We spend a lot of our time doing chores and laundry is a huge part of that. In the Victorian Era laundry was an all-day affair and was nicknamed “Blue Monday”.  While laundry day is still often an all-day event there are ways to simplify it to make it less painful. 

Here are 5 brilliant home design hacks to make your Utility Room work for you.

  1. Extra Counter Space and Overhead Cabinets

Everyone knows that extra counter space in the kitchen is heaven-sent and highly sought after when looking for the perfect place to call home. But many people don’t know that counter space and storage in the utility room can really make the difference in your day-to-day life and routine.
No one likes to lug heaping baskets of clothes through the house, especially while losing socks and undergarments on the way. (This might be one way socks get “lost” in the wash!)
Our solution is to include ample counter space in the laundry room which serves as an ideal place to fold laundry and store your t-shirt folding board. Overhead cabinets are a wonderful place to stash bleach, fabric softener, wool balls, and all the little baubles that you need for freshly laundered clothes. Complete your chores in one spot and don’t drag the job across your home. Under the counter cabinets are also great here and can be a nice spot to tuck away a waste basket for lint and old dryer sheets.

3. Hanging Racks for Drying

A genius addition to your utility room are built-in hanging racks for drying. This thoughtful touch is a great way to complete your laundry day tasks quickly and efficiently.
Prevent wrinkles in your clothing by hanging up the garment right as it comes out of the dryer. Then all you’ll need to do is transfer your hung garments to your closet. This space can also double as a coat rack when hosting guests if your space doesn’t already feature a coat closet.  

Tip: You can stash plastic garment protectors in your utility room to cover those dry-clean only and never-worn items. These handy slips keep your garments dust-free and ready for the next time you’ll wear them.

5. Connect Laundry to Master Closet for Ease of Access

All of our favorite modern layouts include a door which connects your utility room to your Master Closet. What could make laundry day breezier than a door which allows quick access to the largest closet in your home? Simply open the closet door and toss everything you want to wash right into the machine! Then when it’s time to hang up and put away laundry, you won’t have far to go.

We have all had those tough mornings when all of your uniforms are dirty and you have nothing to wear. This simplifies those days. You can toss in a small load of laundry and keep getting ready in the meantime. You’ll be able to hear the laundry buzzer when it’s time to transfer your load into the drier. 

 

 

2. A Utility Sink

No laundry room is complete without a utility sink. These can be used for a variety of functions such as filling up large mop buckets, rinsing lint traps, soaking stubborn stains or even dying clothing. I like to use my utility sink for dirty jobs like emptying the canister of my wet vacuum carpet cleaner. A utility sink is a must-have and can help keep your kitchen sink tidy when there’s a messy task involved.

 

 

4. Make it a Mud Room for Multifunctional Use

Make the most out of your space by including a mud locker and mud bench in your utility room. When your utility room is connected to the garage this is a clever use of this area that helps keep mud and dirt from being tracked into your clean home. We love multi-functional spaces and a utility room that doubles as a mud room will help you get the most value out of your square footage.

 

Ready to build your dream home with your great new utility room?
SWP Custom Homes will provide a licensed interior designer who will closely collaborate with you to help you make selections for all the details of your new home. You will be assisted with flooring, countertops, lighting, plumbing fixtures, paint colors, cabinets, and more! 

Contact us today to discuss building your dream home!