5 ways to maximise your utility room

When thinking about storage, the utility room or laundry room is often overlooked in any home. Most of us have limited space, however, with a few tricks and hacks, you can maximise your storage space. Get some inspiration and use every inch of space with these utility room storage ideas.

Before making any rash decisions, it’s important to ask yourself what do you use your utility room for? What is its main purpose? This will determine what kind of storage you need and how you design and arrange your space. For example, does it lead to the back door? Then it’s worth investing in a shoe rack and a decent absorbent mat so the room doesn’t get messy. If however, you use it for a washer and dryer then you will need a space to organise your clothes.

If you use this room as a back door entrance, then a top tip of ours is to invest time in creating a neat and tidy space so that it’s welcoming and pleasing to the eye. Whatever the functionality, you can always create a space that is both practical and looks good!

If your utility room is tight, it’s worth looking at other ways you can use every will to maximise your space. Consider making use of unused ‘air’ space by adding shelving, keeping everything off the floor tricks the eye into thinking the room is bigger than it is. If the shelving is too high, you can also invest in a step ladder that is easily stored away.

If you use your utility room to dry your clothes, instead of taking up valuable floor space with a drying rack, try hanging a rail above your washing machine to hang your wet items. These can be lowered on a pull system for your convenience. Ceiling drying rates are also super popular in traditional country homes, as it provides natural air drying for laundry while making a vintage style statement. 

If your utility room sits in an area of the house where there is little or no natural light, think carefully about different ways to illuminate the space. As well as standard overhead lighting, why not add under-cabinet strip lighting? If your room lacks windows, it is a good idea to consider installing additional ventilation too, as heat and moisture are likely.

Another top tip is to keep your colour scheme understated. This means pale shelves, cupboards and doors and white appliances to blend against neutral walls and make the space feel less boxy.

Look out for furniture that performs more than one function. For instance, a seat with built-in under shelves, baskets or drawers works for space-saving convenience, as does a shelf with coat hooks underneath - overall dual furniture gives you more bang for your buck. This could also mean thinking of space-saving tactics like fold away furniture which you can easily tuck away.