We could all do with a bit more room, couldn’t we? I know I personally need much more room – or perhaps far fewer things! Okay, okay, I could have a clear out, minimise my stuff and move onto a narrowboat, but even then I think I’d find a few important things that I’ll need to store, no matter where I live. And these tend to be the cleaning, washing and pet feeding bits ‘n’ pieces you need on a daily basis. The things you’d find in a utility room. And when you don’t have a utility room, these are the things that clutter up your kitchens, living rooms, garages and sheds. While I don’t mind a bit of mess, I still like everything to have a place, somewhere I can put it away and breathe a sign of relief that my home (and life!) is in order once again. And that’s where a utility room comes in.
Whether you’ve got a back kitchen, a dedicated utility room or just a large cupboard, the most important thing about making the space in a utility area work for you is planning an excellent layout, with storage built in. With just a few ingenious ideas, some sensible (wipe-clean!) material choices and a couple of great storage solutions you can create a utility room to be proud of. It’ll solve all your problems with clutter and mess (yes, I’m sure!) and it can look great too. I’ve gathered some examples of inspirational utility spaces – I won’t call them rooms, because some are just nooks or cupboards – and wanted to share some top-notch storage ideas with you today.
1. It doesn’t have to be big
Just having a dedicated space to store your cleaning stuff, to house your washing machine or to keep your outdoor gear is reason enough to turn a small cupboard space into a utility area. An alcove, a nook, under the stairs or in the kitchen; wherever you put it, the utility “room” will keep all your mess and clutter in one place and can be neatly closed away when you’re not using it. I love this washing room tucked away in a cupboard. It takes up almost no room at all yet has enough storage for all your cleaning products and room for the washing machine and tumble-dryer.
If you have pets, you’ll know that they bring a lot of clutter into the house. Yes, they are practically your children, and have all the same things that a child would need; toys, food, equipment, cleaning stuff, bedding and more. So you’ll need somewhere to keep all this gumpf. Say hello to the “mud room”. It’s usually straight off the hallway or inside the back door, and it creates the space you need to clean your dog after a muddy walk, to shed your walking boots and to hang up their lead. I’ve even seen a shower installed in a mudroom, just for the dogs! And if you think you’re going to be particularly muddy when you come in from the garden maybe you’d like to include a full-size shower for yourself?! A utility room is a great place for keeping pet food, cat littler trays and vet supplies all in one place.
Cleaning up
Everything in its place is my dream come true. No, I’m not a neat freak, but I DO like to know where a product is when I need it. I’m quite good at keeping cleaning products organised at home – a box for shoe polishing, a tub for washing powder etc – but this cupboard is the ultimate in utility room storage. I also adore perfectly laid out laundry rooms like the ones below. Imagine having space to hang clean clothing, to treat stains and do all your ironing. Okay, maybe I am a neat freak, I just haven’t got to facilities to be able to do it at the moment, haha!
What do you think of these small-but-perfectly-formed utility rooms? Do you already have a storage for cleaning products or a well-used mud room? Let me know if you want or already have a utility room in your house by leaving me a comment or tweeting me @Cassiefairy. Go on, make me jealous by sending me a photo of your perfectly organised cleaning cupboard! And have a great weekend all 🙂
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