Laundry Area- Before & After

Today's project is the laundry area.  

My laundry "room" is really a walkway, not a room.  It's a long, narrow hallway that used to be a back porch when the home was originally built over 70 years ago.  Over the years, previous owners enclosed it and made a small space for the washer and dryer.

It's not fancy.  It doesn't have many shelves, hooks that are functional, or enough space to hang my ironing board.  I did put a laundry sorter in front of the washer a few years ago that got most of the dirty laundry out of my room.  Yay!

Before

Requests:

• Get rid of the junk!  No toys on the dryer that were saved after being washed.
• Shelves or spaces for all the laundry soaps, etc.
• Clean- no more dryer lint everywhere
• Make it more functional

Budget:

• $0 and whatever I have on hand
• Painting & additional shelving would be great, but they're not in today's budget

 The Process

First- Clean
I took everything off & wiped it all down.  No more laundry soap granules, lint, or spilled fabric softener!  It looked so much better already- wow!

Second-  The Evaluation Process
Do I still need this?  Have I used it?  (The coupon expired in 2008.  I think it's safe to go!  haha!)

Never used - time to trash!

Yes, I still want to keep the bleach.  No, I don't need 3 partially used containers of it.  I consolidated the containers and tossed out the empty bottle.

No, the bottle of Shout isn't full.  It's empty.  Time to toss it!

Yes, I'd like to keep the bar of Fels Naptha for spot treating.  No, I don't want it to sit directly on the dryer- must find a container.

Yes, I'd like to keep the lost coin jar.

Yes, I'd really like to keep the laundry soap!  But, the container doesn't fit anymore- must find a better container.
  
Third- Containers
I found a traveling soap container that works great for the Fels Naptha to sit in.  Now my space is protected and the soap has a new home.

I've been making homemade laundry detergent lately and keeping it in an old ice cream container.  A "new" whipped topping container that fits better and allows me to free up some much needed space.

Fourth- Organizing
Now, it's time to really get to work.  When putting things back, they have to be functional.  You wouldn't put the flatware in the garage because it just doesn't work.  The same principle applies here.

 
Things should be arranged so that they are in the most efficient place- a "home" that is accessible and in the closest location to avoid duplication of motions or spillage.  These lead to inefficiencies, frustration, and the clutter bug.


I realized that I really didn't like the fake foliage that was spilling from the wall near the washing machine.  So, I took it out!  It felt so good to be free of the cheap plastic leaves that had been placed there to make the house more appealing to buyers over 10 years ago.  (Why did I wait so long?)


In its place I discovered that I did have another shelf- wow!  After some cleaning, it became the new home for the ironing supplies and bottles that were on the dryer.

Fun Discoveries of the Process:

• A car seat manual.  Who would've thought to look on top of the dryer?!
• Buttons
• Outdoor Christmas light hangers
• Detergent samples 
• Shoe laces
• A child's watch and ring

This project has given me a fresh start on laundry! (haha)  I feel lighter, uplifted, and happy to see improvement.

Organizing and designing a space that feels comfortable and that truly works for each individual is what I really enjoy.  Keep following along for more ideas that help you Get It All Together.

 Before & After

Hate Ironing? Me, too!

Hate Ironing?  Me, too!                                                                

It seems like today there are too many piles of dirty clothes & not enough maids to wash & iron them all.  If you're still looking for your ironing maid and want to avoid pressing them all by yourself, maybe this will help.

 Here are my strategies for AVOIDING IRONING AT ALL COSTS:

First, if at all possible, fold the laundry as soon as it is finished drying.  We all know this is the ideal, but have you ever thought about how much time it actually saves you in de-wrinkling clothes? Remember, the heavier/fuller the load, and the more compacted it is in that small laundry basket, the more wrinkles.
(Heavy/full load + stuffed into laundry basket = LOTS of Wrinkles) If you can fold straight out of the dryer, this really is the best strategy.

When that's not possible-

• Lay out items that are most important.  For instance, lay out shirts flat on the bed until later and leave socks or washcloths to be folded later.

• Fold the clothes as you take them out of the dryer.  It doesn't (usually) take more than 5 minutes and then the next load is ready to get started.  *Note- this works best when the load isn't overly full and/or hasn't sat for days at a time.  (Sigh, maybe next time!)

•  Put a damp (not soaking wet) towel in the dryer with the wrinkled clothes & run for about 10 minutes.  This may take a few more minutes depending on how full your load is.

•  Here's one of my favorites!  If you haven't tried Downy Wrinkle Releaser, you're really missing out! This is great for T-shirts that have been crumpled in the bottom of a suitcase or "folded" in your child's drawer.  It's usually under $4 for a bottle that should last several to 6 months.  You spray it on the fabric, smooth it out, and let it dry. Ta da!  No wrinkles & it smells Downy fresh.  :)  *Note, not a miracle for button-down shirts, but great for cottons!  (We usually spray it on as we're running out the door & by the time we're at our destination- less than 15 min.- it's dry and wrinkle-free.)

•  For all you working moms- what about washing a load in the morning before you leave the house & then putting it in the dryer when you get home?  That gives you about an hour to finish dinner, etc. before folding time.  If you're really feeling motivated, you can throw another load in the washer when the first goes in the dryer and get 2 done in one night.  Just think how free your weekends will be with just one load behind you each night!  I'm seeing fun-filled days of picnics, walks in the park, and movie dates in your future!  :)

Sometimes, with a little organization, you can avoid more work in the end.  Keep it up, get creative, and keep trying to Get it All Together.

Care to share your solutions for avoiding the "pressing" work at hand?

Another Day, Another Load

Today, ugh.  I'm, ugh.  Sick, ugh.  Which gets me thinking about how much cleaning & organizing I have to do in order to make up for this sick time with 3 kids around.

So, let's talk laundry.  Have you noticed that it piles up when you're not looking?  Here's an idea for keeping it under control-

Laundry Basket Sorter   
I invested in a 3 load sorter a few years ago and I love it!  (Sometimes I wish I had another & could sort more at a time.)

When my kids were too small to read, I took a permanent marker and (a little hesitantly) wrote on the outside of each basket what it should hold.  I drew a pair of jeans for the pants, wrote in black for darks, and used 2 different colors for colored clothing.  The kids were excited to help like big kids and I was, too!  It saves me a lot of time sorting clothes when my family sorts their own laundry.  All I have to do, is wash and wash and wash and wash and....well, you get the point.

On days like today, when you're not feeling your best and things have gone awry, remember to give yourself a little slack.  You'll feel better soon and, after all, with another day comes another load.