Storage Totes in the Mudroom

My kitchen is not huge and my pantry is even smaller. So, needless to say I don’t have extra space for non-essentials. Why would someone build a 5 bedroom home with a small kitchen? Better question: Who would buy it? Good thing I’m organized! Anyway, I saw these totes at Wal-Mart. They were marked down to $5, but at the checkstand they were really marked down to $3 each. Woo-hoo! I knew they would be perfect in the mudroom to store those “extras” I didn’t have room for in the kitchen. (Please ignore the walls, my mudroom is still not finished. Will someone please ground me until I finish it?)

They looked pretty good up there, but kind of blah! Of course, my Cricut came to the rescue again. I thought about making a stencil and painting them, but then my laziness took over and I decided to make some vinyl and just stick it on. The totes are like a nylon so the vinyl stuck on, no problem.

The {1} tote doesn’t  have anything in it yet. This is inside the {2} tote. I use these for parties, picnics or when lots of kids are over.

I decided on numbers because I wanted something simple.

This is inside the {3} tote. These are used for parties or when the kids request them. They like to eat ice cream out of the teal ones.

As you can tell, I like fast projects. Maybe that’s the problem with me finishing the mudroom.

I placed a plastic tote inside the tote to give me a flat, hard surface to work with. Then I just stuck the vinyl on. I did actually measure a little, but it’s not perfect.

So what do you think? This is looking at them as you come in through the garage.

And this is looking at them from the front hall of the house. I love them, especially for a total cost of $9. 

Now I have a place for those non-essential kitchen items. Easy to get to, but out of sight.

I’m linking to:

Works for me Wednesday at We Are That Family

Whatever Goes Wednesday at Someday Crafts

Strut Your Stuff at Somewhat Simple

Hookin Up With HOH at House of Hepworths

Frugalicious Friday at Finding Fabulous

Remodelaholics Anonymous Meeting at Remodelaholic

Weekend Wrap Up Party at Tatertots and Jello

Share You Faves at It’s A Blog Party

Sundae Scoop at I Heart Naptime

DIY Project Parade The DIY Show Off

Making Monday Marvelous at C.R.A.F.T.

Market Yourself Monday at Sumo’s Sweet Stuff

All Things Domestic at Crazy Domestic

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Still Working on the Mudroom

I can’t wait till I can offically say the mudroom is finished, but not yet. Hubby’s finished his part but I still have to spackle, sand, paint, put up hooks and add accessories. I found some metal buckets at Big Lots on clearance for $5 each. There were four left, exactly what I needed, but the colors were a little off.

I don’t really mind the green too much, but the orange throws it off a little, don’t you think? These will be great for the kids to use for bigger items they need to take with them, like library books, school projects and items I find laying around the house or in the car they need to put away. Of course I got out the black spray paint and got busy with their makeover. Here’s what they look like now.

I’m going to put labels, with their names, on the front of them. I didn’t have time yesterday, because I was also trying to get some spackling done. There are a lot of nail holes in the trim and wallboard I need to cover.

 I have to say I love this spackle though. It goes on pink and changes to white when it’s time to put another coat on or it’s time to sand. I’m a pretty impatient DIYer so this was made just for me. It’s like it’s telling me, “no not yet, come back later”. Hopefully I’ll get some sanding done today. I would love for the mudroom reveal to be next week. I better get busy.

I’m linking this to Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Chic Cottage. Stop by there and see what inspiration you can get from others. I’m on my way.

Did you notice that new picture of me? My 11 year old took it. I think she did really well. I know it’s a little big. I’m going to see if I can do anything to fix that.

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Bench for Mudroom and I Won Another Giveaway

This challenge has kept me motivated to get my projects done, thanks to Gina at The Shabby Chic Cottage. I did change one project up a little though. The original task was to patch the nail holes and paint the trim and door in the almost finished mudroom. Well that’s not going to happen because other tasks need to happen first. So I changed the task to getting the bench for the mudroom built. And here it is:

Of course we’re going to have to take it out to finish the walls around it, but it’s built. Yay! And look, one for him, two for me. Isn’t that the way it always is, we get double the space, even in the mudroom. So you can see from this picture that there’s still a lot to do in here. Do you think we’ll get it done before it snows? That’s my goal. Hubby is getting motivated now so I see progress ahead.

