My 28 Day Challenge Entry- Laundry Room

*I answered the wrong questions in an earlier post, so I apologize if you are seeing the same/similar post again.Thanks guys!*

From RAGS To RICHES on $2.76

Don't believe me? 

Just take a look!

Before:

 

After:

 

 

(The corner to the left of the door, my sock bag and tote bag for downstairs dirty/clean clothing, prior to this, this corner was empty!)

 And the hook on the back of the door (was originally empty)!

1. What was the hardest part of the challenge for you and were you able to overcome it?
Actually finding time to start the project. I've really been feeling overwhelmed by life (waiting for husband to get waiver and deploy, planning for baby three, homeschooling, cleaning, you get the idea)...not to mention my laundry room, so to finally find an area of my life that I can gain control on was a blessing indeed. I really LOVE coming into this room to get to work because it's FUNctional! I mentioned in an earlier post that I loved my older laundry (even though it was impossible to open both the wash and dryer at the same time, or to have either machine open and use the doors to enter/exit the room..serious space issues) because it was functional and organized! I was happy to do laundry...to spend time taking care of my family by keeping their clothes cleaned and orderly! Now, I'm enjoying my new space!

2. Tell us what kind of changes/habits you have put into place in order for your area/room to maintain its new order?
I am now emptying the room when I go to get the girls from their bed in the mornings...which prevents that MESS of childrens clothing from forming in the laundry room, the sock line has allowed me to match my socks quickly and prevent them from getting out of hand (not to mention keeping us from having to hunt for socks before we can leave in the morning), and as our clothes are dry-ed I am carrying them to the room. By keeping the clothing from piling up, I'm able to utilize the tops of the machines as folding/sorting space. I'm still using my tote bag system to carry the "clean" kitchen laundry downstairs in the mornings, and the "dirty" laundry up at night. I also store the white/black/not easily matched socks in my tote bag to be sorted once a week (as opposed to waiting til the bag is overflowing).

3. What did you do with the “stuff” you were able to purge out of your newly organized space?
The main items purged from the space were just stuck there because I was being too lazy to put them where they belonged in our storage area in the basement. The drying rack that came with the house went into the original dryer (why didn't I do that months ago?), and the storage bags went in our "moving supplies" box for when we get our next orders!

4. What creative storage solutions were you able to introduce in order to create additional space as well as establish some limits and boundaries?
I spent $2.76 on some hooks to hold both the Kitchen Laundry Tote and the Sock Tote as well as the dryer rack for our dryer. Because of my poor planning...and my serious lack of motivation, my budget for this room was ideally $0....but $2.76 meant I wasn't going to have to take my pregnant self into the basement to move boxes and find the extra hooks we had....but I WAS NOT going to buy storage solutions...so instead I made them! 

.My storage bins started out as these:

 

Yep, those are old diaper boxes and wipes boxes! And there is TONS of room left on that shelf, and wrapping paper (from leftover Christmas Sales...although it doesn't look very festive) to make more of these boxes for future storage!  I have one for bulk items (extra detergent and stain fighters), Stain fighters and Bleach, and Needed baby storage items.

 

I made the sock line using yarn and paper clips (didn't have any clothes pins) to help me match my socks more easily!

I wrapped the shelf that had been sitting under our sink to match, and installed it at my level so that I could easily reach my detergent and frequently used stain fighter.  These hooks cost 2.76 and were my ONLY purchase. The small blue/green bag is used to hold unmatched socks that would require concentration to match (white/black/etc) and the pink polka dotted one is carried downstairs each morning to put clean dish towels away and carry dirty ones upstairs.

 

The third hook is put on the back of the door to hold the drying rack for our dryer...it is RARELY used! And I cleared the tops of the machines off and covered in white shelf liner to provide a space to fold and sort! The girls clothing goes on the left of the sock line (which serves as a boundary) and our clothing goes on the right. Surprisingly enough, this is how my laundry room STILL looks (except there aren't any towels, and there IS a flight suit "air drying" per USAF regulations on my door hook along with the dryer rack. It'll be gone in the morning...when Ryan gets ready for work.

5. Why do you think you should win this challenge?

It may sound absurd, but  I think regardless of whether I win any prizes...I've already won a bit of control back over the madness that seems to be the prevailing theme in my life (waiting for a deployment date, waiting to find out if I'll deliver alone, homeschooling, ballet, drs appointments, etc). So much is "out of my control" it's prize enough to have something that is in complete order and completely within my control. I can keep up with this small part of my life, and plan accordingly. I also hope to take the peace that this has given me, and the freedom this room has given me and expand it into the rest of my life...starting with the sewing room that will be becoming the nursery.

Perhaps, I'll manage to have a beautifully organized home before our newest addition arrives in August!

If you want to see what other spaces have been attacked and organized...go to I'm an Organizing Junkie to view her 28 Day Challenge Participants.
For final products of small spaces (the category I'm entered in) click here!