Washing machine upstairs or in garage?

[MagpiePi]

I’m moving soon and the kitchen at the new house is much smaller than my current one so was pondering whether to put the washing machine in an airing cupboard on the landing, or in the garage, to free up kitchen space.
The airing cupboard is next to the bathroom and shares the wall where the shower head is, so plumbing shouldn’t be a problem. (Or would it?)
I mentioned it to a friend who immediately said it was a bad idea in case the washing machine leaks. But surely a washing machine leaking on the kitchen with built in cabinets would be equally inconvenient?
Would vibrations on the spin cycle be annoying or would specific matting solve that?

I’d have to go out of the back door and in through a side door to the garage, plus plumbing it in would be more work, although there is an outside tap nearby. I live alone so only put washing on maybe twice a week.
I hang clothes outside whenever possible or on radiators or airers if it is raining.

Am I mad; should just stick with having it in the kitchen?

I can’t see much difference between carrying a load of dry clothes down to a machine in the kitchen vs a load of damp clothes. It’s not like they’re dripping wet. I mostly carry clothes straight from the washer to the garden in my arms now, unless there are lots of socks because it’s annoying to have to go back for the ones I’ve dropped.
As for getting it up there - people who live in flats presumably have washing machines. And I don’t think excess weight is an issue. Nobody has reinforced floors under their baths and they weigh a lot more than a washing machine.

I am off to investigate leak detectors, anti vibration matting and waterproof flooring.

You won’t regret it!

We have ours upstairs with a hanging airer over the stairwell. Clothes dry completely in about 2& hours apart from waistbands of jeans. Very quick and easy.

Is there room for a washing machine in the airing cupboard with the water tank in there? We'd have to move our tank up to the loft (which would entail raising the header tank too)... Also people who live in flats don't have a domestic staircase to negotiate- ours has a bend and there's no way a washing machine plus 2 men carrying it could negotiate the bend. Just a couple of things to bear in mind!

Upstairs 100%!
I really don't know why it's so common to have washing machines in the kitchen in this country, I think it's completely bizarre and unhygienic. Separate utility rooms are obviously becoming fairly common now, but if you can put it upstairs then it's a no brainer. I can't emphasise how much easier it is. The only time I now carry laundry upstairs/downstairs is during the summer months when I hang it outside, but this is realistically 3/4 months out of 12. The rest of the time I either use the dryer or the heated airer, both also upstairs. Honestly, it cuts out so much work.

And unless you run it overnight , sound isn't really an issue.

No water tank in there, and it is a straight staircase.

I’ve just googled and an average washing machine weighs about 70 kg. I have two sons who can each squat well over 100kg each (eldest can clean and jerk 120kg) so if they can’t get it up there then I will have to leave it downstairs.

Washing machine upstairs sounds really convenient as that's where you get dressed /undressed but I would be a bit worried about vibrations etc, I use my machine a lot overnight so that would not be feasible if it was upstairs. But if you only use it during the day that it will be fine and a lot more cconvenient than being in the garage but I would research about of sound and vibration proofing.

How did you get on with this op?