No Utility Closet? Make An Utility Wall Instead.
If your house is like mine and has no utility closet or logical spot to put a broom and mop, do not fret. Just don’t sweep or mop. Kidding! Make a utility wall instead.
Functionally, all you need is a little bit of wall space and some hooks and you can create a utility wall.
Don’t have wall space? That makes it trickier, but you might have the side of a tall kitchen cabinet or even the side of your refrigerator to use as a “wall.”
But won’t it look bad to hang your dirty laundry broom, mop, dustpan, etc. out where everyone can see them?
Possibly.
I’m not going to sugarcoat it. It depends on what your broom and mop look like.
If you don’t mind looking at your particular household tools, then I think you’ll do just fine with a utility wall.
So many brooms, mops, and vacuums are sold in bold colors that don’t match anyone’s decor these days. Maybe that’s supposed to make cleaning seem more fun? If only that were the case.
My tendency is to hide those offending-to-my-eyes types of tools that don’t match my house so I only have to look at them when using them.
However, it is possible to find brooms, mops, and vacuums that are easier on the eyes and sometimes, dare I say, enjoyable to look at. It does require looking a little harder than the cleaning aisle of your favorite box store though.
My broom, mop, and vacuum have black handles and that monochromatic look keeps things visually clean for me. (Pun intended.)
Plus, some art and the right hooks can jazz up many a boring household situation.
I’ve hung a small painting with a fancy frame on my utility wall to balance out the, well, utilitarian nature of this space.
My utility wall “hooks” are actually old square nails. These nails are authentic to the age of our house (the 1700s – 1800s). Plus, my utility wall used to be an exterior wall with wood siding, so nails were an easy choice – no anchors needed.
However, a peg rail like this one that I use to hold towels and the kitchen scissors always looks good and is versatile!
Lack of closet or storage space is a common complaint of owners of old homes, but I’ve been in houses and apartments of all ages with a storage problem.
Some homes are built without giving much thought to HOW people actually live in their spaces. Other homes just have a harder time adapting to the changing needs of households.
What do we do in these situations? Work with what we’ve got! And that’s why this utility wall I created in our old house is making me very happy right now. I solved a problem, it looks good, and it functions well. Win, win, win!
Do you have enough closets in your place? Would you ever consider creating a utility wall? I’d love to know. You can always comment on this blog post, email me here, or reach out via Instagram or Facebook.
In case anyone is dying to know where I got my broom and mop (hahahaha!), here are the links:
Black-handled broom (I screwed a hook in the top in order to hang it.)
Bissell Stick Vacuum (Great for small jobs. Cord could be a little longer.)
Mop (I spray-painted the handle!)
Gold-handled kitchen scissors (I love how heavy-duty these are and the handles don’t come apart.)
Thanks for reading today’s blog post! Here are some others you might enjoy! If you don’t, no need to tell me about it.
How To Turn a Tub/Shower Combo Into A Closet Without Causing Damage
All The Closet Shelves We’ve Added
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