Thursday, February 4, 2010

Laundry/Mudroom Dilemma?

Here's my most recent decorating dilemma.  First off just let me say that I am very blessed with a nice size house but the laundry room/mud room leaves something to be desired.  I have lived here for 4 months now and this room doesn't function for us very well.

Mudroom/Three Reasons Why

1.  It doesn't function as a mud room because there is no storage for coats, wet snow clothes, backpacks etc.

2.  This is our main entrance for the kids.  We can't see the bus from our front door.  Everyone else seems to use this door too.

3.  When you walk in you might see laundry drying etc. not the best hiding spot.  I have no where to hang my unmentionables.

Then the laundry room doesn't work for these reasons.

1.  No storage or very little for soap and iron etc.  I can't even put the ironing board in here. 

2.  No place for drying delicates.

3.  When laundry does get done it's in the way the doors cause a big mess. (see below)  I do laundry everyday so generally I don't get backed up but when I do sheets and towels they don't even fit in the room.


Here's my view from the kitchen



Here's the view as you walk in from the mudroom into the house, the closet you see here originally probably a coat closet. This closet has been converted into a pantry by the previous owners.  The green door is off the garage.



This is what you see upon entering the side door, it has one small sink and it's all about the W & D or any rags being dried that you can see I have here in the picture. 



See how close the doors are to one another, when you open them they just about bump into one another, not to mention you can't move.  Try doing this at 7 am with 2 not so happy kids! Fun, fun!


Here are some of my random thoughts and ideas about this room. 
Idea #1 First, take off the door between the kitchen/mudroom one problem is solved.  Second add some shelves or cabinets above washer and dryer for extra storage.  Move the pantry back to the other side of the kitchen and change the closet back to it's original purpose.  I could put hooks inside for backpacks, coats and wet shoes could go in the bottom. 

Idea #2

Move the laundry room to the basement and keep the plumbing in tact so later on possibly new owners or myself could once again use it as a laundry room.  I may not want to climb stairs when I'm 90.  LOL!  We have plenty of space down stairs near our furnace area that would make a nice size room where I could hang wash and actually iron if I need to.  Then in the mudroom we would fill the empty holes with these lockers from Sawdust City LLC, and at least it would be organized.  The pantry could stay or go one way or another we would have just a mudroom this way. 

I would love to know what you think, your opinions on any of this, we will probably be doing # 2 after my DH gets back home with us in March.  Anybody out there have great ways to disguise all the stuff?  I would love to know more about your mudrooms/laundry room issues.  Welcome to my new followers, I'm always tickled to see new faces when I visit my dashboard!  

Have a great day, don't forget to leave me a comment!

Carey 


15 comments:

  1. I wouldn't put the laundry room in the basement. I'm 27 and hate going up and down the steps all the time. If we ever add on to the house, the washer and dryer are coming back up stairs. I liked your first idea.

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  2. Hi, just found your blog while hopping and I am enjoying your lovely home and decor! I must also try out some of those receipes:)

    I can't really advise re laundry room as I can't get a solution for my own!lol
    Storage space is a huge problem-but whatever you decide, if the rest of your decor is anything to go by, it will be lovely:)
    Have a great day, ~Shazy x

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  3. For sure I'd keep the laundry on the first floor, especially if you do laundry every day. Have a great day, Dawn

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  4. My laundry/mudroom is even smaller! I live in a ranch style home, so I can't move my laundry room. I found what helps me is having 2 cabinets above the washer and dryer with a shelf in between. Also, what I would suggest is looking into a pocket door. If you don't know what a pocket door is, it slides into the wall when open.

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  5. I too am for keeping the laundry room where it is. Your first idea sounds like a good one. Take that extra door off and see if you like it that way. Easy switch back if you don't like it. Adding the shelves would be perfect for your cleaning products. It sounds like you put your laundry away after you wash and dry it so it isn't like it has to sit in the laundry room for long periods of time. Do you need the pantry? If not, your idea is perfect! Play around with moving things. It doesn't sound like it would be costly and you will know when it works for you.
    Let us know what you decide.
    Hugs,
    AMY

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  6. I think you find going to the basement a hassle so I hope for #1. Could you use a tension rod in the doorway where the door is removed and just add a prim shower curtain so you can block the view into the laundry room but it isn't in the way? Just an idea if you wanted to keep it closed.

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  7. My first thoughts are.. move to basement, make it a true mud room. I've got Pottery Barn on the brain right now. THEN reality sets in, and I'm thinking what a pain it would be to lug laundry up and down the steps, etc. I would probably forget wet clothes in the washer because.. well.. I just would... HA! Anyway... I think its a good idea to utilize the "up" factor. Shelves are a good thing. Also I use shoe racks that I stack to make room for shoes and boots and hooks on the wall for coats and backpacks.

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  8. Funny that you're posting this today! I'm working on my laundry room issues right now. We have the same problem. I have NO storage in there and my pantry door in the kitchen bumps into the laundry room door when they are both open.

    I like your first option. We're doing something very similar with ours. I have to agree with the others - I don't think you will like having to go down to the basement to do laundry. My sister in law's laundry room is in the basement and she hates it.

    Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

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  9. NEVER, EVER GIVE UP A LAUNDRY ROOM NO MATTER WHERE IT IS...I'd give anything to have mine in the main part of my house and not in the basement...wish I could help you with your delima kiddo.
    Karen

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  10. I agree -- don't give up that first floor laundry room! Option #1 seems like a really good place to start. If you don't want hooks in the closet, you could put some on one wall of the mudroom. We did that in our playroom off the kitchen so that the kids can hang up their coats and backpacks. Our garrison was built in '69 so downstairs closet space is virtually non-existent. We do have laundry on the first floor and I am very grateful to the previosu owners for that. They took out the tub in the downstairs bath and transformed it into a laundry closet. So much better than dealing with the basement!

    Good luck problem solving. You'll get there...

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  11. I have my laundry room in the basement and we have 2 laundry chutes to throw our laundry down. I'm used to it that way but I would love it if I had the room to have it on the main floor. I have 3 floors that I lug the laundry to when done. The chutes are ok, but if I forget about it since it's hidden it piles up pretty fast. Both your options sound great but since you want to have your laundry dry in private, number 2 sounds best.

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  12. I would die for a 1st floor laundry!! How bout stacking the washer and dryer? They sell kits online, or a local appliance store should do it for you. My Dad just did this, they only charged $50, freed up alot of room. Then I would take the door off.

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  13. I am agree with all girls above. Option#1 is the best. In my two previous houses, I had the laundry is the same floor that my BR's. Now I had my laundry in the first floor and the BR's in the second and is not easy when you had some loads to wash moving them up/down in the stairs. I hate those days (LOL). Think about it "when you had small kids all the laundry is yours" ...

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  14. Lovely home!! I love all the gingham! :-) Just found you by a comment on the Homespun Heart...greetings!

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  15. I know I'm a little late on this...lol..but I like your first idea :) I am 33...and we have a 2 story house...it's a good 15 stair climb to the second floor. Our laundry room is on the first floor but when I do laundry, I have to lug everything up and down those dreadful stairs. It's such a pain in the "you know what." And even though I like Amy's idea with turning soely into a mudroom....I've gotta go with your first idea because it's definitely not fun dragging laundry up and downstairs...lol.

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