I now have 8 tasks completed and 2 to go. Yay!

And can you believe this, I won another giveaway! How lucky is that. I feel I’m going to have to pass this luck onto someone else very soon with another giveway, so keep coming back. I’ll come up with something great.

I entered the givaway from Cristin at Simplified Bee. I love her site and she’s a fellow organizer so that’s makes it even more sweet. She has a great eye for decorating and design. I just love her style. And she lives in a beautiful area of the country, Northern California. Oh, how I love San Francisco. Hubby and I went there again for our anniversary a few years ago and we had such a wonderful time. Check out Cristin’s site, I promise you’ll love it and be inspired. I wish I lived closer to her, I know we would be great shopping and organizing friends.

Are you wondering what I won? A $50 gift certificate to Duvets Comforters and Bedding.com . How awesome is that! There are so many beautiful products to choose from. I’m going to have a tough decision to make. Just looking at the pictures make you want to sink back into bed and stay there forever. Do you think I can manage my home from bed? Uhmm, I guess not. Thanks Cristin for the awesome giveaway!

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Will the Mudroom Ever Be Finished?

I know the mudroom isn’t finished yet, but I just have to share the progress we’ve made with someone and since we’re all friends, I’m sharing with you. If you haven’t been following along I’ll give you some history. We’ve lived in this house for 5 years and I love it, but no mudroom and a coat closet about 26″ across (tiny). When we first moved here we had 7 kids still at home. Yeah, you can already picture the coats, boots, hats, gloves and everything else piling up by the door every winter. Not this year! We’re building a mudroom! Here’s some pictures of our progress and hopefully we’ll have the finished project in a couple weeks (we’re taking a little break to go on vacation with the kids).

We’re just beginning:

Adding some storage above too:

Yay, sheetrock and a door leading to the storage area:

Time for tile (what a man):

I love it! What do you think?:

Now I get to paint. I knew I wanted this color and I found it in the mistints at Home Depot for $5 (score):

Hubby added the trim and routed all the edges himself:

Are you wondering why I only painted that far down on the wall? Well, now it’s time for the beadboard. We’ve never done this before so wish us luck. Have you ever hung beadboard on a ceiling? Well, we’re going to do that too, so we’ll need some more of that luck I’m thinking.

Say with me “The mudroom will be done before the first snow flies, the mudroom will be done before the first snow flies (repeat many times).

I’m linking this to Make Your Monday at Twice Remembered and Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch. Stop by and get inspired by other projects that I’m sure are completed. Thanks for letting me share my half done project.

Oh, by the way! I have a big announcement tomorrow. Be sure to stop back by and check it out.

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Dreaming of a Finished Mudroom

The mudroom has slowed to a screeching halt. There’s a few reasons for that: #1 Hubby despises mudding and taping (we are looking for someone to take care of that problem now) #2 We are just having so much family fun this summer. The younger kids go back to school Monday, so we’re crammin’ all the last minute fun in this week. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday= golf  lessons, Tuesday=Lagoon, Friday=waterpark and camping. As you can see there’s just no time for working on the mudroom. So here are some pictures of mudrooms that give me inspiration until mine is completed: (sorry, some of the pictures are blurry).

Love the beadboard on this one:

Love the baskets, individual lockers and bench area:

Like the idea of pillows or a cushion for softness:

Love all the cubbies: (I’ll have a 9′ ceiling in mine)

Love how this looks like a piece of furniture. Not sure about the doors though, it might get stinky in there.

The rest of the pictures were turned sideways and for some reason they didn’t want to turn, so that’s all I can show right now.

I think I’ve decided on a mustard yellow on the walls and white beadboard 2/3 of the way up the wall behind the locker and cubbie areas.  A separate bench area with a cushion and addition hooks above the bench. A message area and maybe wire baskets in the cubbies. Just dreaming for now! It looks great in my head!

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