The Junk Stops Here!

I have decided that if I can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. My daughters are totally NOT neat freaks, so I’m not gonna be one either.

Sorry. I can’t quite wear the uniform for the "pig" team. I love my daughters, but we lovingly refer to them as pigs around here, due to their hog-pen way of life in their bedrooms. If clothes on the floor were mud, they’d be wollerin’ around in it all the time. Minus the smell, of course.

While I’m not an over-the-top, wig-out-if-there’s-a-hair-out-of-place neat freak, I do like for things to be at least nice, somewhat neat, and orderly.

My youngest daughter believes the utility room hall alcove area is her personal space for her shoes, backpack, basketballs, and duffel bag. Well, this ol’ sow got sick and tired of seeing my little piggy’s junk all over the place first-thing when I walk in the door. Despite my attempts at getting her to organize herself, it didn’t work. And before you judge me and say "My kid wouldn’t do that or I’d take this or that away, etc., " let me just say "Bull." We all live cluttered lives, if we’d be honest about it.

So, I decided to help her out just a bit by decorating her drop-off point just inside the door.

In the last couple of years I discovered vinyl sentiments, like those available from Uppercase Living, and retailers like Kohl’s and Michael’s. My favorite feature about Uppercase Living is, in addition to the thousands of designs and sentiments available, you can custom create your own removable expression. And that’s what I did for my daughter’s junk space.

The junk stops here!

I don’t have a before picture, but prior to my creative spell, the wall was painted a simple off-white, and I had a little wire shoe rack placed in the center.

I painted the wall a green color, called Crocodile Tears, available at Lowe’s. After it dried, I applied my new sentiment, The junk stops here! The sentiment was created in an off-white color.

Then, I took a sofa-type table I had that I wasn’t using, and painted its legs a creamy, off-white (they were forest green). The off-white really popped against the table's pine-colored top!

Then, I added a couple of baskets (from Target) that had been given to me as a housewarming gift a few years ago.

So, while it is still fairly cluttered, at least it’s a somewhat cute clutter. The only money I had in this project was the cost of the sentiment from Uppercase Living, which was probably around $15.00, and a quart of paint.

Other decorating projects I’ve done in the utility room (we might as well make work fun, right?) include hanging this cute "antiques" sign. My sister picked it up for me at a thrift store, as is! It is an old window, and had a lace template background painted on it, topped with a stencil of the word antiques.

Then, on the opposite wall, I hung a quilt rack (which was also a gift). On it, I fashioned a close line out of jute, then hung my mom’s doll quilt and dress on it. Also shown are vintage granny bonnets, two of which actually belonged to Kathern! I knew I could fit her into this posting somewhere! She actually wore that polka-dotted one when she’d go get clothes in off the line. On the top, I placed a few knick-knacks I had laying around the house.

Then, on my door, you can see I affixed a laundry sign, again, an Uppercase Living design. If you’re interested in Uppercase Living products, I have two friend who are consultants. Check them out! Dee Dolloff, http://deed.uppercaseliving.net/home.m, or Kelly Silvy, http://ksilvy.uppercaseliving.net/home.m. (hot links below). Both of these gals are great, I have bought from each of them!

Have fun making your dreary work areas and clutter spots fun places that really aren’t so bad after all!

Love, and happy junking and decorating!

Marci

http://deed.uppercaseliving.net/home.m
http://ksilvy.uppercaseliving.net/Home.m