We moved into this house 5 years ago and while I was excited for all the space and the potential it had, there were many areas (because of lack of time) that were forgotten about and pushed aside. Mainly because the main floor was the primary space for guests. While the kitchen and bedrooms all got updates, the basement sat patiently waiting for its turn. It was in desperate need of a laundry room makeover.
One day while I was down in our Laundry / food storage room I finally reached my breaking point. The space had become a dumping ground for extra food, and laundry.
On top of it, the walkway was extremely narrow because of a bulky refrigerator in the middle of the space.
It Was Time For a laundry Room Makeover
I stood in the space for about 30 minutes and I asked myself “How can I make this space better RIGHT NOW”? We needed to update the food shelves because a few of them were broken or bent and there needed to be a better system. I wanted something that was pretty, but also very functional for my kids to use and easily keep organized.
Listen, we all LOVE Pinterest, but let’s get real! Pretty isn’t always functional. So my main focus was functional first and pretty second.
If you want to see the process, I actually filmed all the steps and you can watch the video HERE on my Heidi Sonboul Home Channel.
Move and Organize!
My first step was to take care of the fridge in the middle of the room. We bought a longer extension cord to move the refrigerator over under the stairs. This allowed us to have more space and cleared up the crowded feeling in the walkway.
The shelves were next. We took the old wire shelf, which was still in great condition, and put it next to the refrigerator (Where it fit perfectly). Then we took all of the food off the shelves and tossed out any expired items. I figured this would be a good time to tackle that long overdue project. Once everything was cleared out of the space, we built new shelves to give us the option to customize the size of shelves we needed for food.
Lastly we organized. I picked up baskets and bins that would allow me to store smaller food items much better and make it easier for my kids to help keep them tidy. I also built a small storage shelf for all our laundry needs to help organize the items that always ended up on top of the dryer, or worse, on the floor.
My Favorite Organizing Items
I found most of the items above on Amazon. If you want to get any of these for your next organizing project, I have provided the links below. A quick disclosure. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This just means that if you click on any of the Amazon links below and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you.
- Stackable Plastic Food Storage Organizer Bin Basket
- Curved Decorative Storage Basket (Target)
- Metal Wire Organizer Pantry Basket
- Wire Storage Rack – 5 Tier
- Plastic Expandable Spice/Can Rack – 3-Tier
- Tidy Cup Laundry Detergent Gadget – 2 pack
- Plastic Food Storage Organizer Bin Box – 4 Divided Sections 4 Pack
- 5-Tier Shelving Storage Unit
- ROLLING Laundry Cart
So Much Better!
It took about 3 days to do but it was well worth the effort. As a family we all chipped in which made the work go faster. Now when I step into this space, I actually want to be in here. We can all find things quickly and it just feels so great. Maybe it’s just the mom in me, but this was the BEST gift to myself.
Friends, I will testify that having a clean & tidy space is amazing. It’s nothing fancy, but this laundry room makeover looks so organized and that makes me SO ridiculously happy as a home keeper. Yes, I have more plans later this summer to paint in this space and to pretty it up more. For now though, it’s clean and just what I desperately needed in my mom life.
I have said it before and I will say it until I’m blue in the face. LOVE YOUR HOME. Take the time to make each space feel like you and your family. Do it on a budget and get creative. You will be so surprised at how much you can do with a modest amount, and by just giving each space some attention.
