laundry room Archives - Page 2 of 7

accessories, decor, Home Decor, Home Office, Home Tour, inspiration, kitchen, Kitchen Renovation, laundry room

The Reality Is…

The reality is that what you see on TV and magazines isn’t real life. We all know this, but do we tend to forget after a while?

I was watching one of those popular HGTV reality shows the other day. This one happened to be filmed in our neighborhood, so I was very familiar with the home that was being renovated. I drove by the house several times while the work was being done and I only saw the show hosts there three times. Those were the few days that filming was being done. The rest of the time (many months of renovating) I never saw the hosts. But, I’m sure you probably already realized this fact. It’s understandable, the celebrity hosts have to record other shows. And there’s no reason for them to stick around and watch joint compound or paint dry.

As you can imagine, I couldn’t wait to see the episode. Before the show aired I ran into the homeowners while walking our dogs. We chatted for a while and I thought they were a super delightful couple. Both polite, kind and fun to talk to. They both shared my love for our neighborhood. When the show finally aired last month, I was dismayed to see this young couple turned into picky, hard-to-please homeowners that fit into the “script” of the show. But, what surprised me most was the final reveal of the “new” value of the improved house. The home was valued above homes almost 1,000 sq feet larger in similar condition in our neighborhood. I shouldn’t have cared much. But, I did.

I’m not sure why I was feeling anger. I’ve known for a long time that reality tv isn’t really reality. Maybe I was angry because I see too many photos and TV shows that portray “real” people living in perfect homes. I think I was angered because the more we watch, the more we read and the more we pin — we begin to forget that what we see isn’t reality. I think we all need a reminder about how unreal “reality” is. Read more

April 8, 2015/60 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

Before and After, Fix It, laundry room, painting, Painting & Antiquing Techniques, spray paint, Spray paint metal, Trash to Treasure

How to Refinish Scratched & Rusted Appliances

How to Refinish Rusted & Scratched Appliances | Pretty Handy Girl

Do you have an appliance that has scratches and/or rust spots? Unfortunately over time the rust will get worse if you don’t deal with it.

Today I want to show you how to refinish scratched and rusted appliances so you can extend the life of your appliances and make them look almost like new again.

Before you get ready to tackle this project, you’ll need to order spray paint specifically for your appliance. If your brand doesn’t carry a touch up spray paint you can try the universal spray paint by Rustoleum. Or buy the liquid touch up paint and only paint the rust spots.

Be aware that all white paint is not the same color. However, typically the colors are usually the same within a specific brand. (i.e. All Whirlpool white appliances are painted with the same white.)

Materials:

Whirlpool Appliance Spray Paint White
GE Brand Touch Up Paints
Maytag Brand Touch Up Paints
Universal Appliance White: Rust-Oleum Appliance Enamel Spray Paint – White
Painter’s Tape
Saran Wrap
Cardboard or newspaper
3M Respirator with Valve
220 grit sandpaper
Rust-Oleum Spray Paint, 12-Ounce, Clear
Fan

Instructions:

Begin by sanding any rust spots down to the metal. Sand the entire surface lightly to minimize scratches.

Fold the sandpaper in half to get into grooves and tight spots.

Vacuum up any sanding dust and dirt.

Use a clean damp cloth to wipe any additional dust off your appliance.

If you can drag your appliance outside, that’s the best way to spray paint it. But, if you can’t, you can mask off an area around your appliance with cardboard and newspaper. You can also use saran wrap to mask off tricky areas.

If you are working inside, crack a window and open a door. Use a fan to pull air away from your work area. Send the kids and pets outside if you are painting indoors.

Put the respirator mask on. Spray the appliance with the spray paint. Use back and forth strokes that extend off the appliance and onto the masked area. If you stop at the edge you’ll have puddles of paint. A light coat is all you need for your first coat. Read more

April 6, 2015/8 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

curtains, Decorating, laundry room, Sewing, storage

Hidden Storage Under a Laundry Room Sink

Laundry Room Sink Skirt | Pretty Handy Girl

Having a utility sink in the laundry room rocks! Having everything that we store underneath it on full display isn’t so rockin’. It was time to create some Hidden Storage Under our Laundry Room Sink.

In the previous incarnation of our laundry room I had hot glued a skirt onto the sink. But, it was awkward to access the trash can underneath.

When the new sink was installed in the laundry room I wanted to find a better way to hide the storage under the sink.

Materials:
(contains some affiliate links)

Stainless Steel Small Shower Curtain Tension Rod 25″-43″
Grommet Top Curtain Panel
Scissors
Pins
Iron
Sewing Machine (or hem tape)

Instructions:

If you have something solid on each side of the sink (in our case the dryer and a wall), you can use a small shower curtain tension rod. Follow the directions on the shower curtain rod package, but basically you’ll twist the rod until it is tight against the surfaces you are mounting to.

