I would suggest your plumber links the hot and cold fill pipes to the supply UNDER the sink - this gets rid of unsightly pipes and while he's there get him to move the taps to the L side of sink. I would then create a broad drop down counter top to create a place to sort your laundry ready for hanging out to dry or to fold ready for ironing This drop down counter top to be hinged to R side of washing machine and ensuring the taps are not impeded. If you can't do the drop down version then create a free standing top made out of a piece of MDF/laminated board to put over the sink and washing machine for clothes sorting & folding. This free standing top can 'live' at the side of the washing machine when not needed. I would then put shelves above the folded back counter top to store washing powder and sundries. I would store the washing powder etc in colourful or white boxes to keep the place looking tidy and uniform. Handles on the boxes for ease of access. Oh I do love organising - can I pop round and do this for you? Hope all goes well with the changes.

Thank MAJ we are living in a warehouse 320 sq meters. We have been here for 10 years and although we love the open plan..it's like living in a fridge in winter. So we have decided to spilt the space into two identical four bedroom apartments. We will build a mezzanine level and have 2 bathrooms and one kitchen. We currently have our laundry appliance in the kitchen behind a cupboard. With 20 year olds and their partners living with us on and off, we have a lot of laundry when they leave their dirty laundry stays behind. We do not want to create a laundry room but a compact laundry in either a bathroom downstairs on a kitchen. So my question is what have people tried and what works. Thanks

It will be a very tight fit, but if you purchase a prefabricated - very small shower - it might work. The shower would have to be 36" wide with a corner entry, but I don't know how much room you have next to the toilet......? It's tight. so I am not sure about the width of the shower. You will have to measure the space. The stacking washer and dryer would be freestanding next to the shower at 24" wide. I agree that it would be better to have a tight bathroom and have more room in the kitchen.

Make sure you save up enough money for your bond and two weeks rent in advance - most agents usually require this and it's a big hole in your pocket to begin with! I slowly started buying things in the lead up that I knew I would need (plates, utensils, linen, appliances on sale, etc). Try to do most of your shopping around sale times. I stocked up at the boxing day sales and got a lot of stuff for really cheap! Other things I'd urge you to consider are: bedroom window light (ours face an internal common area with night time safety lights right next to them and let in a lot of light), number of bathrooms/schedules of house members, sufficient storage space and (assuming you'll be sharing with others) a clear idea of household duties/who will do what. Remember: it's your first time out of home, it's probably not going to be a dream-come-true kind of house but it's a great experience, so try not to stress too much!