LAUNDRY DAY- part 2

I wanted to revisit the topic of Making Things Lovely. Have you ever noticed how much more pleasant it is to work in a clean and organized environment? I have a couple of books I enjoy perusing that help me to see beauty in the every day tasks. We all need clean clothing. We all want to live in clean spaces. So, let’s take a look at how this may be doable in the laundry room.

Most homes in our part of the world have some place for laundry to be done, even if that is a corner of a basement. We generally wash our clothing inside using a machine. Most often, we have the correct temperature water available whenever we need it and can choose the setting needed for a particular load. Wow! All of this at our fingertips?

And yet, we don’t always enjoy stepping into said laundry space. I am very thankful that our laundry is on the main level of our ranch style home (above photo). We have a basement, but the original owners (Sweet Husband’s grandparents) needed wheelchair accessibility. And so, we have a laundry room right off of our kitchen/dining room. Some homes give the option of closing the door to the laundry room. Other homes may have the basement laundry option. Which ever one you find yourself in, I challenge you to make your laundry area lovely. How?

Cleanliness

I have the book entitled ‘The Simple Home’ by Rhonda Hetzel. While I do not agree with all of her home keeping methods, I do find her opinion on laundry refreshing. One thing she points out is the ‘elegance of cleanliness.’ What a picturesque way to describe it! As I had mentioned in a previous post, I am not one to suggest the best ways for stain removing or soaking. However, I do love a good, clean, and inviting room- where ever it may be.

Begin by taking everything off of your appliances and cleaning them with a nice all-purpose cleaner and rag. [NOTE: It is a good idea to have a specific place for rags in your laundry room! A drawer, linen bag, or basket works great and is still pretty.] Once you have cleaned the appliances, take down any wall decor and wash your walls down nicely. This doesn’t have to take a long time. Just a quick rub down will do. Dust can cling to walls in a most un-lovely way. Also wipe any windows and doors with glass cleaner and a new rag. Let the sunshine in!

After having wiped down all surfaces, including counter tops, you are ready to sort. Not laundry here! We are sorting things. I would suggest that you empty all cabinets and larger spaces (cleaning solutions, pods, brushes, lint rollers, etc) and have them spread out on you counter top or table. Now, the fun part, toss any old or unused products (be sure to properly dispose of chemicals).

I am going to put a plug in here for all natural cleaners. There are many options to choose from these days. But you can also make a lot of things very simply and with few ingredients- many I’m sure you already have on hand! More on that below.

Does your laundry space have a sink? Give it a good scrub down as well. Have a pretty towel hanging and an amber soap dispenser (hides the soap in case it’s a bright color). Use a wooden scrub brush(es) and sweet plate for bar soap.

Now that you have cleaned and wiped and tossed, open up your cabinets and look at the space you have available. Do you have built in cabinets? Open shelving? Stand alone cupboards? Every laundry space is different. And, every person likes things to look a certain way. Because of this, I have put together a few ideas for different types of spaces:

Open shelving: You can use baskets or cube boxes to hold items on open shelves. Folded towels, glass jars for housing items, or crates are all ideas for making open shelving beautiful and yet not look cluttered. If your laundry room/space is open to other areas of the house, looking across the room and seeing too much stuff does not look clean or tidy.

Cabinets: Again, here you can use pretty storage options to appeal to your lovely, yet utilitarian senses. The same items used for open shelving can be used here. However, since we are working with closed cabinet doors (assuming they are not glass doors), we could also get away with less than sweet options. Plastic totes/baskets, reused cardboard boxes (like photo boxes), even clean baking pans (for instance, loaf pans) can all work well here. It is an adventure to shop your own home and see what items you can find for storage. Be sure to label everything well.

Stand Alone Storage: All of the above storage solutions can work here as well. You may even have a large cupboard (for example, an old armoire or wooden tv cabinet) that would house pillows and blankets beautifully. Be sure to utilize all vertical space! Try to seek out solid furniture options versus flimsy, particle board pieces. This is especially important for possible leaks that could warp the boards.

We are still cleaning! Now that you have noted your spaces, take a moment to sweep and dust your laundry room. Shake any rugs out first. Empty dust catch-alls. Now, is your area clean? Good! Let’s move on to the fun part, shall we?

Organize

Ok, you may be frowning at my choice word here. For some people, organization is not a fun concept. Let’s look at it this way- you have cleaned your laundry space and now it is time to put things back. Being organized about it will save you time as well as make your spot lovely. Label your items (glass jars, totes, baskets, etc) in whatever way will help you and your own system.

