Reader Space: Loads of Love for Laundry

Reader Spaces, oh how I have missed you!  Today's space is just what I needed to feel re-inspired about my own laundry situation.  Our laundry room makes me happy and isn't the most troubled spot in our home, but lately it has become a tornado of a mess and I have fallen behind with our daily washing routine.  There are a few lingering projects I would love to tackle in there, and I think that Jessica just bumped those up on our priority list.

Jessica blogs over at Live the Fancy Life, and I love her mission!  Live the Fancy Life is all about making every day count, living life to the fullest and enjoying the days we’ve been given.  And she is practically my neighbor, so I can't help but feel a connection with her!  Not to mention, she offers amazing advice for dressing little dudes.

When I first saw her laundry room, I quickly showed Bryan and begged him to finish up our laundry room projects.  He reminded me that we have a different project to finish up first, but he agreed, this is one heck of a transformation. 

Let's begin by taking a look at Jessica's laundry room before her recent makeover.

As you can see, it was begging for a little love and updating.  And that is just what happened!  I asked Jessica to stop by today to share more details.


What is the main function of the space?

"Laundry, laundry, laundry. I LOVE that this space allows us to fold and hang everything. If our boys are in bed, our clothes aren't stuck in baskets or laying on our bed. That always turns into a bad situation where they don't get put away for weeks."


Any superstar tips for keeping the space organized?

"For us, the individual baskets for each member of our family and different colored hangers and spaces on the hanging bar make a huge difference. Keeping the laundry detergent and dryer sheets organized is easy with a beautiful tray. The cabinets allow us to keep dirty clothes separate from clean clothes and even allow for extra storage for things like sheets. And a hidden trash can is a pretty nice bonus."

What items did you find were essential when organizing this space and why?

"Hands down, the hanging bar, built-in hampers and counter spaces. Several friends recommended the little tray for random pocket change and that is also so nice vs. having everything just laying on the counter."


What did you do to go the extra mile and "Make it Pretty"?

"Two words. Marble backsplash! Oh my! The backsplash has my heart. Is it necessary in a laundry room? Absolutely not, but it gives the room a stunning finish that could not be achieved with paint. I also love the laminate counters that are faux marble. They were exceptionally budget friendly, but make the room look higher end than it actually is. And the simple but pretty art from Rifle Paper Co. is so nice to look at."

What items did you DIY to stay on a budget?

"Please keep in mind that this project was mostly sponsored, but I did buy cabinets that were in stock and affordable. I went with very inexpensive laminate countertops that still achieved the look I was going for. And finally, the tile on the floor looks great, but it is actually vinyl and is a very budget-friendly option."


How has it impacted your life for the better? 

"Besides being pretty, this space is incredibly functional. It allows us to fold laundry and leave it until we have time to put it away. We have space to create organized piles and hanging things immediately means it doesn't end up in a basket for weeks. We have been caught up on laundry for the full two months since this space wrapped up. I definitely couldn't say that before. I don't even want to tell you how many loads of laundry were sitting in our hampers before this room change occurred." 

A complete transformation at its finest!

Having a similar setup with the folding counter and hanging bar, I can attest that it makes such a dramatic difference in our laundering process to have a place to fold and hang items to dry.  Toss in all of the added storage within the cabinets above and below, and you are able to display the pretty and tuck away the day-to-day visual clutter.

What we don't have and have always lusted after, is a counter over the washer and dryer.  What a difference it makes to have accessible solid surface for both storage and stacks of clothing.  It also provides a streamlined appearance in the space.  I adore that Jessica now has a place to display her decorative bins of laundry care items, as well as a catch-all tray for pocket items.  Pretty flowers are a plus.

Other takeaways are a tucked away trash can and color coded hangers for the family.  And backsplash.  Glorious, beautiful backsplash.  I agree, it was a game changer.

A load of thanks to Jessica for sharing her incredible makeover with all of us today.  I hope she is ready for all of the grumbling husbands around blogland.  I think many have laundry room projects in their future.

You can read more about Jessica's smashing space on her blog here.

*  All images courtesy of Live the Fancy Life and Melissa Oholendt Photography.

 

ATTENTION!!  Want to be featured in a Reader Space edition?  Have an awesome organizing story to share?  I am looking for projects that have made a positive impact to your life, big or small.  They can be anything from an organized drawer or cabinet to an entire room.  Please submit your story and photos to iheartreaderspace@gmail.com, and I would heart to feature them right here on the blog!!  Photos should be high resolution and unedited.  Please include a description of the project and how it has changed your life or routine for the better!  Oh, and no worries my friends, we will NEVER judge "before" pictures because that just wouldn't be nice!  Only love goes on at this blog!