Slip the rod off the wall for a minute and slide the grommet topped curtain onto the rod.

Fold under the excess and pin where the curtain meets the floor.

Measure 5″ up from the pinned edge. Cut the excess off. Fold over 1/2″ at the raw edge and fold again to create a 4 1/2″ hem.

Iron the folded hem.

Stitch along the 1/2″ fold.

Slip the curtain back onto the tension rod and adjust the rod an inch away from the sink (to allow room for the curtain to accordian.)

When we need to access the trash can or mop bucket, the grommets slide smoothly along the rod.

Easy hidden storage under a laundry room sink!

It’s so nice not seeing the bucket and trash can. Speaking of mop bucket, that’s a fancy Mopnado you’re seeing under the sink. If you haven’t heard of the Mopnado, they make moping a lot more fun! The mop head fits in the top and spins to release excess water. You can see how fancy it is in this video:

(Yes, they sent me a complimentary Mopnado to try. No I was not paid or sponsored to mention it.)

What do you think of this quick and easy tutorial to create hidden storage under a laundry room sink? Do you have a utility sink that can use this trick?

Have a great weekend y’all! I’m headed to Dallas for a little fun project with Thompson’s WaterSeal. Follow me on Instagram to see what I’m up to on my trip.

Pin for later!

February 13, 2015/10 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

Do It Yourself, Door Hardware, Fix It, Home & Auto Maintenance, laundry room, towel bar, Tutorial

How to Install a Towel Bar Securely

How to Securely Install a Towel Bar | Pretty Handy Girl

Have you ever reached for a towel and realized that the towel bar was barely secured to the wall? Installing a New Towel Bar Securely is a fairly simple DIY task if you know how to anchor the brackets.

As part of my little laundry room refresh, I decided to replace the dated brass towel bar that had started to come loose.

Install a Towel Bar Securely Materials:

(Contains some affiliate links)

Towel Bar (SyleSelections 18″ Chrome Towel Bar)
Level
Painter’s Tape
Drill
Drill Bit
Screwdriver
Small Flat Head Screwdriver
or Mini Hex Wrench

Optional:

Scissors to cut out template
TOGGLER Drywall Anchors if not mounting on studs

Install a Towel Bar Securely Preparation:

Begin by removing the old towel bar if you have one already installed. Look underneath for a tiny set screw. Usually you will need a small flat head screwdriver or allen wrench to remove it.

Once the mounting bracket is removed, you will see the mounting plate which can be removed by unscrewing the screws. Patch any holes in the wall and touch up the paint before installing the new towel bar.

Mounting Instructions:

Find the template that came with your new towel bar. Sometimes it is on the instruction sheet, and sometimes you have to cut it off the product box.

Hold the template up and line up the bracket locations with studs. If you can’t line it up with two studs, you can use a good wall anchor. Don’t use the anchors that came with the towel bar. (Here’s why you should never use those freebie wall anchors.)

Tape the template in place and level it. Make any adjustments necessary to get the template perfectly level. Read more

February 11, 2015/15 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

backsplash, caulking, Home & Auto Maintenance, laundry room, Tile, Tutorial

Tile Setting Marble Tiles without Thinset Mortar

tiled and grouted marble subway tile backsplash around utility sink

You may remember years ago when I installed Smart Tile adhesive tiles in our laundry room. Well, truth be told, they weren’t looking so smart after 3 years and a water leak. I had a few leftover marble subway tiles from our kitchen backsplash and decided to use them to freshen up the laundry room. While I was at Lowe’s I decided to try Mussel Bound tile adhesive used for tile setting without thinset mortar. I figured this would be a good place for a trial in case I didn’t like the product.

To remove the Smart Tiles you are supposed to use a hair dryer or heat gun to soften the adhesive. The tiles on my wall were already peeling off and they came off very easily.

There was some minimal damage to the drywall, but if I had used the hairdryer it probably would have come off cleaner. To minimize any issues, be sure to clean your wall with a mixture of TSP (Trisodium Phosphate) and water using the instructions on the package.

Wipe the walls clean with a damp sponge after cleaning.

Ready to start tiling with less mess?

Materials:
(Contains some affiliate links)

Mussel Bound Adhesive Tile Mat
Tiles (used Carrara Marble Tiles from TheBuilderDepot.com)
Marble Pencil Tile
Tile Spacers 3/16″ T-shaped
Tape Measure
Pencil
Laser Level
Level
X-acto Knife
Metal Carpenter Square
Cutting Mat
Wax Paper
Grout Float
Grout Sponge
Painter’s Tape
Silicone Caulk
Unsanded Grout (used Mapei Frost)
Rag

Optional: Grout Shield

Instructions:

Before you begin, layout your tiles and spacers to determine the height you desire for your backsplash. Transfer this height onto the wall around the sink. Read more

February 9, 2015/29 Comments/by Brittany Bailey