I enjoy finding used glass jars at thrift stores and garage sales. I have found ever so many, washed them up, and then use them for storage throughout the house. It is especially important to label things when all powders can look the same. In my laundry room, I keep detergent, borax, and baking soda in large glass containers for use in cleaning. Vinegar is another must when it comes to naturally cleaning your home. Buy in bulk and keep things at hand as well as stored (if you have space).

We have cabinets in our laundry room; the same kind you find in the kitchen. Behind closed doors, my items are still lovely if I can make them so! When it comes to clutter, I am a ladybug. That means I prefer things stored inside cabinets, cupboards, and other pieces of furniture. It is often pretty, but if we look across the room, I won’t have quite the mess if cupboard doors are closed.

Our laundry cabinets house: laundry cleaning supplies, batteries, light bulbs, my herbal medicine cabinet, craft supplies, a junk drawer, rag drawer, and sewing notions. We are also blessed with a counter top above cabinet space for folding the laundry. This can become a catch all- so I have to be intentional to keep things put away. Keep like items together. Purge if necessary! You don’t need to keep everything! Pass things on, donate outgrown items, toss holed socks and trash, get rid of unnecessary extras. The more clutter we have, the less rest we take. Things keep us antsy and overwhelmed. Ok- finished with clutter talk for now.

Artwork and Decor

Now that things are clean and put away in an organized fashion, let’s add some beauty to the walls. If you don’t have wall space, add beauty in other ways!

Potted plants (real or faux)
Use real laundry baskets instead of plastic- I have acquired mine over time with gift cards and thrifting.
Artwork, printables, paintings- etsy has some delicious laundry room art that is not at all pricey. Work a puzzle and frame it if that’s your taste!
Old laundry memorabilia- washboards, irons, ironing boards
Peg rack or hooks
Utilitarian decor- hang your pretty broom and dustpan on the wall!
Mirror (makes a room seem larger)
Rug(s)- I have a matching pair from TJ Maxx, one smaller than the other. They work perfectly in our space and soften the room. Menard’s has some cute ones I saw this weekend!
Stool or chair- a place to sit or reach high places
Pretty lighting- lamp, fixture, or even nightlight

Need a Change?

Finally, I wanted to add a few ideas if you feel your laundry space needs a change within a budget! There are many free and/or inexpensive ways to update a room. I love seeing ‘before and after’ photos of what people have done to their spaces on a budget. Here are a few favorites:

Paint- this can be one of the least expensive boosts people can give a space. I know it is not cheap in many ways, but if we are considering a remodel, paint is the way to start! You may have half a can of paint from another project in the basement! Note: lighter colors of paint make rooms look larger!
Add a drying rack- if you have an upper cabinet on one side of your space and still some open area above your appliances against a wall, add a simple drying rack! You can get a wooden rod and some U brackets and viola- an instant spot to dry a few items.
Take the doors off of your cabinets- need instant open shelving? This can easily be accomplished with a screwdriver usually, and if you are excited about updating, add a couple coats of paint to the cabinets.
Shelf directly above washer/dryer- you can put a simple wooden shelf above the appliances with 3 shelf brackets and a piece of lumber. Leave it raw or add a stain! This shelf can house your detergent, wool dryer balls, and clothes pins without being in the way of the plumber if there is a leak.
Add (open) shelving to a blank wall- this can be accomplished as simply as you like. I have seen old hutch tops used, plain or scrolled shelf brackets with raw wood, utilitarian style pipes and stained wood, small bookshelves, or old kitchen cabinets revamped. Be sure to ask for help if you need to find studs. Use the proper tools so things are level and can hold weight.
Use curtains to hide your space- you can add small or large curtains to your laundry area fairly simply. Actual curtain rods, tension rods, or heavy string. Make curtains to fit, use a shower curtain, table cloth, store bought curtains, drop cloths, or even tea towels to fit your space. Clips, adhesive, rings. Below is a curtain I made that is on a tension rod in front of cabinet doors. Just a different look!

Is this helpful? Are you feeling adventurous this afternoon? Grab your kids or husband or best friend- draw up what you’d like and make it happen! You don’t need money in many areas, but you will need time, effort, and some good music. Shop your own home first! Moving things around can always be an easy refresh. Show me your ‘before and after’ photos! Can’t wait to see the space you do your laundry in!

Laundry blessings!

Want More?

Since I am a visual learner and like seeing things in front of me, I have collected a few Pinterest ideas that may help bring these above dreams into view: