Talk to me about utility rooms!

[needabetternickname]

We're having some work done to our house - side return extension and new kitchen. As part of the work, we're creating a downstairs loo and a utility room. This is very exciting . So aside from the obvious - i.e. moving washing machine out of kitchen and into the utility room, what else do I need/want to think about. If you could create one from scratch, what would you do - what do you keep in yours? I'm thinking I need one tall cupboard for ironing board, mop/broom etc and some drawers for random junk that otherwise end up around the house and in the man drawer in the kitchen, but open to inspiration for other things I need!
Thanks

Space for:

• ironing board & iron
• cleaning products/washing powder
• clothes airer (?)
• hoover?
• loo roll (coz otherwise it ends up in random locations!)
• hook for clothes pegs

We also moved the microwave into ours - we rarely use it, but it sits nicely in there.

In mine I have;

washing machine
tumble dryer
microwave
breadmaker
tall freezer
tall cupboard full of crap usefull items
wall cupboards have cleaning stuff in and kids art and craft stuff (high up so DC can't reach)
set of drawers for more crap terribly useful things.

Not sure what a side return extension is but it sounds like what we're planning - a big kitchen/diner with 2 new bedrooms over, and a downstairs loo and utility. (meeting architects next week, little bit excited)

The way I imagine it our utility will only be a small room - a bit galley kitchen ish in layout with units along one side, space for washing machine and tumble dryer, a sink, and a tall cupboard for hoover, ironing board, chemicals too high up for kids top get instead of under sink etc. Possibly an airer over the sink for things that don't want to go in the tumble.

I'm trying to work out if I can get a laundry chute to go from the bathroom floor to the utility room to help DH and DC with the technicalities of a laundry basket!

Some kind of fixed airer is a God send in mine. One of those old fashioned dolly things that hangs up by the celing and you raise or lower is lovely. If not practical, I have a barbantia pull out washing line thingymajig, and if you have the wall space ikea do a fold down wall monted airer.

Also shelves are always good. I do like shelves with lots of little baskets to stick crap treasure in.

We have the microwave in ours, we don't use it much and it saves bench space in the kitchen.

I'm having building work done as well, creating a cloakroom and utility room. In there will be: washing machine, 2 under-counter freezers, a place for recycling, then a worktop over them, on top is our new boiler (boxed off) and microwave. There are shelves above for washing powder, softener, iron, cleaning products (I have a 5yr old so they're out of his way) and cat basket. The ironing board leans against the wall in the corner. I'm so excited about moving in too .

My mum also has a sink in hers - if I was making one from scratch I would include this as its great for hand washing / soaking etc.
Am jealous - ours is useless and we are stuck with it for now!

Yes I have a sink for hand washing, space for ironing board - if you can leave it permanently up that's wonderful. Cupboards for washing powder, stain removers, conditioner etc, pegs, and so on. Space for broom and dustpan etc.

I love mine. You can have a washing mountain but close the door and your house looks pristine :)

Is it by a back door? Would you need space for wellies and coats?

In ours we have:

-kitchen sink and drainer (great for washing garden stuff, football boots, decorating things etc)
-washing machine and tumble drier
-small freezer
-cupboard under sink for cleaning materials
-wall cupboards (full of random crap useful stuff)
-ceiling airer (worth its weight in gold and I strongly recommend you get one if you can as it frees up floor space as you don't have to have a clothes horse)
-space to set up and use ironing board (plus basket of stuff waiting to be ironed)

oops I forgot ...coat hooks, lots of them so everyones coats are hung up and out of the way

When we've finished with oir utilty room, it will have a washer, a dryer, sink, plenty of cupboard space, a built in wall airer that you can pull out for non dryer clothes, and the piéce de résistance...a built in dog bath with shower,next to the side door, so I can clean the muddy dogs without them getting the rest of the house muddy!

We have one wall fitted floor to ceiling with wall cupboards which are slimmer than base cupboards. It means that you can see everything immediately and things don't get lost at the back. They hold: catfood; medicines; shoe cleaning things; extra glasses; posh crockery which only comes out at Christmas every other year ; vases; cleaning stuff; tool box; candles; etc. Then in a row of base units on another wall I have one which has deep drawers, one of which is used for recycling, and one of which holds supermarket bags for life of which we have approx 4 million .

have 105mm holes drilled and lined in the external wall (1) for a tumble drier hose close to where it might go (2) for an extractor fan near the ceiling, opposite the door. It is very easy to make neat holes using a core drill which a builder will have but can be hired. It is quite dusty.

You might think you will never need an extractor fan, but if you ever drape washing over the radiator or on an airer, an extractor will suck the water vapour out and prevent it drifting around the house causing condensation, damp and mould.

Plastic grilles to go over the holes when they are out of use look neat and are very inexpensive. The cover for the outside can be bought in white/grey/black/dark brown/brick red or you can give it a coat of non-drip gloss to tone in.

Check out pinterest for style ideas!

Also try out Houzz.com and look at utility and laundry rooms. There are some fantastic ideas on there.

In mine I have wall and floor cupboards housing laundry products, shoe polish, rarely used kitchen stuff etc.

Washing machine, tumble dryer, chest freezer, sink and boiler. I have a rail for hanging clothes on hangers and a clothes airer, there is also a little radiator in there as it can get cold (converted garage).

It acts as welly and coat storage, although day to day coats and shoes are stored in the hall cupboard.

There's an excercise bike which doesn't get much use other than to hang clothes on too

Its a tiny tiny awkward shaped room with three doors in it but it is amazing how much there is shoved in it and like someone else said, you can shut the door and forget about the washing etc rather than having it everywhere.

So useful - thank you everyone . Who'd have thought I'd get so excited about the prospect of a utility room. Actually think it may change my life! Will go back through and take all suggestions - we had discounted need for a sink in there but think you've probably changed my mind. And thanks for the tips of other sites to look at. Got to love the mumsnet collective wisdom.

Worth looking into one of those airers that gets lifted up to the ceiling when full as dirty boots and clean washing are a ba xombination iny experience!