Laundry Room Makeover-Reveal!

**If you click on the photos, you can enlarge them. **

If you missed the before photos of our laundry room, click here or just scroll down to the next post. It was bad, REALLY bad. I have been plotting to re do the room for a year. Finally Saturday, I sent Mark out for the paint. He is very thankful that my insanity is finally over. In that room anyways!



I had found a shower curtain at Kohls last year, and just loved it. I was pretty certain that Mark was not going to go for that in our bath, nor did we even need a shower curtain because of the shower doors. I was also very sure that I would scar Sawyer forever if I put it in the kids bath. So, why not use it in my laundry room! The room could certainly stand to be girlified for the GIRL who does laundry, right?

I had 2 curtains, cut off the bottoms and the side of one. Tied them with ribbon to a pole over the washer/dryer to hide the shelves behind. I also cleaned out those shelves, but I doubt you care what they look like! ;-)

Took the other part to use as a curtain over the window tossing out the dirty blinds. Used fabric I had left, to cover up the laundry basket. I had it tucked tight around that but it came loose when moving things around. I should sew it on, or in my world where I am lazy I simply use masking tape to hold fabric together. Terrible isn't it? But it works.



I want to get a vinyl quote for the wall, but for the time being just made the signs above the window. They say "The Laundry Room, Loads of Fun!"

Covered the ugly sink (which is really great to have, just not to look at) with fabric.

We bought this shelf to replace the open shelf. Made the pictures and just found the polka dot apron for only $5! Actually everything I bought for this room was $5 or less besides the curtains and the shelf. Alot of it I already had.

The verse is quite appropriate for a laundry room where clothes are washed for SEVEN, don't you think? I keep repeating it, over and over.

In case you are like my husband, and have no idea what these are, they are giant clothes pins. I found them at Marshalls on clearance. They were cream colored and cheap so I painted them and I think they turned out fun! No matter what my husband says! (to be honest I am not even sure they were clothes pins but they are now!)

A few people had suggested the laundry line idea. Thanks Colette for walking me through it! I really love how it turned out. On the back of those doors are mismatched socks and in the other we keep tape, scissors etc. Need to find a zebra stripe sock bag!


I just used black ribbon tacked to the wall. Cut out the dress from leftover shower curtain and zebra fabric. and the other accessories from the curtain. Had tiny clothes pins just painted them pink!

This is the last wall and I do have a plan. But it involves summer, mud and 5 children. Once I get that idea done, I will share!

There you have it. I have to say even Mark came in today and said he was going to put a chair in there to hide out and read! I do love it, and it was fun. I am still searching for a small (cheap) chandelier, a rug and an old fashioned wash board. (you know what i am talking about, the flat kind that I could paint and hang?)

Next project- Family Rules Canvas, can't wait!

Laundry Room Makeover- Before

I have been on an organizing, decorating kick this year and this project has been on my radar since LAST year! As I was reading some decorating blogs, I noticed that many people actually painted their laundry room. Hung pictures, organized. Those blogs made me smile. And it made so much sense! A room that I am in ALOT, should make me happy to enter, right? And my laundry room did not make me smile. I can't stand laundry. It. Is. NEVER.ENDING! So I convinced Mark that I should at least make an effort to make this MY room. If I have to take ownership of the laundry mountains that fill our house, I can surely take ownership of the laundry room. He, of course, thought it was ridiculous that I would waste my time on a room that no one sees. He is obviously man. But he was kind enough to put together a few things for me, run and get the paint and not grumble to much.

This is a picture of the room as you enter. I have finally come up with a system for doing laundry that works well for us. Will share that sometime. Blah, isn't that depressing?

To the left, all my cleaning supplies, and well, junk.

This is to the right. I adore my new washer and dryer, but the rest, ridiculous.

And then facing out to the kitchen.

I am thankful to have a room for laundry, and it is in a perfect spot, right off the kitchen. But it tends to turn into a catch all. (sadly as do many rooms in my house) Stay tuned for the new, fun and happy place that almost makes me WANT to do laundry! ;-)

Ice Skating Lessons

Kids started ice skating lessons. Everyone did much better than expected. We practically had the ice to ourselves. My children, give or take one, had never even been on the ice. Somehow missed a picture of Sawyer, but he is out there. Next week Mark is going to put on skates instead of just walking on the ice! ;-)

Maverys Model

Sometimes I drive my mommy CRAZY!

But then I know just how to melt her heart.

"Look I built Mommy & Mavery!"

Mavery loves to build with blocks and I thought this was very creative of her. I think she has a very artistic side to her. She enjoys working with her hands. Painting, coloring, building, drawing and will sit with play dough for a long time.

Things are going better around here. We are still working through, but we have come a long way. With that smile, how can WE not smile?

Snow Flakes!

Today during the middle of school we looked up and were amazed at the size of the snowflakes coming down. They were HUGE! The kids were excited to run out for a brief "recess" , did not even take time for coats as you can see.

