Let’s keep it real – keeping up with the Joneses is difficult and creates additional stress and expenses that none of us need in our lives. Nevertheless, we still want our home to look new and up-to-date. My laundry room has been an eyesore since we moved into our home. I replaced my washer and dryer with high-efficiency machines some years ago, but the room still looked old and unorganized, and I dreaded being in there.
This summer, I decided it was finally time to refresh my laundry room. First, I looked at how to use my space more efficiently. My laundry room had no dedicated storage area and no space for folding clothes or displaying my laundry products. Secondly, I wanted the room to look fresh and airy. With worn floors and fading paint, I needed to find a cost-effective solution.
Over the course of two weekends, I tackled the following steps. My new laundry room is bright and beautiful, making me feel happy going into it now, and I didn’t break the bank doing it. I hope you’re able to create a wonderful space to do your laundry as well!
1. Reimagine the Space Before You Start
Before removing things that aren’t too large, look at the space and then decide if the changes you want to make are reasonable and can fit into your predetermined budget. In addition, choose a setup that will help streamline your family’s laundry routine.
2. Clean the Space
Part of cleaning this space means deodorizing the washing machine, removing the lint from the dryer dispenser, and a thorough cleaning under the washer and dryer is a must.
3. Decide the Best Color for Your Room
I have a small laundry room, and I wanted a bright, airy, and inviting paint color to make the space seem bigger. Select a cool paint color like white, gray, or blue to help make the room feel more spacious and lighter. I used light blue paint instead of white for my walls because the washer and dryer are white, and a little contrast to a space is nice. I also painted the cabinet and the shelves white.
4. Choose a Countertop to Enhance Your Space
First, I measured the surface area of the top of the washer and dryer area. Then I ordered an inexpensive Formica laminate countertop from Home Depot. It cost about $130 and was easy to install. I took it to the next level by applying a removable waterproof wood-like contact peel-and-stick vinyl over the laminate countertop. Doing this DIY project gave the countertop wooden farmhouse look. The peel-and-stick vinyl cost about $12 on Amazon.
Tip: Measure your appliances twice before heading to the store to pick up the material and ordering the peel-and-stick vinyl from Amazon.
5. Flooring, Flooring, and Flooring
This was part of the refresh that made me nervous, and I almost didn’t refresh my laundry room because changing a floor can be tricky. I had been looking at peel-and-stick floor tiles for some time, and after reading many reviews on other people’s success, I decided to try. I went with waterproof marble-like rectangle tiles to keep the space bright. I measured the floor space several times and ordered extra tiles for cutting errors. The tiles were easy to cut using a box cutter and a 90-degree square ruler. The cost was about $80 from Amazon.
Tip: Place a full row of tiles in position without removing the protective backing to see what the space will look like and if you will have any challenges. After you have determined that the tiles will work, peel one tile and make sure to line up each tile thereafter. On the second row, start with half of a tile so that the finished floor looks like a hardwood floor design. Take your time, and you will love your new floor.
6. The Best Storage Solution for a Laundry Room
My laundry room is on the second floor of my house, alongside the bedrooms and bathrooms. For my convenience, I wanted the laundry detergents on the countertop and the cabinet to be organized with extra laundry products and small appliances, like my steamer and iron. The wire shelves were a great place to store extra toiletries and cleaning products in labeled wooden bins.
7. Accessorize
Finally, the window trim and wall moldings were painted with semi-gloss white paint and accessories were added to the laundry room. I kept with the color theme and made sure not to crowd the space.
Good luck with your laundry room refresh!
