Yes, small homes *can* have a utility – and Dunelm’s clever new storage solution lets you fake one in any room of your house

While I’ve always dreamed of a huge house with a separate utility room, the reality is that I - like many others - live in a relatively small house with limited space. So, you can imagine my excitement when I spotted that Dunelm had released a clever new storage solution to help you fake a utility room even when you don’t have one. Say hello to the Olney Utility Cabinet, £499 at Dunelm.

The tiny utility trend is still alive and kicking, but unless you have a cupboard or, better yet, an entire room that’s completely empty, most people don’t have the space to store all of their utility essentials. I’m talking about those items you need to clean your home, wash (and dry) your clothes, and maintain the day-to-day running of your house.

Personally, I shove mine in any available free space or cupboard, which means that everything becomes a jumbled, unmanageable mess. But our favourite retailer has solved my problems and released the Olney Utility Cabinet, combating clutter and faking space that I’ve desperately needed for so long. And maybe you have, too.

Dunelm has become my go-to for small and tidy home essentials over the past few months. I’ve already raved about their impressive fridge organisers, and I’ve bought many of the new clothes organisers to finally tidy up my bedroom. But none of these game-changing products can help you fake a room quite like the Olney Utility Cabinet can.

Although it looks just like a regular (albeit very stylish) cabinet from the outside, the inside is a treasure trove of storage space for those ugly-but-practical items people would typically put in a utility room. This includes your vacuum cleaner, cleaning tools and products, your iron and ironing board, and even your spare towels or blankets.

That’s because the Olney Utility Cabinet comes equipped with multiple shelves for the items of your choosing, a bottom drawer, and racks and hooks on the doors. It really is convenience in cupboard form, and can be added to any room without looking out of place.

To make the most of this utility space, I’d suggest buying plastic storage baskets like these Stacking Storage Baskets (£3 at Dunelm) for your cleaning products so they can be wiped clean if there are any spills or leaks. But if you plan on storing towels or other non-liquid items, this set of 2 Fabric Storage Boxes (£18 at Dunelm) can make the inside space look even more stylish and organised.

And while this product is a new addition to the Dunelm family, the Olney Utility Cabinet has already scored 5-star reviews across the board. One happy customer raved, ‘This is a fantastic, spacious and sturdy cupboard that provides ample space. It looks pleasing to the eye, and I couldn’t be happier with it!’

Another customer noted that it took two of them about three hours to build it, though, so just be warned that there will be a fair bit of assembly - but being able to fake a utility room even when you don’t have one will be well worth it. Dunelm hasn’t stopped at a fake utility room, though.

If you want to add even more hidden-but-handy storage to your house, the home of homes has also just released the Lynton Kitchen Larder Unit, £549.99 at Dunelm. This will allow you to fake your very own pantry, and make the most of the built-in shelves for all of your food items and dishware essentials.

Alternatively, if you want to embrace the things that people with a tidy home office always have, you could invest in the Olney Hideaway Desk, £549 at Dunelm - which, as you can tell by the name, hides a handy desk with oodles of storage behind its doors.

Alternative utility cupboards

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