Utility cupboard, not a room

[Prettyflowersallyear]

My husband and I really like the development we live on but have been keeping an eye out for a property in the development with a larger kitchen, the type of ‘living kitchen’ with room for island, big table, sofa etc where you can happily spend a decent chunk of your time.

One such house had recently come up for sale and is lovely, however the downside seems to be that it only has a utility cupboard (not a standalone room which we have now) and it’s right next to the front door, which seems an odd location to me for doing your washing.

Would this be enough to put you off the house and would there be options to create a proper utility room
in the future???

We had a small utility room (space for machines side by side with cupboards above and some floor space ). When redesigning out kitchen recently dh knocked the wall out to incorporate it into a bigger kitchen so we now have a lovely big sociable island and a utility cupboard (machines stacked with one set of double doors and then a cupboard for hoover etc on the other side)which works much better.

So short answer wouldn't put me off at all.

The only thing I miss with a utility cupboard instead of a utility room is somewhere to hang clothes to dry. But I do have a fold down wall rack in the bathroom which does the job

If you have never had a utility room of any form them a cupboard would probably be a gosend but if you are used to a utility room then I can see it may feel a step back.
I guess it has been located next to the front door as that was the only space available?
Are there options to create a proper utility room? Well, only you know that as we do not know the layout of the house. Is the downstairs cloakroom nearby as there may be the option of opening up to make a combined toilet / utility? Personally I hate them but some prefer them for the increased space.

I’ve got a utility cupboard with several rows of hanging hooks on the door. It’s ideal

Thanks for replying - what you describe is exactly what we’d be moving from/ to, if we moved house. Would the fact that the cupboard is in the hallway, near the front door be annoying do you think?

Thanks for replying - yes the utility cupboard is next to the downstairs toilet so I think you could combine them possibly, or even get rid of the toilet altogether as there are another two in the house anyway?

Not for me it wouldn't be an issue. Coat hooks on the back of the door if they fit but if not it just looks like a cupboard I presume so it's grand. It wouldn't put me off if the other boxes were ticked in the house 👍

I don’t get washing machines downstairs unless you live in a bungalow or downstairs bathroom. You put your clothes on and take them off in your bedroom and/or bathroom, you wash them, hang certain stuff straight on hangers so the creases drop out, other stuff goes over the airer over the bath, and then it’s ironed, put away til next time.

But in answer to your question about washing machine cupboards no that wouldn’t put me off, it’s much more preferable to me than a downstairs wc squeezed in by the front door!

Definitely don’t get rid of a downstairs WC, terrible idea and I am sure would remove value to a house.

I agree with this.

If you really want a living kitchen then a utility cupboard is a good compromise.

Some of us still hang the washing out on a washing line in the garden!

I work nights, have done for over 30years now.

I always get caught out falling asleep and the sun bleaches your clothes, soaks your clothes, they either don’t dry or dry so hard you can’t iron them.

Our first home had a clause in the deeds, “no washing outside” it’s not that uncommon especially in flats even if you had your own garden

Thanks for all the input! It sounds like this wouldn’t be a deal breaker to most people, given the trade off for a larger kitchen!

Ah! I've never had any problems with hanging washing out, or getting it dried - but I have had over 40 years of experience!

That’s sweet, you’ve being blessed xxxx

Thank you! And I'm so sorry about you having to always work nights

I have a utility cupboard - about two machines wide and a bit deeper. I have drying racks on the back of the door and a series of hooks on the wall. There are high up hooks you can hang bigger things like duvet covers on with the aid of a long stick. There's a small radiator in there and I can squeeze a dehumidifier in too. I can easily dry a full load in there very quickly. I also have shelves above the machine up to the ceiling for extra storage. Amazing what you can stuff into a utility cupboard if you are creative (like the previous owners of my house clearly were).

Don’t feel sorry for me is I’ve worked nights since my first born was six months old.

It

I want one upstairs, when my boiler gives up I’ll get a combi one get rid of the tank and put my appliances upstairs