{Readers Space} Organized Laundry Room

After last weeks post on my two reader's spaces, I received lots of great feedback. It seems that you all like to see real life, not just pretty magazine pictures! I totally agree!

Today one of my reader's, Karen, is totally keeping it real with all of us. Wait till you see the transformation of her basement laundry room. 

Hi Amy,

Saw your before and after laundry room pics and thought I'd send mine along to you. The decluttering and organizing was long overdue! I got rid of tons of unnecessary products and donated them to a local shelter. The fabric bins are from HomeGoods, the wire shelving was a freebie from a friend that was getting rid of them, and the bright canary yellow paint was used to pick up on the colors from a print given to me from a friend who visited Belize. The flea market duck holds my stain removal products. The glass jar is quickly filling up from all the coins found in the bottom of the washer! Hmmm someone didn't check their pockets!

-Karen

Are you ready? Here are a couple before pics:

Seriously...how many of us throw whatever in the laundry room and shut the door before guests arrive!? Well I did too until I organized my laundry closet. 

Now wait until you see the after pics:

Um...hello! Or should I say Yellow!! Doesn't the color really brighten up the space and make it feel like a wonderful place to do laundry? I really love how you can freshen up a space with paint. The wire shelves are pretty great too!

I keep telling you all that baskets and bins are a girls best friend! These are so functional and Karen even followed my lead and created labels so she doesn't have to pull each bin down to find out what is inside! Love it!

Her adorable little window ledge holds her necessities and also the painting from where she grabbed some paint inspiration! Artwork is always a great jumping off point for any space. 

Well I am impressed...aren't you? She did all of this on a small budget with only small expenses like bins and paint! What are you all going to organize this weekend?

And of course....a BEFORE & AFTER!

Thanks Karen for sharing your progress! I am sure you have just inspired someone else to run to HomeGoods!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone! It is suppose to be 70 degrees here Sunday...time to play outside!

{Readers Spaces} Organized Homes

It is so wonderful to get emails and comments on how my spaces have inspired someone else. As the new year has started, many of you are getting organized in your homes. Two readers have recently sent me some before and after photos of their organized space. Take a look at their transformations!

Elisabeth was inspired by a redo of My Pantry a few months ago:

Her before.....

Her After: 

What I love: I love that she used baskets and bins to corral loose items. The aluminum foil and plastic wrap organizer is amazing! (I need to get one..pronto) She also used a small lazy susan for her oils. Her canned goods are organized using the same step shelves as these. I also have some and love that I can see all the canned items on my shelves without moving a million cans before you find the olives! hehe

Thanks Elisabeth for sharing your before and afters! You might have just inspired someone else!

****************************************************************************

My next Reader was inspired by my Laundry Closet Space. Janet lives in a rental, so she couldn't paint her laundry space, but boy did she do some damage at making it a workable space for her. 

Janet's Before:

Janet's After: 

Not done but here is where I stopped on Saturday night. Guess what?  My plastic containers were $1 a piece at the dollar tree!  I wanted some cuter/better ones like yours but I will have to add piece by piece over time.  Same with finding decor. Thanks for the inspiration! ~Janet

What I love: Once again I can't stress any more about how important it is to designate baskets and bins for a purpose. Creating a cleaning basket, a basket for light bulbs, extra detergent or rags makes the space more enjoyable to look at. Janet said that her bins were only $1 at the dollar store! I love the green pop! I might need to make my way to dollar tree in the near future. Janet also used a drink dispenser for her detergent. That is genius! I also love how she said she would add pieces over time and find some decor that would work for her. Sometimes when we jump into purchases, we regret them later on. Adding spice and character to your home little by little is what makes it reflect your personality and creates a place that you will love and enjoy!

Thanks Janet for your inspiration!

*********************************************************************************

How great are these spaces? They aren't fancy but they have function and really that is more important when you are living in your home and using each space daily. I think we sometimes forget that our homes need to function for us. Even though magazines and sometimes blogs portray having tidy, glamorous spaces...they are really not realistic in everyday life. I really enjoyed seeing these real spaces! Have these ladies inspired you to get organized in your pantry or laundry space?

If you would like to send in your before and afters....email them to eatsleepdecorate@gmail.com!

Have a fabulous day!

It's been great 2012!!

Can you really believe it is the last day of the year? As I look back on this year I feel somewhat content, unsettled, motivated and blessed all in one!! It has been a whirlwind.

I am so very thankful to have all of you supporting me as I ramble each day. It has been a successful blogging year and I have enjoyed each minute of it. I have now been blogging for a year and a half and the friends I have made through all of this.... are priceless!

For those of you who are new followers here are some of my top posts and projects from this year:

Adding Wainscoting to my entryway makeover 

DIY Book Jewelry box 

Added a Fresh New Color to my Front Door

SOLD our First Flip/Investment Home of 2012

Added a Gallery Wall in the Dining room

Gave you a peek into some of my master bedroom updates

Taught you all a quick and easy DIY- Chalk Painted Chargers

SOLD our Second Flip/Investment home of 2012!

Made a Ruffled Tree Skirt

And...the number one post on my blog in 2012 was.....

