Pantry Inspirations

While still searching for my perfect and cheap light fixture for the laundry room, I decided to start my second project which is to organize my pantry and make it pretty. I actually spend a lot of time in there and when the dogs aren't inside, the door is often open for everyone to see the mess.

Above are some of my inspiration items. I might not select these actual items but something similar depending on the price. As always, I'll need a budget that's next to nothing so I might search the house for things that I'm not using as well.

Storage and Accessory Buying for the New and Improved Laundry Room

My favorite find for the laundry room accessories was the chalkboard label pack. (see below). They come in a set of 6 for $3.99 from World Market. Not cheap but it's great to be able to change out what's on the label easily. Sometimes I hesitate putting items into cute containers because then I don't have the instructions on the packaging. Now I know that I use 1/2 scoop to 16 oz. of water for my Oxiclean solution to clean upholstery and carpets. This really works by the way. (I measured with their plastic scoop and put it into my metal scoop to get the right amount.) The jar, also from World market, at $13.99 was a cheaper solution to a similar jar at the Container Store. The set of 3 metal scoops was also $3.99. For their members they are sending out a 15% off coupon today which I used. So with tax the jar, scoops and 2 packs of labels were all under $25.00. Yay! I got extra labels for my pantry. Remember my resolutions this year.? That's getting redone too.

Cheap and Easy Decorative Switch Plates

The painting in the laundry room is finally complete. Good News! The bad news...white walls and almond switch plates. Of course I could call someone and have them switched out for white but that might break my design on a dime budget so I thought I would try out something that I saw on Pinterest.

Softening It Up With Some Fabric

In the laundry room redo I knew it would be important to soften up the room due to all of the hard cold elements in there already. Adding some fabric would do it but where? I don't have a window but wanted a little curtain so I decided to remove the doors under the sink and add a rod with fabric. I had never made a drape before so I did what I know and hemmed a rectangular shape out of some left over fabric from the dining room. I then added a strip of fabric on the back that was open on both ends to slide the curtain rod in.

Paint and a Gas Cook top

While cooking spaghetti last night on my gas cook top I smelled what seemed like a lighter fluid smell coming from the burners. I tried switching burners but they all smelled. I googled this and came across a site that said to call the local electric company because it could be a gas leak. That was terrifying. So I called CPS, our local electric and gas company and after explaining the situation, they told me to leave the house but not open any doors or windows somehow (and also not to use the phone, hmmm) and also not to turn on or off any lights. By this time it is about 10:30 at night with the kids in bed and two dogs and a husband who is telling me I'm crazy because it's not a gas leak. Ugh. We do have a carbon monoxide detector which wasn't going off but that wasn't making me feel any better. While in a fret wanting to get everyone out quickly the phone rang and I could tell it was the person that they were sending out to my house to check out the leak. Should I answer? They just told me not to use the phone and they're calling ME. Well as it turns out, they were calling to ask me if I had been doing any painting in the house. Strange question but it seems that the enamel paint that I was using in my laundry room was mixing with the flame on the gas cook top to make that smell. No gas leak after all. Of course they still came out to check everything. (cook top, furnaces, fireplace lighter,etc.) While it was a late night to have to get up at 6 am, I was so relieved to know that we don't have a dangerous gas leak. I had never heard of this but after researching on the web a little more, it turns out that it's really a thing.

I thought that I would share this in case anyone has a similar situation. Of course you should ALWAYS contact your gas company if you smell something weird but at least if you've been painting you won't be sent into a "the house is going to explode any moment" freak out. We had just watched Breaking Bad too. I won't spoil it for those of you that haven't seen it but it did not help the situation at all.

I did have a circumstance in a previous house where there was a strange eggy smell outside and that did turn out to be a small gas leak. So I did know that the smells were quite different. It's still a very scary situation. All of this said, if you notice a weird smell, leave the house and take everyone with you and call your electric company from a neighbors house to be safe. Let them check it out just to be sure.

What a Difference Paint and Hardware Can Make

Finally some progress in the laundry room. The paint is taking FOREVER. The white from Behr is supposed to be self-priming...yea,right. I've decided that painting with dark colors is easier. I can't believe I'm saying that. I'm so relieved to be getting rid of one of the last "beige" rooms in the house. I'm so bored with it and I'm sorry but beige does not go with everything. The laundry room is a lot brighter now with the white which it needed to be since it doesn't have a window.

From Closed Cabinets to Open Shelves

Some small progress in the laundry room...by simply removing some cabinet doors and adding an accent color, a wall of cabinets becomes more interesting.

Laundry Room Progress

My first step in the laundry room was to create a plan and figure out a color scheme working around the things that I'm not willing to pay to replace. The tile floor, the counter top, the sink and the refrigerator have to stay as well as the cabinets but I'm going to change the look of those.



BEFORE PICTURE ~ It really bothers me that the builder did not take the cabinets all the way up to the ceiling here. I'm not sure if I'm willing to take the time and the effort to move them up even though it bothers me. My budget will not allow my to hire someone to do it so that means it would be me. Hmmm?