Laundry Zone Dilemnas

If you could only see how this house has changed inside since we moved in eight years ago! Whoa! It's no wonder I can't keep it clean, because I am always coming up with another project! A year and a half ago I would have told you that we were done with all the changes with a small exception. The tiny hallway area near the kitchen and the stairway area both needed a coat of paint. That little project has yet to be done, because I just can't settle on a paint color for hallways... I mean, it is just a hallway, but I DO NOT want white and color just seems bold... Anyway, I just keep changing things!!! I actually have a cool idea for that little hallway area that, if I get motivated I might just do soon and I will let you see. Anywhooooo ... this is about my Laundry Zone!! This house is over a 100 years old, so much of the layout does not make much sense sometimes. We removed a square water heater from the back left corner of this area that was the SIZE OF THE DRYER! Crazy! So, the house had this very old electric hot water heater and this other BLUE MONSTER gas hot water heater in the right corner... Uh... yeah, TWO hot water heaters... Why would you need two hot water heaters running through the same pipes?! Really!! When we replaced the floors in this area we decided one of them just needed to go. So imagine that there was a square hot water heater where you see my dryer.... What could that mean? That meant that the dryer and the washer were sitting beside each other along the wall on the right and also, alongside my upright freezer. So, I moved the dryer to the wall under the window and had my washer sitting beside the blue monster on the right side wall. I liked this setup better, but this area has always been a challenge. At one point I even bought double bi-fold doors to section this area off from my kitchen, but it just didn't feel right when I started putting the doors up. So, I thought that maybe a divider screen would work... No, I worried too much about the possiblity of it falling on my precious children's heads. Either way it would have closed this space off in a very awkward way and there would have not been much room to move around. All-in-all I decided to just live with it like it was and decorate it as part of my kitchen. And yes, I have those crazy bold colors in my kitchen, too. ;) My kitchen is in the center of this house with all the other rooms around it, which means there are NO windows. Even though it was painted light colors it was very depressing and had no life in it.... Gloomy with a capital "G". So, my latest change is to bring in modular chest of drawers set and move my washer and freezer further down just a bit. Oh yeah, I did have a couple of small shelf racks there, but you could see everything and it added to the clutter. I got this fabulous chest of drawers for about $2 (along with 13 others and three desks for... all under $43 total). Yes, once again you are reminded of how "frugal"I am. ;) I can't say I am in love with the color, but for closets and a laundry area I just don't get too concerned with color as long as it is not repulsive. So, I guess the reason I am showing this and sharing this information is to show that by making this simple change I now have a laundry folding and sorting are (other than just the top of the dryer). Amazingly, this small change makes a huge difference and the drawers are great storage for laundry supplies and food (this area also serves as my food pantry). And I will just say that I wanted to put everyones socks and underwear in these drawers, but my husband thought it was crazy... for now we won't do that, but I have a feeling I will make that change soon and I bet you he will like it!! So, the next thing I plan to do in this area is to GO UP! I was thinking a cabinet or a shelf that would hold laundry baskets. My husband suggested a wire shelf which I was saying no to, but I have been thinking that I could hand clothes up as we pull them out of the dryer and he might just be on to something. Laundry baskets could be stored on the shelf... all that jazz. And this is where the "dilemna" part comes in... GOING UP! What do ALL OF YOU SUGGEST... ANY TIPS FOR ME.... BRING IT ON!!! Remember I love frugal ideas, but I am not to cheap to spend money for a good cause. ;)