Last updated on December 31st, 2021
Here’s a fact. Anything that’s well-organized looks beautiful. Agree?
Well, here’s another fact. While most of us invest a lot of time and thought in trying to keep every room in our home tidy, and pleasant-looking, the utility area gets a bit of step-motherly treatment and we are all guilty of treating it as a completely utilitarian space, without giving the aesthetics of it a second thought. Agree?
Now think about this. A well-organized and nice-looking utility area won’t just make your household chores more convenient, but will also make sure it stops being an eye-sore that you don’t like spending too much time in, or keep wanting to hide from visiting friends and family. So, how about giving this all-important space in the house its due, and putting some thought into turning it from a cluttered, and chaotic space to an efficient, organized, and beautiful one?
Read on to know how!
First things first: Space planning
The way you should organize your utility area depends on what you use it for. In some homes, the utility area has a sink and a countertop and works as an extension of the kitchen, while in a few others it is used just for laundry. Most homes in India also use the space to stow away gas cylinders as well as a space to air-dry clothes in.
But no matter how small or large your utility is, well-planned and carefully thought-out storage solutions can maximize space, convenience, and aesthetics.
It makes sense to use any free wall space in the utility area to create storage space. Whether you use fitted cabinets or open shelves will depend on how you like your storage. Some people prefer open shelves, while others find open shelves getting messy too soon, and prefer things tucked away behind cabinet doors. You can use the cabinet space as an extended pantry to keep your groceries in or use it as a linen cupboard to keep all your towels, aprons, and other linen in one place.
It’s also a great idea to create a closed space to keep those ugly cylinders out of sight and invest in wall-mounted hooks behind the door, to keep all your mops, brooms, wipes, and cleaning equipment off the floor, and neatly organized in one place. No more jhadoo and ponchha making an appearance the moment you open the utility door!
Organize and declutter
Don’t let your utility area become a dumping ground of clutter from the rest of the house. Get rid of everything you don’t have any use for and keep only what you need. Once you’ve finished doing this, put all the stuff in neat wicker, wire, or plastic organizers that will help keep everything together and will be pleasant to look at, at the same time.
Invest in a laundry sorter
One of the main functions of the utility space is washing clothes and the space invariably has some or the other storage space for dirty laundry. It’s a good idea to invest in a laundry sorter basket that helps you separate dark clothes from the lighter ones (making your life immensely easier) and at the same time is a stylish storage solution that gives your laundry space tons of style. If you are someone who likes rustic chic, there are laundry baskets available in wicker or rattan that look equally great. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s as nice-looking as it is functional.
Install a smart clothesline
Unless you use an automatic dryer to dry all your clothes, you will need a space to hang your laundry to air dry. It’s a good idea to invest in a pull-down clothesline or a wall-mounted clothes-drying rack that can be tucked away when not in use. Again, make sure you get something that’s functional as well as aesthetically pleasing.
Do you have space to tuck in an ironing board?
If your utility area is roomy enough, you can plan to install a foldable ironing board that you can use to fold as well as iron clothes on. This will give you a convenient space to iron clothes, without having to pull out the ironing board every time you need it, and then having to put it back inside once you’re done.
Now for the décor
Now that you’ve finished dealing with the practical aspects of your utility area, it’s time to give it some style. And here are a few ideas for you to get started!
Invest in a few pretty planters and give your utility some life. There’s no space in a home that can’t use some sprucing up with plants.
Give your utility area a complete change of scene with wallpaper in a pattern you like. And you don’t need to put a big dent in your wallet for this. There are plenty of DIY wallpapers you can get online. And if wallpapers aren’t really your thing, use paint to pretty the walls up!
If there’s space for it, deck out a plain wall with some fun lines about washing or laundry. If you don’t want to commit to frames, try a wall decal that you can swap out for something else when you feel bored.
Now, that wasn’t so hard, was it?
Happy washing!
