The clearing continues

Progress continues on our unplanned laundry room redo.  Through a serendipitous event, the metal shelving unit that was in our bedroom fits perfectly next to our washer.  Why would we have a shelving unit in our bedroom you ask?  Well, during our tile backsplash project (see prior blog posts) we bought it to store all our items for our project - it moved from our dining room, to our study during the project and then somehow made its way into our bedroom as a handy collector of Christmas presents from out of town family.  Yes, Christmas was three months ago, but we never moved it - obviously destined for this moment to make its way into the laundry room.

We sorted and dusted and reorganized.  And by "we" I mean actually WE - yes I even pitched in!  The surprises in our reorganization - a long lost wood burning kit and more picture hangers than we have pictures.  We have literally turned the corner on the project and now are working on the opposite wall.

Here is the after photo of our shelving unit - sorry no before - it was a disaster area,  who takes pictures of that?  I wouldn't want you to judge.

It started simple....

It started with a simple (well maybe not simple) "do you smell gas?"  At first glances went to the dog, but then clarification was gas coming from the dryer.  This is not the smell you want just before you are to leave to drive your daughter back to college.

As we gathered a group of noses to confirm the smell, it included leaning and twisting ourselves behind the dryer and washer.  It was then we discovered the huge BULGE from the water hose on the washer.  So off with the water and off with the gas.

The pulling out of the dryer and washer revealed more dust and dirt than I care to admit. So first came the "let's clean this first" (and by let's - I mean my husband).  Once it was cleaned he then declared that now would be a great time to paint the laundry room. This of course brought us to the question we hate to utter because of the emotional impact it will take on us all ...... "what color?"

My mind began to drift to some magazines I had seen with new exciting colors.  Then came the declaration to use colors we already have in the house "no more paint cans".  We eventually decided on the same color we had used in the master bath (NOTE: I thought we agreed on the kitchen color....but they are both similar). Of course a trip to the garage paint cabinet revealed empty paint cans - so more paint cans were still in our future.

It is now one week later, it is painted behind the washer and dryer.  No more gas smells. A water hose with a lifetime warranty. We (and by we I mean my husband) are moving slowly around the laundry room, clearing and cleaning and painting.  Which is why my dining room now looks like this.....at least the laundry room will look better.