Laundry Room Makeover, Part 2: The Sorting Closet {Before}

Sorting Closet, Before

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The Sorting Closet

Remember the sorting hat from the Harry Potter books?  

Well, we have a sorting closet.  

Unfortunately, our sorting closet does not actually perform the sorting for us (like the magic sorting hat).  

However, it does simplify the process, not to mention the fact that all sorting can be hidden from view with the swoosh of a curtain.  

So, it’s almost like magic.

This is seriously one of my favorite parts of the Laundry Room Makeover.

[Check out another favorite part here: Laundry Room Makeover, Part 1: Barn Pendant with Jute-Wrapped Cord.]

We took an awkward closet space in our awkward laundry room and turned it into the perfect solution for a problem area that was perpetually threatening my sanity.

The Refrigerator Closet

Before its transformation into our Sorting Closet, the previous owners of our home housed a second refrigerator in this awkward space.  (See photo, taken before we moved in.)

At first, we placed a vintage metal cabinet with shelves inside this space, hoping to gain storage. It never worked well–the doors would bang against the sides of the closet, which prevented them from opening correctly–and it looked dumb–which is apparently why I never took a picture of it.

Mount Laundrymore

What was more, the floor of the laundry room constantly resembled a small mountain range.  There was Mount Towelsgalore, T-shirt Ridge, Dirty Socks Overlook and their  related foothills, stretching for what seemed like miles across the faux tile.

It drove me crazy!

Not only did it look absolutely terrible at all times, because there are only about 12 seconds of every week–maybe, in a good week–when all the laundry is done, it also made me feel constantly behind.

I’m always behind–aren’t we all?–but this was like a bright neon light, constantly flashing to remind me of how behind I was.

Laundry
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It seemed kind of like this, only less contained.  (Photo credit)

You may recall that this was a time of my life when I felt particularly powerless to do much at all [Check out The Red Hutch: God’s Grace and Backdoor Clutter], let alone deal with the Mount Laundrymore Mountain Range in this particularly unappealing space through which we all walked multiple times a day on our way to and from the powder room.

Watch Your Step

should point out that guests also walked through this same cheery space to reach the same powder room, which meant that I had some serious work to do prior to their arrival.

Who wants to put heaps of dirty socks and underwear on display for guests?  Especially when you have just moved to the area and these are folks whom you have just met and are hoping will turn into friends.

Anyway, this idea evolved slowly over time, as I worked my way through the mountains of laundry day after day after day.

Stay tuned to find out how we transformed this awkward space into the perfect solution: The Sorting Closet.  [Here it is: Laundry Room Makeover, Part 2: The Sorting Closet {The Vision}.]

 

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Kathleen | Roots & Boots

Let's get real! I’m Kathleen Henderson, your Natural Living Mentor. I’m on a mission to help families see the joy in real food, while finding natural remedies and creating a nontoxic home. Learn more about my story >>

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