Tiny Laundry Nook Update #1 // $100 Room Makeover Challenge

Tiny Laundry Nook Update #1 // $100 Room Makeover Challenge

Hello everyone, and welcome back to my second go at the $100 Room Challenge hosted by Erin at Lemons, Lavender, and Laundry!

I completed the $100 Room Challenge for the first time in January…I did our main-level powder room. And I love how it turned out.

I loved the kick in the butt the challenge gave me to get some stuff done on a deadline, so I decided to jump on for a second round. This time I’m working on our tiny laundry nook.

I call it a nook because it isn’t really a room. It has double doors that can open and close completely, but you can’t walk into it. There is, however, lots of wall space that can be used for storage and whatnot. One of the reasons I decided to tackle this space right now is because we’re about to rip out the small closet in the master bathroom to make room for a soaking tub (DREAMS DO COME TRUE FOLKS), and I wanted to make sure we kept some storage space nearby.

Truthfully, we don’t really use the linen closet for much other than towels, backup linens, and extra toiletries, so we could surely relocate those items elsewhere in the bathroom, like the shelving I want to put up above the toilet. But I am thinking more long-term…when we eventually sell the house one day, I don’t want people to go upstairs and say “wait, are there no closets in this house?”

The laundry nook has a 6-foot wire shelf in it…but does anyone else hate wire shelving? It looks cheap and is difficult to store some smaller things on. And although I liked being able to hang items from the shelf to dry, I felt like its placement was strange and didn’t allow us to maximize space. Plus, these shelves are mounted in the cheapest way possible, with the flimsiest drywall anchors ever. They can’t handle much weight at all. I hate it when people cut corners. Grrr.

So here are my goals for the space:

• Paint, including the ceiling
• Replace 6-foot wire shelving with wood shelving. I want to move the 6-foot shelf higher and use it for storing things like extra TP, backup linens, towels, etc., and then add two 3-ish-foot shelves below it for laundry detergent and whatever else.
• Mount a drying rack to the inside of one door.
• Install ironing board supplies “station” on left wall.
• Maybe add some art on the right wall using small Ikea frames I got from a friend for free.

And here’s my to-do list with a predicted budget for each:

• Remove wire shelving and bring to ReStore ($0)
• Patch drywall ($0)
• Paint walls and ceiling ($0)
• DIY shelving—cut, stain, finish, and mount ($40)
• DIY iron board/iron hanger ($10)
• DIY drying rack for sweaters/delicates ($40)
• Misc room in the budget ($10)

Here’s a further breakdown of what I need to buy:

• Paint to supplement what I already have
• Lumber for shelving
• Brackets for shelving
• Lumber for drying rack
• Hardware for drying rack
• Brackets for iron station

Progress I’ve Made…

I’ve already made some progress on the room as I write this post…I’ve pulled out the wire shelving, patched the drywall, and painting the space. Including the ceiling. FYI: painting ceilings is still the worst, in case you haven’t done it in a while and happened to forget.

Here’s a shot of some patching action…

My husband asked me why I was painting the space white when “it’s already white.” Sigh:

And painted! Would you check out that clean, beautiful canvas I have to work with now? I used Sherwin-Williams Extra White in an eggshell finish. The same we have in our master bedroom. I can’t wait to get that shelving back up so everything isn’t sitting in a pile in the hallway. 🙂

Next Wednesday I’ll be back with an update on the shelving. Until then. 🙂

Make sure to check out the rest of the $100 Room Challenge participants!

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