Tuesday, May 17, 2016

22 Laundry Room Finishing Touches

Right now it feels like all of our spaces are only about 75% done.  Taking a few months off of major DIY was nice, but I am diving back in and it is creating a huge trickle effect.  The office/boy den swap started months ago, but we are finally getting around to actually making the spaces our own with some personal touches.  Not only will we be finishing up those two areas, the adjoining family room will receive a few updates, as will the laundry room.  And then there is the kitchen/dining/living room.  Only a few final things to complete and those spaces will be finished as well.  #yikes

It can get a little overwhelming, and the organizer in me would love to just go down a list in each space and knock each one out, one after the other.  But our schedule right now just is not allowing for that as I had hoped.  Bryan took on coaching high school ball this year, so that means five nights/week of practice and games for him and our oldest son.  We are two months in and still have at least one more to go.  That paired with his already busy work schedule and our other boy's activities and we have been left with very little DIY time.  I didn't mind it for awhile, the break was actually welcomed.   But all of the unfinished areas are beginning to wear on me and get under my skin (I realize I drove the changes in the first place).  And the nicer weather means we can whip out all of our bigger tools and project supplies again.  I sort of wish I could just snap my fingers and be done with them all...  Am I the only one who has lofty dreams of unicorns sweeping in and making magical DIY moments happen?

That said, I apologize that I might be skipping around a bit.  I was going to save up a few projects to try and blog in space specific order, but there may be times we have to move around based on our schedule and project magnitude.  If the laundry room has a project on the list that can be done during the week, we are going to just try and get it done, and maybe move to the office or boy's space on the weekend.  I will try to link back at the bottom of each post so it doesn't become too confusing as we bop around over the next few months.

So, the laundry room! I am VERY excited about this.  This is a space I have been wanting to finish up since we purchased our front loading washer and dryer about 8-9 years ago.  It actually has come a long way with the addition of new flooring, floating shelving and built-in wall-to-wall storage.  However, there are still areas that need to be addressed.  The small counter we installed a few years ago is warping pretty badly, the temporary paper we added eventually curled and half has come down, we never created storage for the boy's sorting buckets (and two ultimately broke) and our utility sink has 15 years of grime and paint layered on all sides.  We have also been wanting to install a counter over the washer and dryer, as well as a cabinet, sink and pull-out faucet.  The only thing that was stopping us are the appliance hook-ups that are too high, which we should be able to lower fairly easily.



The boy's new hang-out room will boast a mini-fridge, snacks and a popcorn maker, so we would like the nearby laundry room to be set up in a way that a few dishes can be washed and aid in keeping the spaces tidy.  And that is where the push to just get things finished up comes in.


LAUNDRY ROOM TO-DO LIST:

  1. Remove remaining paper backing from our built-in cabinetry, and try a beautiful peel-and-stick option instead.
  2. Install three wire sorting baskets into the built-in for the boys (inspiration image here).
  3. Replace warping counter with a solid, reclaimed wood option.
  4. Lower washer/dryer hook-ups and add counter over appliances.
  5. Install new wash sink, cabinet and faucet.
  6. Tile behind washer/dryer and sink.
  7. Install additional sconce lighting over floating shelves.
  8. Simplify washing product and accessory clutter.

One of my favorite features of our house is the size of our laundry room, and that it is such a happy place to do chores.  I really don't like doing laundry; it is probably one of my least favorite household tasks.  But we are fortunate to have a great space and I can't wait to finally finish it off right.  With all of the storage that it offers, next to the kitchen it is the secondary hub of our home.




I have started to pull samples of all of my ideas, and I am really liking the overall feeling.  The temporary wallpaper is so lively and bold while the tile is a subtle compliment in a soothing color.  The baskets don't exactly fit the cubbies yet, but we hope to get those installed this week with some minor modifications.  And I absolutely can't wait to add the natural wood element to the space to really warm up all of the cool blue and gray tones... And those sconces?  I may have done a little jig when I stumbled on them earlier this week.

A few folks have asked for an office update, so I will try and put one together soon.  I don't really have all of those design plans nailed down, but I do have some ideas and love that the majority of the room should come together with things we already own and love.

All of this project chat tells me I may have to finally overcome my fear of sharp electric tools, we clearly have a lot of fun ahead of us in the next few months!  #justdoit

22 comments:

  1. I love a good utility room makeover - they make me feel very happy on a very basic domestic level!
    (May I be 'that person' for one quick comment and say that when you mention something that belongs to more than one of your sons it should be boys' - as in 'boys' sorting buckets' or 'boys' new hang-out room'. Thank you for indulging my pedantry!)

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  2. Do you have a source for that brass cup pull in the bottom picture? I love it!

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    1. Absolutely! They are Martha Stewart for Home Depot: http://m.homedepot.com/p/Martha-Stewart-Living-3-in-76mm-Bedford-Brass-Awning-Cup-Pull-P20635C-474-CP/202241367

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  3. YAY! I'm excited for all your updates x

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  4. I'm loving your plans especially that tile! It looks like it would be gorgeous. Also what brand dryer and washer are those? I know you posted about it in one of your posts. I feel like you have.

    liz @ j for joiner

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    1. Ours are Maytag, I wasn't able to find images of our exact models any longer since they are older, so I just looked for something similar for the idea board. We still love them! :)

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  5. Oooh, I am loving that wallpaper! Would definitely give the whole room a lovely, inviting look.

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  6. Have you considered putting your washer and dryer on some sort of platform to eliminate the need to lower the hookups on the wall? I have mine on a platform, not for hiding the hookups but because I'm tall, and I hated having to bend over so far to check for stray socks!

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    1. I actually love the look of pedestals but we are shorties and I like the idea of having a large counter for sorting, folding and drying. :)

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  7. Hi Jen! I've always drooled over your laundry room and cannot wait to see what you do next! I was just wondering if you could do a garage laundry room "what would Jen do" ? My washer/dryer are just sitting in the middle of my garage and it's horrible... I'm sure you'd have some fabulous ideas on how to make it appealing :)

    -thanks!
    Lindsay

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    1. I would love to take a peek! Feel free to pop over a pic to: wwjendo.iheartorganizing@gmail.com. ☺️

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    2. I also have a small section of my garage dedicated to laundry and would love to see this post!
      Makes seeing your beautiful laundry a dream! I like to dream! Thanks
      for keeping us posted.

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  8. Can't wait to see all of your finished spaces! But this laundry pic made me want to share mine with you. My bins are similar to what you have and I know how much you love some pretty paper/fabric to fancy up a space! I love what I did in my laundry closet and am already ready to swap out the pattern for something different...which was sort of my plan all along! A cheap way to stay organized and accommodate crazy obsessions (and fears) of trends! :) http://missfrugalfancypants.com/laundry-room-makeover/

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    1. Love the fabric covered bins! Thank you for sharing! It's great that you can swap things up from time to time with little risk or investment. My kind of plan! :)

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  9. I love this post. I find it so honest and refreshing. We are mid reno and also find ourselves jumping from project to project as inspiration/weather/time allows. There are some less than enjoyable projects that keep getting bumped which I'm going to have to just suck up and finish, (kitchen cabinets!!! Ahh!) but we do find that it makes the process more enjoyable when we are flexible and go with the flow. Thanks for sharing all the ups and downs. I can't wait to see the laundry room and boy den when they are done!

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    1. And I love hearing from others in the same boat also! Weather and schedules really have changed how we tackle things around here. Wishing you lots of fun as you take on all of your projects Pamela!

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  10. I love how you talk about wanting to do everything in order, but instead just doing things as you are able to do them! It's a great attitude :) "Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good." I love reading your posts for inspiration!

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  11. Can I just say I'm glad I'm not the only one with a paint grime all over my utility sink?! I always thought I was doing something wrong because anytime I spy my friend's utility sinks they are pristine. Sigh...the life of DIYers!

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  12. Oooooo I am so excited to see your laundry room!!! I absolutely love your plans! You style is so fun and I'm always drawn to it.

    Also I love how honest you are in posts. Even if your mid project, you still post with updates or small tidbits about the project. I've been SO SLOW with updating our house. I have all these big plans and I'm always short on time. It feels like we're so behind since we have already been in our new house for a year now ( I can't use the "we just moved in" excuse anymore ). Projects take time though, it's not as easy as it is in magazine or some blogs.

    Can't wait to see the results!
    >> Christene Holder

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  13. Do you love the front load machines? I hate ours, but I love the idea of a counter. We will be buying a new set soon. I can't get over the smell! Even with the door left open it still smells.

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    1. I started cycle cleaning my washer a few years ago and it helps so much with any smells, as does leaving the door cracked and using specific washing detergents. I truly do like our front loader. Being on the short side, I could never reach the bottom of our top loader (imagine me leaning in with feet off of the ground...). Here is the post on cycle cleaning: http://www.iheartorganizing.com/2014/03/monthly-clean-home-challenge-cycle.html


      xo!

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