Boot room or utility

[Newbie2025]

Hello,
I have small utility area and can't decide where to put the washer in and have it as a utility area or keep the washer in the kitchen and use the space as boot room.

I love the kitchen look without the washer in but then the utility space would be so handy to fit all the shoes and coats in if the washer wasn't in there.

WWYD?

I love having the washer out of the kitchen and did so when we had the chance. But what I didn't think through was drying space- my kitchen is still full of drying laundry AND it's a right pain bringing it through from the utility (where there is no space for an airer)

Exactly how small is it? You really can’t do both? Diagram would be helpful!

Could you fit a boot cupboard in the utility at least? I would want to avoid a washing machine in my kitchen if at all possible.

Sorry I should have added a photo and dimensions!
I've attached a photo now.
Everyone was so helpful on my last post about the layout of the kitchen but now I'm so undecided on the utility 🤦‍♀️

That's mu dilemma, if the washer didn't go in there then it would leave a space for coats , shoes and drying clothes but would struggle to squash the dryer in there with the washer ☹️

if you live in an urban / suburban area then a utility.

if you live on a farm / countryside so there will be muddy boots everyday, the maybe a bootroom.

is there space for a ceiling level airer for drying clothes?

I'm not sure where the door to your utility is, but if you replaced it with a sliding door or had it open into the room next to it, you'll save 1m2 of floor space

If you have the washing machine raised on a plinth, not only does it save your back, but can be used as storage underneath for boot/detergent etc.

Could you not still have some hooks on the wall for coats?

Drying racks which fold back onto the wall, or like this one are great too https://www.dunelm.com/product/utility-7kg-wall-mounted-clothes-airer-1000238771?defaultSkuId=30891105&srsltid=AfmBOoq1uzz7PJW4jAjd3j7s8W8Ts1EScKhTLnGdwxnIimIRcaTs2leZAwo&gQT=1

What a good idea, my boyfriend just said a ceiling dryer is genius!

Thank you

Yeah we've just had a measure and we could defo get a wall dryer in there and we can fit some coat hooks so think the washer is going to go in there and we can squeeze a small show rack to the side as well which will help.
We're removing door from the utility to the kitchen and have it as an opening just to help the kitchen feel a bit bigger and free flowing as it's narrow and long.

Thanks for the ideas

My utility is the boot room! It has the washer and the dryer in there, but also a back door in from the garden where all boots shoes are kicked off. It's not huge. I like the sound of a ceiling airer though as I tend to have stuff draped everywhere. Have you got pics of the space OP?

We have an open arch between the kitchen and our utility. We have a 2nd fridge/freezer in there, along with some bulk food storage, and it flows better without having a door.

You can get some slim line, shoe storage options from ikea, dunelm etc. I'm currently looking into them for our front porch. No good for muddy wellies, but ok for regular shoes.
https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/trones-shoe-cabinet-storage-white-00397307/

Washing machines are 60cm wide and deep so you should have space to do both? Coats and boots down the side of the machine? Could also stack and determine top. Depends exactly on the space from door opening to back wall - it isnt clear on the pic. What are the the doors - inside,outside and cupboard?

So there's a door into the kitchen and then one into what is currently a cupboard but that's getting knocked out to put fridge freezer in (unfortunately only place for it)

The house is tiny so we're trying the impossible really which is adding as much storage as we can, a dining space in the kitchen and a good functioning kitchen.
We had hoped to move the back door to the current window opening in the kitchen but sacked that off now as just not going to work.
I've attached a better photo of the layout 😊

We've just measured and I think we can squash the washer in with a work bench on top and have room to stand a dryer in there and squish shoes in as well.
Living in a small house is like a constant game of tetris 🤣

I've added a better photo of the floor plan and the current utility with it's lovely cladding that is getting ripped off very shortly 😊

If you’re willing to lose the window light should be able to stack the dryer and washer, and use the docs around it for clothes shoes etc. possibly there’s enough space to the right of the window to do that without blocking much/all the window. You can run a shelf along the top of the window and along each wall for added storage.

Thanks for the image.
I think you are being unambitious - that size is plenty big enough to be both! It's more than twice the size of mine.

Thank you so much for that, I never thought of trying to add the washer etc in like that.
Its a done deal, the washer is definitely moving into the utility 😊 and will free up some space for some drawers in the kitchen so it's a win win all round.

I have both in mine. Sloping ceiling so I can’t have a ceiling dryer but I have one that folds down from the wall.