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Utility room

(60 Posts)
paddyann54 Sun 30-Nov-25 22:49:26

I,ve decided to move the utility room from off the kitchen to upstairs next to the bathroom and our bedroom.
I haven’t hung a washing out for over 4 decades it all goes in a ( heat pump) dryer .
I just wondered if anyone else has done this and if there are problems I haven,t thought of .
I have the space cleared and ready to decorate and the plumbing done just waiting for the electrician to turn up .
It’s not too late to change my mind.

Witzend Sat 06-Dec-25 09:57:55

A DD’s house was extended into the loft by the former owner, who turned it into a 4 rather than a 3 bed, two good sized bedrooms in the former loft.
Within the extra space on the first floor, he made a ‘utility’ space with a butler type sink and plumbing for the washing machine.

Dd has been in the house for over 10 years and AFAIK they’ve never had any problem.

V3ra Sat 06-Dec-25 09:50:18

About five or six loads weekly here too.

I do more washing than that on behalf of my ageing dog, who wets his bed overnight.
Obviously his blankets go in first thing every morning, by themselves 😂

Allira Fri 05-Dec-25 21:58:29

About five or six loads weekly here too.
Whites, darks, coloureds, towels x 2 loads, bedding.
I try to do it all on Mondays to get it out of the way.

M0nica Fri 05-Dec-25 20:32:25

I manage on 2 loads, 1 whites, 1 coloureds. I change bedlinen in the traditional way with duvet cover and undersheet being changed on alternate weekends and one set of towels a week Bedlinen and towels go in the dark and light loads a appropriate.

I make a real effort to wash clothes and bedding as as little as possible but as much as required. Tthe same with clothes. Clothes and bed linen last longer, you use less water, energy and reduce the amount of chemical detergents used.

Nanny27 Thu 04-Dec-25 15:33:27

BlueBelle

I don’t understand all this upstairs/ downstairs talk Most people wash clothes once or at most twice a week it sounds like a lot of you have almost daily ups and down stairs with massive amounts of bedding and towels
Mine is a once a week occurrence and they go outside in the lovely fresh air unless it’s pouring
Like the last few posters I love the fresh feeling of outside dried washing

I'm always fascinated by people who say they do washing once a week. Oh I wish. There's only 2 of us but I seem to do washing most days.
Change beds = 1 load
Towels = 2 loads
Light coloured clothes =1 load
Dark colours = 1 load
That's 5 loads and there's nearly always something else.

Esmay Wed 03-Dec-25 20:09:17

It seems a good idea and I know a few people,who have the washing machine upstairs.
It's not convenient though if you decide to hang it out in the garden to dry .
Perhaps it's great in the winter .

I also agree about leaking washing machines.
I used to live in flats-
I've had my washing machine leaking into the flat below in two different flats.
I also had water leaking into my flat from upstairs.
It happens .

The worst flood that I've experienced was caused by rats gnawing right through the dishwasher hose and flooding out the downstairs in my father's house .
They came from a house ,which was derelict and dirty and then demolished .
So rat proof your house !

BlueBelle Wed 03-Dec-25 18:57:17

I don’t understand all this upstairs/ downstairs talk Most people wash clothes once or at most twice a week it sounds like a lot of you have almost daily ups and down stairs with massive amounts of bedding and towels
Mine is a once a week occurrence and they go outside in the lovely fresh air unless it’s pouring
Like the last few posters I love the fresh feeling of outside dried washing

lazydays Wed 03-Dec-25 18:40:24

I would think if you use cheap electricity at night it’s a possibility of noise from spinning etc.
My machine ding dongs like crazy at the end of a cycle.

Nanny27 Tue 02-Dec-25 19:38:10

Here we are on 2nd December and I've had a full line of washing out. I love the smell and softness of washing dried outside. I do realise that some people don't have the outside space for that.

madeleine45 Tue 02-Dec-25 19:23:09

I am of the old school, and want my washing to go outside, and in the fresh air, for as long as I can take it. The smell of clean washing dried outside cannot be beaten. Plus costs no money , and no energy apart from my ability to get it done.

