We Answer Wednesday - Mudroom Mayhem

“I have a mudroom in my house that I feel is underused. Sure, we come in and use it as the main entrance but I just feel it needs some organization. What are some tips for making a mudroom organized and functional?”

Having a functional mudroom can make the day to day hustle and bustle so much more manageable. If you are lucky enough to have a mudroom in your home, don’t let it go unused! A mudroom is a fantastic way to keep outerwear, books, shoes, mittens (depending on the season) tucked away so that it isn’t taking over your front entry. Of course, this blog will also show you how to make your mudroom both functional AND stylish.

 

1. Incorporate Storage
Depending on how much space you have, adding some cabinets or shelving will drastically increase the function of the space. If you have the space to add a “hall tree” (shelves, a bench and a place in the bottom to store shoes) you will see the function of the space increase instantly. If you have kids, you definitely need the extra storage. Having a cabinet or shelf gives you places to store hats, mitts, scarves and all the extras kids need.

2. Add Hooks
Adding something as simple as hooks for coats will change your life. No more Jackets on the banister or laying on the floor for someone to trip on. Having a few hooks takes all the clutter away and stores it neatly.

 

3. Add Baskets
Adding baskets is a great place for hiding extra items such as winter clothes, the dogs leashes, extra keys etc. This is also a great place to add some colour or pattern! Adding baskets is an inexpensive way to add functionality.

4. Door Mats
Depending on the type of flooring you have, it may or may not be the most durable. Nevertheless, adding mats is another great way to pretty up your space. It also is a good spot for wiping your feet as you come in the door instead of tracking the outdoors throughout the house. Get a mat that is easy to vacuum and not too expensive, chances are this may change with the seasons.

Don’t be afraid to use colour and pattern. Most mudrooms are not in the center of the home so it’s a great place to be bold! Typically the mudroom is not the prettiest area of your home so bring colour to the walls or shelves and use a colourful rug, baskets and art! 

Part of keeping your ‘mudroom’ functional, is actually using these tools. So add name tags over hooks to keep the kids understanding where their things go. Adding their own specific area is a fun way for them to learn to clean up after themselves, and it saves you the trouble of always picking up bookbags, coats and shoes!

February To-Do List

This February think about getting cozy, gathering with friends, enjoying more time for your hobbies and planning changes both big (like the sale of your home) and small (new paint colors). It may still be cold out there, but there’s plenty to do indoors. Here are 10 ideas to make the most of your month. 

 1. Plan for a spring or summer home sale. With warmer weather and kids out of school, summer is a popular time to sell or buy a home. If you are considering putting your home on the market this year, it’s a good idea to start planning now. Interview real estate agents, make a list of home projects that need to get done to help your home look its best, and line up work so any major projects will be completed in time.

 

 2. Clean road salt from entrances. Road salt, melting snow, mud and grime can give the floors around entrances a beating this time of year. Clear away the clutter and give your floors a thorough cleaning. Then set up shelving or a tray to store boots near the door, and protect your floors with waterproof mats. Stash a few old towels in a basket near the door to quickly wipe up messes.

 3. Clean interior windows. It may be too cold and icy to clean windows outside, but cleaning interior windows can still help boost light — something we could all use a bit more of during the winter.

4. Conserve energy and stay warm. Block drafts coming through cracks around doors with door sweeps or good old-fashioned door snakes. Keep doors shut to rooms you’re not using, and warm up with cozy rugs, throws and duvets.

 5. Organize the craft area. If you enjoy crafting as a hobby, you probably find yourself doing more of it in the winter. And more crafting usually means more mess. Get a handle on your craft stash by sorting through your supplies and storing them in labeled bins, baskets and jars.

 

 6. Clean the air. Treat your home to a few new houseplants this month to help boost interior air quality and add life to your home. Even if it’s cold where you live, try cracking open a window or two each day (even if only for a moment) to bring in some fresh air. Clean or replace furnace filters as needed. And if you have allergies or are concerned about the quality of air where you live, look into getting an air purifier as well.

 7. Give your bath a spa-inspired makeover. Details can make a big impact in a small space like the bathroom. Bring in fresh white towels, a new shower curtain and liner, and a few organic accents, like potted plants and a wooden stool. Then be sure to make time for a relaxing soak in your refreshed bathroom!

 8. Pick up some paint swatches. Fight off winter doldrums by focusing on ways to enhance your home with color. Visit a paint store and scoop up swatches. Play around with potential color combinations by pinning your favorites to a bulletin board. By the time spring rolls around, you’ll be ready to break out the paintbrushes.

 9. Invite friends into the kitchen for “freezer cooking.” Make lighter work for all by inviting friends to participate in a day of cooking, with the express purpose of making dinners that can be stored in the freezer. Go in on ingredients and make a really big batch of chili, pans of lasagna or whatever strikes your fancy — just remind guests to bring their own containers to take food home.

 

 10. Treat your home (and yourself) to fresh flowers. With Valentine’s Day this month, the markets are bound to be bursting with blooms — and often at good prices. Why not treat yourself to a weekly bouquet?

 

It's Laundry Day!!

The laundry room is one of the busiest and most important areas of the home but it is often over looked.  It is easy to turn your disorganized laundry area into a clean and organized room in your home.





Take a look at the issues in your laundry room - do you need storage to hang clothes, keep dirty clothes, keep supplies?

Start by clearing it out , you might be surprised at the random things you will find stored in there.

