the majority of coats and shoes

A water softener, I wish we’d put one in when we renovated but the only way now makes it really awkward to place a non-softened water tap for drinking. Depends where you live of course, might not need it.

The right storage in the right place. Eg where do you keep laundry basket, clothes airer, work bags, craft supplies or hobby stuff, shoes by the back door and front door etc. plenty of hidden bathroom storage. Big kitchen drawers not cupboards. Basically making your house work for how you live not the other way round, eg if you get a lot of parcels, maybe a built in parcel drop box, or a good sized paper and card recycling collection area, stuff like that.

An upstairs laundry room, with washer and dryer, and space for airing and ironing if possible.

A laundry room or area including space to dry clothes.
A big coat and shoe storage space.
More storage than you think you need and way more sockets than you think you need. Go for a big number and quadruple it and I bet you’ll still need an extension cable somewhere 😆

Sockets. At least 4 (2 X2) in every corner of the rooms downstairs. Raised a little.

Think where furniture is going and put sockets in decent spaces so you can reach the damn things.

Think where you need to plug in the hoover.

Sockets above furniture level for phone /device charging.

Sockets for washing machine and dishwasher.

Lots of different circuits.

Separate circuit for the light near the fuse box.

Not right in corner but somewhere accessible.

Especially next to bed. Above bedside table level.

(This is what I regret. )

I moved house recently and the first thing I did was replace the kitchen and ditch all the integrated appliances including the oven! So much easier to replace free standing ones and free standing fridges last longer as they have better air flow around them. Also got rid of the key rack by the door as it's great for burglars when you have the keys by the door.

I would definitely put in more sockets though, and get rid of ceiling lights (pain in the bum to change the bulbs). I would also put a skylight in the one bathroom with no window as bathrooms are so much nicer with natural light.

Thanks Ladies! All ideas welcome!

A second sink with insinkerator. We have a second fridge in the garage which is very useful. As much cupboard space as possible.
The thing I’d change is to have composite window frames rather than wooden ones.

A big utility room.
Remote control blinds if you have lot of glass in your main area..
Definitely good built in bins..more important than an extra dishwasher but you can have both
Plan your bathroom sinks early if you want them up off the floor ..otherwise the pipes may be in the wrong place..my mistake!
Not a granite worktop even though its indestructible but you have to constantly shine it as looks streaked.. my last house!

We have a clothes drying rack that lifts up into the air on a pulley and it’s a total game changer. I wouldn’t be without one now.

We built our house a few years ago

• CAT6 cabling to every room
• Media cupboard
• Robot hoover
• Robot mop
• Laundry shoot
• Mesh WiFi
• Centralised Equal House app
• Water softener
• Multiple sockets in rooms
• Underfloor heating
• Smart speakers
• Automation (blinds, lights, heating, etc)

And a plan

We completely renovated top to bottom so put most things in that I love.

Favourite bits are a decent sized utility with a row dedicated full height cupboards for vacuum cleaner, carpet cleaner, mops/brooms/etc all hung up nicely.

Have a lot of storage, in each room/area that so that I have no overflowing drawer or cupboard. Everything has a specific place and I can see everything at a glance. It really helps with my compulsion to buy for the sake of buying.

Also so many sockets, and wall lights all added during the re-wire. Should have put in lamp sockets though.

However, one thing I wish we did was to put in a laundry chute / dumb waiter. We had the perfect space and set up for it, but I spent a lot of money doing other things with the space that I'd feel bad ripping out now. Carrying laundry up and down stairs is a massive pain in our house.

Pull out shelves to rest the laundry basket on under the washer and dryer (which are raised to waist height).