Janetashbolt Tue 02-Dec-25 19:07:27

You should get a special tray to sit the washing machine in that has a drain incase of a mechanical fault and it overflows, seen it used in the US where a lot of washers are upstairs or in flats

AmberGran Tue 02-Dec-25 16:55:57

I had my washer and tumbler in the bathroom in my flat in America. Brilliant until the washer broke and flooded the bathroom. But there's really only a minor chance of that happening.

It did make it easier for washing bedding as we had no outdoor space so the only option was to tumble them. Much easier just stripping the bed and straight into the washer.

PamelaJ1 Tue 02-Dec-25 16:21:24

Do whatever you like. I have my dishwasher in the utility room and everyone I know thinks I am very odd.
I have to do a few more steps when I empty and fill it but isn’t that good for me?

Allira Tue 02-Dec-25 16:16:48

Nightsky2

Allira

I plan to fit the old utility out as a walk in pantry

I'd love a walk-in pantry.

The house I grew up in was small, no fridge in those days but there was a cool walk-in pantry with shelves, a window with insect screen. In fact, when my parents did buy a small fridge, it fitted easily into the pantry too.

I have a walk in larder with window which has an insect screen and lots of shelving. A walk in freezer room and a utility room which houses the washing machine and the tumble dryer hoover etc. and has lots of shelving and Belfast sink. . Large Victorian house built in 1869

I suppose we could redesign the utility room but it's fine for us now, as there is a wall cupboard which houses extra jars, tins and some dried foods.

Nightsky2 Tue 02-Dec-25 16:13:14

Allira

^I plan to fit the old utility out as a walk in pantry^

I'd love a walk-in pantry.

The house I grew up in was small, no fridge in those days but there was a cool walk-in pantry with shelves, a window with insect screen. In fact, when my parents did buy a small fridge, it fitted easily into the pantry too.

I have a walk in larder with window which has an insect screen and lots of shelving. A walk in freezer room and a utility room which houses the washing machine and the tumble dryer hoover etc. and has lots of shelving and Belfast sink. . Large Victorian house built in 1869

Robin202 Tue 02-Dec-25 16:07:11

I think I’d rename it a laundry room. I always associate utility rooms with space for muddy boots and dog stuff - leads, ball throwers, dog towels and the hoover. Floor mop and cleaning products. That’s mine anyway.

crazyH Tue 02-Dec-25 15:50:06

When are we going to have an ‘edit’ button 😫

crazyH Tue 02-Dec-25 15:48:59

Taking them up again

crazyH Tue 02-Dec-25 15:48:13

Carrying laundry up and downstairs is a BIG problem. I hate it. I throw dirty washing down the stairs, but taking them is a pain. I put them in a large IKEA bag and heave it up the stairs.
I remember my friend had a pulley system fitted to her stairs for this purpose. I must look into it.

paddyann54 Tue 02-Dec-25 15:47:05

My lovely husband wasn’t convinced even after I gave him the list of all the things mentioned in posts here that I had already checked out .
As I pointed out I,m an old bird so I,m making life a tad easier by not having umpteen trips up and down stairs .So the plan is going ahead Thanks for all your input .

dalrymple23 Tue 02-Dec-25 15:46:06

I have always thought that it was daft having the washing machine miles away from where most of the laundry is generated. Back in the early seventies, some friends of ours thought the same (they lived in a four story Victorian villa). The washing machine was put into the spacious bathroom on the first floor. But, they put it into a shower tray, in case there should be a leak. Perfect solution!

Crossstitchfan Tue 02-Dec-25 15:45:29

BlueBelle

My house had a walk in pantry but it’s now my downstairs loo

As long as it’s not both!! 😂

Cossy Tue 02-Dec-25 15:35:10

I think all laundry rooms should be on the same floor as bedrooms, it makes sense

N4nna Tue 02-Dec-25 15:16:31

I’ve always thought such a sensible idea… like others say, saves having to carry laundry up and down the stairs… maybe bring your bedroom’s downstairs and living room upstairs- an upside down house 😉

Nicolenet Tue 02-Dec-25 14:17:45

My mother had this. What will you do in summer with lots of wet washing to hang in garden. That would not be a selling point when you move house. 100% better downstairs.