34 Weeks of Clean Rinse and Repeat: Week 22-The Laundry/Mud Room

Welcome back to 34 Weeks of Clean!  If this is your first time joining us, we are so glad you are here! Even though we are on the downhill part of this series, I want to encourage you to pick up where we are and just move forward.  No step is little when it comes to cleaning and organizing.  It all counts and it is all good!  We are in the process of taking our homes back, one week at a time!  You can do it.  

This week we are headed to our laundry rooms/mudrooms!

First I want to show you this!

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/301741243759234263/

and this

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/301741243756358026/

Ummm, these are NOT my laundry rooms and my new laundry/mudroom is still a work in progress.  These are the ones of my dreams.  Actually, in my dreams mine is even more amazing, but for now, it is just a dream. When you move every few years and are usually in base housing or rentals, you have to deal with reality instead.  And trust me, reality is far different.

Before the wall was taken out

Thanks to a wonderful husband, we recently had the wall between our laundry room and mudroom taken out to make one larger space.  It is still a work in progress.  The new built-ins still need to be painted and decorating has not been finished. Because this area is directly off our kitchen, I want the cabinets to match and since I want the cabinets in our kitchen to be painted, well, you see where this is going.  It is a big project that we need to hire someone to do.  I am in saving mode at the moment so you get what you see for now.

 Because this area is off our garage and where we enter the house,  it tends to collect layers of stuff.  A bad habit we are working on, I promise!  

This week- let's tackle those laundry rooms and mud rooms!

Here we go...

• Take everything out.  You knew it, right? ;)  Yes, you can leave the washer and dryer, but all else comes out.  If your hubby is available, the appliances should come away from the walls too!

• Wipe down all surfaces, including floors.  It is hard to squeeze behind those appliances, but trust me, you need to.  It is dusty back there.  Ask me how I know these things!

• If you have windows in this area, clean them, and don't forget to look up and clean out light fixtures and ceiling fans if you have them.

• Take the time to clean out your washing machine.  Even the top loading ones can get grimy, but the newer front loading ones especially do.  We use a vinegar solution and occasionally resort to bleach.

• Before you put things back, ask yourself

            - do I need it?

            -does it belong somewhere else?

 As for me, I'm actually still working on this project as well.  I told you I do everything I assign you, promise, but we are usually a few weeks ahead of you for blogging's sake.  This week has proven to be a crazy one, so know that while you work, I am doing so as well!  I will post more pictures later this week!

One last thing about my Dawn container.  Yes, I use Dawn to wash dishes.  We make a lot of our own cleaning products, including laundry soap, but I still use Dawn for dishes.  Any time I finish a bottle I fill it with water and put it in the laundry room as my "stain stick."  Seriously, Dawn will take out most stains, and I save a little money by "recycling."

So that is it for this week.  Pretty simple, huh?  Can't wait to hear how you did last week!  Don't forget to show us your progress by leaving a picture on our Facebook page!  If you are posting pictures each week, your name will be put into a drawing for our 34 Weeks of Clean Prize Basket that will be given away at the end of our series.  The pile is growing and will include a mason jar filled with our laundry soap!

Have a blessed week, my friends!

Blessings,