This ia a really old article. My third drawer now houses all those 'one off' bits and pieces that don't warrant a drawer for themselves and their ilk. Amazingly, when I need...that thinamejig or whatzit that would do the trick its always in the thrid drawer. tangled up with all the other 'third drawer' one offs. So - third drawer for whatever you need! Pretty good system really. Apologies to the professional cabinet makers who cater to the super organised...drawers with partitions. Honestly, if I absolutely had to live according to the norm.."a place for everything and everything in its place" I'd go a bit batty trying to remember what was supposed to occupy what partition and I think, the way my mind works, I'd feel quite frustrated. I don't have time to be super duper organised down to the colour coding, the things of square or round shape, the plastics and the chinas...and I certainly do not posess a china cabinet where to display all the expensive and heirloom dinnerware. that would never get used...can't see the sense. In fact, I only have six drawers in my kitchen and a nice large 100yr old built in linen and pantry cupboard down the length of the hallway that was built to house the basic kitchen utensils and also has room for any modrn appliances. My kitchen is small, functional, individual ane compact, My beautiful wrinkly assistance dog has his own drawer...and he diligently takes out and replaces his "stuff". My bits and pieces live in the third drawer and when all is put way there's a sense of ease in my kitchen.

Now you have posted this picture with an unmade bed and clothes all over it for us to see - note future girlfriend may be a houzzer. Number 1 make bed and put away clothes before guests arrive or you take and post photos as all the paintings and new doona covers in the world won't make up for this. After this consider all the great suggestions above. Note to self - make your own bed more often please rather than advising others to do same.

I enjoy the challenge of using space efficiently and owning what I need, not what I want. I've been clearing the excess items from my kitchen for a few years now and enjoying a more spacious feel without actually increasing the size. For the laundry I like the washer and dryer (Australian size) built-in under a long bench top so it looks neat and uncluttered. The bench provides plenty of area to fold washing and do other jobs. I love a large, deep tub for cleaning oven racks in and other big or awkward tasks. Plus a wall of storage cupboards and drawers. So a practical, well designed kitchen is a must but so is a laundry. For me they don't have to be big, just well thought out. I can't choose.

I have just moved into a new house where we designed a kitchen/scullery very similar to yours - kitchen for preparation and cooking while being part of the household and the scullery for dirty dishes and storage of crockery and food items that are used occasionally or for sandwiches and snacks (little preparation). There is also a drinks area just outside the scullery (with a very small sink and a tap that has a choice of ready hot or chilled water - it is used constantly). The fridge is placed in the middle between the main preparation kitchen and the scullery where the toaster is also kept. People wanting coffee, toast, snacks can access everything without bothering the person/ people cooking. Our hot plates and wall oven are separated by an L-shaped bench with a single sink, which works very well. However, the sink is much closer to the oven than the hot plates which was bad planning. I underestimated the number of times I move between the sink and the stove top (including rinsing my hands between tasks). The sink needs to be close to the cooktop - and, because you are not stacking dirty or drying dishes there, the amount of bench space between the cooktop and sink does not need to be all that large. One other thing that I am really glad we upgraded to is a synthetic stone bench that is allows you to put pans on directly from the oven (most do not) - brilliant. It also allows you to cut directly in in. I usually don't do this, not because I ma concerned about the bench top but because I dont want to blunt my good knives :)