1. In most laundry rooms storage is a concern and one of the first steps that will help organize the laundry space is shelving above the washer and drier.  So go to IKEA or another store with great storage solution ideas and get some easy to hang shelves.  these shelves are perfect for laundry soaps, stain removers and more.  You really cannot have too much shelving especially if your laundry area acts as a storage area for other items too like bulk foods (think juice boxes, pop, toilet paper etc...) If you have a larger laundry room, try mixing both open and closed storage - open storage is perfect for items you need access to (soaps, sprays) and you can even keep them in cute baskets to it's pretty to look at and closed storage is great for bulk items.

2. If you are tired of losing socks behind the machines, think about installing a wall to wall counter top over the machines (works with front loaders).  Not only will you lose less but now you have a flat counter for folding or keeping laundry cleaning supplies at your finger tips and laundry baskets. 

 

3. A lot of laundry spaces tend to be dark and dingy so let the light in with some good light fixtures with bright bulbs and paint the walls in a fresh colour.

4. Look at installing a Swing Arm Hanger Holder (www.organize.com) to hang shirts after they have been pressed

5.  Laundry sorters are perfect to keep brights, whites and mid tones separate.  Get the kids involved in sorting the laundry too.  You can find great sorters at Wal-mart and other department stores.  You can even use large wicker baskets instead of an actual sorter
 







Having an organized laundry centre in your home will make you life easier and if you are selling (sooner or later) this is a great feature for a family and it is not an expensive upgrade

Keeping it Clean!

So it's that time of year...spring!  the birds are chirping, the sun is out and the grass is peeking through and now it's time to clean house1  You might be surprised to hear what the 10 dirtiest things in your home are -

1.  Your cleaning equipment.  Yes, your mops, rags and sponges are so dirty and they need to be cleaned too!  So, run your sponges through the dishwasher or zap them on high in the microwave to kill the germs.  Nylon and stainless steel scrub brushes can go through the dishwasher.  Run rags through the washing machine, especially once they start to smell and if they have touched raw meat wash them right away!



2.  Your toilet base.  The rim, the base and the floor space that directly surrounds the toilet are the dirtiest parts especially if you have young children.  So, always clean those areas - personally I like to use my steam mop for anywhere where germs like to hang out!

3.  Your kitchen sink drain.  Yes, the drain!  Food gets stuck in there, it starts to smell and even clog.  So, pour 1 cup of baking soda followed by 1 cup of vinegar let it sit for a minute and then pour 1 kettle of boiling hot water down the drain - this is an inexpensive and eco-friendly way to clean your drain and deodorize it!

4.  Your pet's eating area.  If it stays dirty, you risk you pet eating bugs or worse.  So, be sure to wipe up spilled water, wash their bowls regularly and protect your floors by using a charger, a mat or even a baking sheet and clean those too.



5.  Your litter box.  OK, your cat's litter box but more specifically the surrounding area of the litter box.  So, be sure to vacuum, and wipe clean using a hot water and vinegar solution to kill any germs.

6.  You doorknobs.  If the people in your home wash their hands frequently it may not be on your top ten list but it tends to be a hot spot for germs.  So, wipe down your doorknobs with hot soapy water (once a week)

7.  Your diaper bail.  Kind of obvious why.  So be sure to wipe down the exterior with hot soapy water and try to do this daily to prevent the spread of germs.  Wash the interior as per the manufacturer's instructions.

8.  Your microwave.  The splatter of various food makes the inside of the microwave a very dirty place and no one ever cleans it after they have warmed up their meal.  So, clean the interior with hot and soapy water, don't use harsh chemicals.  For stubborn baked on food, run the microwave with a bowl of water or a wet rag for a few minutes, the steam will help loosen the residue.




9.  Your bathroom walls.  Especially the wall area closest to the toilet.  Yes, pee and more can splash on the walls - yuck- but it's true.  So, use a hot water and vinegar solution to disinfect and deodorize.

10.  Your floors.  Especially the highest traffic areas.  So, always remove your shoes at the door (your kids too) that will help keep outdoor germs from spreading throughout the entire home, sweep, mop and/or vacuum weekly, mop up spills immediately.  Hot water and vinegar is an easy, eco friendly way to mop up messes effectively and it won't damage your flooring.

Giving back and doing good!

Now that March is here, the weather is warming up and the dreaded task of spring cleaning is upon us...if you have started already and have a bunch of children's books that you don't know what to do with, you could sell them at a garage sale or....for the month of March Michael's stores are collecting children's books in any language and donating them to the Boys and Girls Club



Other great organizations that help you with your decluttering....

Project Smile - collects stuffed animals for emergency responders to give to frightened children in the aftermath of fires, accidents or natural disasters.  www.projectsmile.org



Soles4Souls - provides shoes to people in need worldwide.  Enter your ZIP code to find a collection site near you.  www.soles4souls.org



Local daycare centres and group homes for troubled youth often appreciate gently used toys, books, magazines, games and even older model computers.

Dispose my meds - lets you search by ZIP code for local pharmacies with take-back programs to help keep potentially harmful pharmaceutical waste and personal-care chemicals out of the environment  www.disposemymeds.org



Recycle my cell phone - accepts old cell phones by mail and recycles or refurbishes them to prevent toxic metals from getting into landfills.  www.recyclemycellphone.org  Also most carriers like rogers and Telus will also take your old cell phones.



Earth911.com - helps you locate recycling centres near your home for batteries, electronics and more.  www.earth911.com



Replacements, Ltd - buys china, crystal, and silver - from soup bowls to nut dishes in more than 360,000 tableware patterns.  www.replacements.com



Media Exchange 123 - buys CD's, DVD's, Blu-Ray discs and video games.  Simply enter the UPC number of the item you'd like to sell to find out how much they'll pay.  www.mx123.com



Gazelle - buys a wide array of electronic equipment such as Blu-Ray players, camcorders, laptops and e-readers.  www.gazelle.com