Catching Snow, what could be better!

And in other news, Malaine lost another tooth today! It was hanging by a thread and thankfully it came out before gymnastics. She said she was NOT going to gymnastics with a hanging tooth! Can you see it, on the bottom? The other top is loose to. She is going to have a hard time eating soon!

A Stitch Slumber Party

You might remember awhile back Makenna planned an American Girl Sleepover for Malaine. You can peek at it here. She decided to plan a party for the little girls and started with Sage. Which was a bad idea because Mavery could not grasp being left out! However, Sage LOVED it! She is still a huge stitch fan, I am certain it is because they share a certain spiciness to them! They made a stitch face, played some games, had ice cream to look like stitch (kind of!) and watched the movie together. The best though for Sage was getting to sleep on her floor w/ her biggest sister. What a treat! (we made certain Mavery did not know this was going on!) Makenna really is an amazing big sister and I would be lost with out her! She already has a party planned for Mavery coming soon. Stay tuned for her theme!

Kitchen Organizing FINISHED!

The cabinet I talked about yesterday was bugging me. So I figured I could finish it during nap time today. Threw away a pile of recipes I know I will never actually make, organized the ones I hope I do get around to in my recipe binder

Added a few cookbooks to the get rid of pile, but kept most, as you can see.

The bin is holding all my Kraft magazines along with lots of those tiny cookbooks.

This is Makennas pile of cookbooks. She enjoys cooking and is a good cook to!

I did decide that I would still store dishes that I need to return in here in the open space. If you recognize your dish, please let me know because I need to work on labeling them with who they belong to! ;-)

And now, I need to finish this.

And that.

And those cabinets, ugh!

Next room to tackle, the laundry room.

2010 Organization-The Kitchen & Pantry

I love to organize, I really do. I love the challenge of it. What I don't like is the upkeep. It is much easier for me to spend hours cleaning out a cabinet or a closet, than to spend a few minutes every day keeping it up. What is the deal w/ that? Mark was out of town all week, and I have been reading lots of decorating and organizing blogs. The combination of the 2 inspired me to clear out the clutter! Project #1 is the kitchen. I took EVERYTHING out of the cabinets. Vacuumed, scrubbed, purged, and then put it all back together. The kids were pretty sure I had lost it and warned me Dad would not like the mess I was making! Mark does not understand to make things look better, there is a huge mess in the process!


This would be the mess the children were talking about. And yes, my Christmas decor is ALL up still. But that is a 2 adult job and so I was not tackling that on my own. See my cute new lap top, LOVE it. Oh I really really do!
This is the tupperware cabinet before. Love this has the roll out drawers. Also home of the 5 crock pots I own. One can never have to many crock pots if you ask me!



And one of the cabinets. The sippy cup cabinet that used to attack me when I opened the door! Much better, though I think we could still stand to get rid of a few more cups!



A tip I am sure you have all heard of. Empty out all your utensils. As you need one, put it back into the drawer. Those you have not used after a certain time, get rid of. This is my bag of spoons, spatulas, pampered chef gadgets, (not that I would ever get rid of those since my sister in law sells that!) Some things I know I might only use once a year, but once a year, I like them! so they have already been put back in the drawer. There are many things I doubt I will ever use unless I become a gourmet cook. And I promise you that is not happening in this lifetime. I took this theory with alot of my kitchen gadgets.. Quesadilla maker? Wok? 2 ice cream makers? Waffle Maker? I put them in the bin & if I have not used it by this summer, out of here




And this is the last cabinet I still need to do. My recipe cabinet. I did have it all nice at one time. And then with all the empty space I made I filled it with more junk. And most of those cookbooks, I do not use! Though they are fun to browse through at times. I hope to have it done this weekend. Unless I put up the Christmas stuff. Which would probably make more sense.

My favorite of the kitchen organizing. I found this idea on those great organizing blogs I have been reading. I have always had a hard time figuring out what to do with the spices. They are in my pantry, thrown in a basket, and anytime I need to find one, it takes a very long time. I had one of those merry go round thingys at one time, but those don't work for me. Do not hold enough, etc.. I was looking for a shelf to hang on my wall when I saw this great idea. Label the TOPS of each bottle, then keep them together alphabetically. GENIUS idea! One person actually used their label maker and labeled each thing, but I was to lazy to go on the hunt for mine. So I just grabbed a sharpie, and some masking tape for the dark colors.


So I went from complete chaos of having to pull out every spice to find what I needed, to knowing what it was, just by glancing at the top! I also realized I had 3 jars of cumin, 2 jars of poppy seeds among other doubles. Poppy seeds, I think some yummy ham sandwiches are on the menu soon!

Close up view, makes me happy all over again just to see how nice it looks!

Now the trick is, how long can it stay this way? Happy Organizing!