My Laundry Closet Organization!

Go figure...I guess everyone likes to do laundry! :)

I wish you all a happy and healthy 2013!  

Linked up with Tatertots&Jello

Featured at {IHeart Organizing}

Today I am over at Iheart Organizing: 

I am sharing my organizational tips for a small laundry room as well as media storage. Pop on over to Jen's blog and show her some bloggy love! Once you see what she can do, you won't be able to stop reading her posts. She is full of unbelievable organizational tips and tricks!


Thanks for the Fabulous Feature Jen!

Oh Summer...Where have you gone??

I find that as I get older, each year gets faster and faster...how about you? I really try to take time to slow life down, but it just doesn't seem to get any slower. Can you believe that we are already headed into the first full week of August? Seriously...where does the summer go?

I have been blessed with so many new followers to my blog this summer and wanted to make sure I updated you on some of the highlighted posts thus far in 2012!


January

1. Laundry Closet Makeover

2. DIY Artwork

3. Bathroom Organization (Towel Hooks)

4. Flight Chart Book Covers

February

1. No-Reply Comments Bloggers

2. DVD Organization

3. New Outside Digs

4. Valentines Mantel

March

1. Hallway Paint Choices

2. DIY Jewelry Box

3. Linen Closet Organization

April

1. Hallway Paint & Molding

2. Etsy Artwork Crush

3. Growing Wheat Grass

May

1. Entryway Reveal

2. Under the Sink Organization

3. Designer Crush {Amie Corley}

4. Front Door Reveal

June

1. Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps

2. How to Add Masculine Touches to your space

3. Exterior Paint choices

4. Sectional Couch Choices

July

1. Designer Crush {Katie Rosenfeld}

2. DIY Scrappy Tutu

3. Flip Home Floor Plans

4. What's New at Pottery Barn!

Thanks for following along! I couldn't do this without all of your comments and support!

Answering my Readers- Laundry Storage Solutions

Happy Friday All! Has this week gone as fast for you as it has for me?? I am excited for a weekend of projects and of course some Olympic Games!

Over the past year I have really tried hard to answer my reader's questions. I take a little time out of each day to respond to comments and questions. For some of you, you may never see my answer and that is because you are a no-reply blogger! If you aren't sure how to change that read about it here.

Well.... last week I received a great question from a reader about my laundry closet makeover:

My wife and I love this idea and are using this as inspiration to clean up our laundry room. We usually buy the large size laundry detergents. (The one that lays on it side with a spout hanging over the edge) Do you have any suggestions as to how to possibly hide it so it's not out in the open?


I did look through some great sites to find out how to hide those great big laundry detergents. The first thing that came to mind was to get some kind of large bin that would fit those large detergents in and possibly cut a small hole for the spout to stick through. That way you could still use the large detergent, but also have it hidden behind something pretty like:

via

I also found this fabulous idea that makes your detergent look a little prettier! Fill a drink dispenser with detergent and use a unique measuring cup! Love it!

via

If you had room between your washer and dryer I recommend this great organizational system:

Contemporary Storage And Organization design by Taylor Gifts via


For more great Laundry organization tips visit Southern Living- 10 Ways to Organize the Laundry room or Better Homes & Gardens- Laundry Room Storage Solutions.

And...if you missed my laundry closet makeover, hop on over here!

Have a wonderful weekend and try to stay cool!

Laundry Closet Makeover- Before & After

It was about time to do something to our Laundry Closet. Since my resolution is to get organized, I knew that I needed to start with the closets! I have always wished for a laundry "room", but right now we have a laundry "closet". I really dislike doing the laundry. In fact...it could be my least favorite chore around here! I wanted to make this closet a place I enjoy opening!

This is how it all started.....really exciting huh?

My first step was to take EVERYTHING off the shelves!!

And here is what my upstairs hallway looked like...YIKES!

I then started organizing the items into my awesome Target Finds!

Rags, Dusting/Ironing, Shoe Cleaners, Laundry Soap, etc.

I also found these glass jars at Home Goods for $4.99! Clothes pins in one....powder detergent in the other!

I now have a place for this cute dish my mother-in law gave me! It houses all my finds from pocket hunting!

Once all the items were organized, I started placing the bins and baskets back on the shelves.

Progress right??

I was starting to really fall in love....but there was still something missing.

I decided to add these bird prints that I had found at Michaels a while back and haven't found the right place for them.....until now! Perfect huh?

I also remembered pinning where to find Free Label Printables and decided to be even more OCD organized by making labels for all of the bins and baskets. (Go big or Go home right?)

I also found these self-laminating tags at Target for $2.50! Perfect!

Once they were all laminated, I clipped them on the baskets and bins with clothes pins.

After a long weekend of organizing, I am finally finished and so in love with my "new" Laundry Closet!!!

Wouldn't you want to do some laundry in this space??

How about a couple before and afters....shall we.......

Before:                                                  After:

Before:

After:

One Organized Closet......6 more to go! Whew!

Linked up at:  Remodelaholic Laundry & Mudroom Link up

Thrifty Decor Chick & The Inspired Room